MassRecycle Podcast
597 FOLLOWERS
The MassRecycle Podcast is hosted by Gretchen Carey, MR President, and Waneta Trabert, MR Vice President. Waneta and Gretchen discuss hot topics in recycling, reuse, and organics diversion, as well as interviewing people who are doing great and noteworthy things in the field of sustainability in Massachusetts.
MassRecycle Podcast
2M ago
Waneta and Gretchen are joined by Jan Ameen, Executive Director of the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District to discuss her research into what to do with vape devices. Complicated regulatory issues surround the components of these devices, from controlled substance concerns to battery disposal issues. We usually talk about recycling, but some vape devices have no end point whatsoever. When there is nowhere to put something, it goes into the waste stream and the inherent dangers are put on the waste workers. What do we do with these devices at the end of life? The answers ..read more
MassRecycle Podcast
8M ago
Waneta and Gretchen answer the perennial question “Why can’t I recycle this?”. Recycling is a commodity, and not only does it need to be collected and sorted, someone needs to want to buy it. To understand what is recyclable and what is not, it is important to understand the system: Who has access to recycling? How are those items sorted? How much of it is collected? What materials have an end market where they are given a second life as a new product? If you have been wondering what happens to your recycling, or you want to answer your friends’ questions about why you bother ..read more
MassRecycle Podcast
1y ago
Embark on a revealing journey as Gretchen, Waneta, and Andrew Brousseau of Black Earth Compost delve into PFAS. Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances, or PFAS, is a group of human-made chemicals found in countless everyday items that has permeated our daily lives for decades. Learn about the sources of PFAS, the challenges this group of substances presents to waste disposal, and the broader environmental impacts. Stay tuned for insights into recent advances in regulating PFAS in compostables, including the success story of Black Earth Compost. Get informed, stay engaged, and discover how p ..read more
MassRecycle Podcast
1y ago
Join Waneta and Gretchen as they delve into deconstruction and mercury with Mike Orbank from STO Building Group and Danielle Myers of the Thermostat Recycling Corporation. Ever wondered about the environmental impact of construction waste? Embodied carbon vs emissions? Curious about how we can make a difference through strategic choices? Explore the paradigm shift from traditional demolition to the meticulous art of deconstruction. Tune in to discover the power of careful planning, material separation, the ingenious reclamation of off cuts, and how planning can keep mercury out of landf ..read more
MassRecycle Podcast
1y ago
Recycling legend Johnny Gold joins Waneta and Gretchen to talk paper recycling - where it all began and how we got here. Have you ever wondered how paper drives earn money? How did paper recycling start? What happens to the paper you throw in your bin? There is an entire industry behind that paper in your bin and how it becomes that hardcover book or that brown paper towel. Find out how it all works and what you can do to help make paper out of paper on this episode of the MassRecycle podcast. Thank you to Good Point Recycling for sponsoring this episode! Good Point Rec ..read more
MassRecycle Podcast
1y ago
In 2018, China National Sword cut off imports of foreign recyclables and brought recycling in the US to a screeching halt. In Massachusetts, MassDEP created RecycleSmart: the one stop resource to turn the Wild Wild West of recycling collections into material streams that could be processed domestically. Janice Paré, Municipal Recycling Analyst at MassDEP, talks with Waneta and Gretchen about the endless resource that is RecycleSmart and its Recyclopedia. Is your recycling actually being recycled? Yes, you can even see where it goes by zip code! What gets in the wa ..read more
MassRecycle Podcast
1y ago
Pull up a chair and join Gretchen and Waneta in conversation with Terri Goldberg. Terri has had an extensive career in recycling, solid waste, and pollution prevention. She is retiring from her role as Executive Director of the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEMOWA). Join us for this unique opportunity to venture into her decades of knowledge. Misinformation about plastics: how did we get here? Eco anxiety. Obstacles to recycling progress. PFAS, toxics, and their role in circularity. We talk about it all, in this episode ..read more
MassRecycle Podcast
2y ago
The MassDEP Waste Disposal Bans are quickly approaching, and MassRecycle has resources for you. In this episode, Waneta and Gretchen interview four textile vendors that take used items and recycle, upcycle, repurpose, or divert them for reuse. Epilepsy Foundation New England, Helpsy, Baystate Textiles, and CMRK, Inc each have a unique operating model that allows them to divert materials from the waste stream while giving back to the communities they serve.  ..read more
MassRecycle Podcast
2y ago
Robin Ingethron and Aaron Mintzes join Waneta and Gretchen to discuss the Mining Act of 1872. This historic push to populate the West with white settlers continues to subsidize extraction and while making it nearly impossible to legally limit mining. Robin Ingethron is CEO of Good Point Recycling and founder of Fair Trade Recycling. Aaron Mintzes Senior Policy Counsel at Earthworks. Both work to educate the public and reform policy that harms people and the environment. Recycling is in direct opposition to mining; reuse of materials rather than extraction of virgin materials ..read more
MassRecycle Podcast
2y ago
This week Leni Fried joins Waneta and Gretchen to talk about the creative projects piloted by the Old Stone Mill Zero Waste Maker Space. Leni and her partner, Mike Augspurger, founded the Old Stone Mill as a community space for creative reuse, to divert materials from the waste stream, and make repair projects accessible. Leni talks about their partnerships with local businesses to divert waste through upcycling, creative reuse, and connecting materials that would be discarded with people that have use for them. These projects are just the tip of the Zero Waste Maker Space ic ..read more