On May 19 & 20, nearly three-hundred attendees from across New England gathered at the Grappone Conference Center for the much-anticipated Recycling Conference & Expo.
This year's conference provided attendees with an in-depth and highly informative experience, showcasing the evolving landscape of waste management and recycling.
This vital annual gathering, known for its comprehensive workshops, vibrant exhibit hall, and ample networking opportunities, continued its tradition of fostering collaboration and advancing sustainable practices across the state. Attendees left with a wealth of information, new connections, and actionable insights.
Key Themes and Popular Workshops
This year's conference featured a robust agenda, with numerous workshops addressing pressing issues in solid waste management. Attendees were particularly interested in the workshop regarding NH's Rechargeable Battery Disposal Ban, which goes into effect on July 1st of this year.
Other highly-rated workshops included:
- NH's Waste Characterization Study & Solid Waste Management Plan: Many found the real numbers and breakdowns of New Hampshire's waste stream to be surprising and highly informative, sparking discussions on areas for improvement in recycling efforts.
- Used Oil Management & the NHDES Grant Program: This session offered valuable insights into grant opportunities and effective used oil management.
- NH Solid Waste Rule Updates for Municipalities: Presenters were lauded for making what could be a "dull" topic engaging and easy to understand, providing essential information for municipal operations.
- Operator Roundtables: These interactive sessions were consistently praised for allowing operators to share "boots-on-the-ground" perspectives, discuss challenges, and gain new information from their peers.
- Recycling Education & Mythbusting in the Media: This workshop provided a fresh perspective on how to effectively communicate recycling information and combat misconceptions.
Overall, attendees shared that the conference workshops provided crucial, up-to-date information and practical solutions for managing challenging waste streams.
Monday: Tackling Tough Waste Streams and Laying the Groundwork
Monday's agenda kicked off with a strong focus on emerging regulations and fundamental practices. The NH's Rechargeable Battery Disposal Ban session, led by NHDES experts Tim Prospert, Mike Nork, and Paige Wilson, garnered significant attention. With the July 1, 2025, ban on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries from landfills and incinerators looming, attendees received the most up-to-date information on collection programs and resources for transfer stations and residents, underscoring the growing importance of specialized recycling for dangerous materials.
Simultaneously, Conor Miller, CEO of Black Earth Compost, "dug into" the complexities of Compost - Setting Up a Municipal Organics Program. This workshop explored various approaches for towns to tackle composting, from schools and residents to commercial businesses and compost site operations, addressing both challenges and practical solutions.
The Recycle Right North Country Operator Roundtable provided an informal yet critical forum for recycling facility operators to learn about and discuss the Recycle Right North Country campaign, which officially kicked off with the Recycling Conference!
The second session delved into statewide initiatives and material-specific recycling. Paige Wilson and Mike Nork from NHDES provided a progress update on NH's Waste Characterization Study & Solid Waste Management Plan. Attendees gained valuable insights into the composition of municipal solid waste (MSW) and construction and demolition debris (C&D), with the study results ready to inform future diversion strategies.
Meanwhile, Trevor Mance of Casella Waste Systems shed light on their new mattress recycling program. This presentation detailed the disassembly process, the handling of components, and the environmental benefits of proper mattress segregation, even sharing results from a recent pilot program in northern New Hampshire.
The Operator Roundtable: Recycling in NH offered a unique opportunity for attendees to directly contribute to the state's Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP). NHDES's Kurt Yuengling and Jennifer Galbraith, alongside NH Listens representatives, facilitated a hands-on workshop that got participants moving around the room to share real-world challenges transfer stations face as they relate to recycling, energy management, composting, and facilities. Operators were surprised to learn how much facilities can differ even between neighboring communities!
Lunch featured a compelling Recycling Education Keynote Panel titled "Recycling Connections: Sharing Resources, Building Relationships." Presenter Alec Cooley of Busch Systems, shared a 30,000-foot-view of recycling education and messaging, its importance, and the positive impact on recycling behavior. NH Recycles Education & Grants Manager, Andrea Folsom, then took the specific themes of: connecting resident's efforts to results, providing validation, building trust, and harmonizing messages and images and connected them to the Recycle Right North Country campaign's outreach materials and programs. NH Recycles Executive Director, Reagan Bissonnette, discussed best practices for resident education, emphasizing its role in increasing recycling rates.
The afternoon continued with more specialized topics. Andy Gould from NHDES presented on Used Oil Management & the NHDES Grant Program, offering guidance on collection, classification, and management, as well as detailing grant criteria and application processes. Steve Poggi of Waste Management, Inc., offered a comprehensive look at Landfill Operations in the 21st Century, highlighting the multifaceted challenges facing modern landfill operators, from regulations and public outreach to leachate management and long-range planning.
The Consumption, Waste, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions panel, featuring experts like John Fay (NEWMOA), Terri Goldberg (MassRecycle), and Nathan Robbins (Maine DEP) explored the global impact of consumption in the Northeast and examined waste management policies in response to greenhouse gas emissions.
Monday's workshops concluded with Construction & Demolition Recycling 101, presented by Gil Sarno (ReSource Waste Services) and Mike Hartness (Keene Recycling Facility Manager), offering insights into C&D recycling options in New Hampshire. Finally, Jaime Colby and Emily Jones of NHDES provided crucial updates on NH Solid Waste Rule Updates for Municipalities, detailing major changes relevant to municipal waste management and transfer stations, including revisions to permit provisions and reporting forms.
Tuesday: Addressing Food Waste, Media Perceptions, and Multi-Unit Challenges
Tuesday's sessions continued the momentum, beginning with New Hampshire's Food Waste Disposal Ban. Jenny Mitchell of NHDES outlined the state's new ban, effective February 1, which requires businesses generating significant food waste to seek alternative disposal methods within a 20-mile radius, promoting options like food pantries, farms, composting, or anaerobic digestion.
In Recycling Education & Mythbusting in the Media, Abbey Massaro, Executive Director of MassRecycle, shared insights from their successful media campaign that countered negative recycling narratives. This session emphasized the importance of transparency and sharing facility success stories to improve public perception and increase tonnage. The Plastic, Glass, and More! Operator Roundtable provided another valuable opportunity for operators to discuss the practical realities and challenges of recycling common materials.
The second session of Tuesday offered "Zero Waste" strategies and technical insights. Cindy Heath, convener for the NH Network Plastics Working Group, presented Municipal Zero Waste Success Stories, showcasing case studies from around the country that have effectively increased recycling and diversion rates through strategic plans and policies.
Pete Dayotas of Fairbanks Scales offered a deep dive into Scales: The How, What, and Why for Recycling, highlighting their critical role in ensuring fair and balanced operations, especially given the escalating costs in the recycling industry.
The Composting & Recycling - Connecting Municipal Services with BetterBev P2 Efforts panel, featuring experts John Fay (NEWMOA), Faith Luce (NHDES), Luke Truman (New England Environmental Finance Center), and Dave Stewart (Blasty Bough Brewing), explored how municipalities can collaborate with local craft beverage makers on sustainability initiatives, including composting, special recycling, and wastewater treatment improvements.
Tuesday's lunch keynote, "Recycling Industry Realities," offered a behind-the-scenes look at various recycling streams. Panelists Joe Whitten (Apparel Impact), Eds Harding (Harding Metals), and Tim Maloof (Interstate Refrigerant Recovery, Inc.), moderated by Reagan Bissonnette, discussed the operations, challenges, and future outlook of their respective sectors.
Of course, the biggest surprise came at the end of Tuesday's lunch with the announcement that we were officially changing our name from the Northeast Resource Recovery Association to NH Recycles!
The conference concluded with two highly relevant workshops. Zoe Malia of ecomaine presented on Multi-Unit Recycling Access & Engagement, discussing challenges in multi-family dwellings and ecomaine's grant-funded program to increase access, awareness, and participation in these communities. Finally, the Hard to Recycle Items Operator Roundtable offered a final vital forum for operators to discuss the complexities of managing difficult-to-recycle items, facilitating the sharing of practical solutions and real-world experiences.
What Attendees Loved Most
The overwhelming sentiment among participants was the immense value of networking with other operators, vendors, and regulators. The opportunities to connect, share experiences, and make contacts were consistently cited in the post-conference survey as the most enjoyable aspect of the conference. Attendees appreciated the ability to discuss common challenges and discover new options for waste reduction.
Beyond networking, the workshops themselves were a major draw, providing new information and fostering a deeper understanding of various waste management topics. The Exhibit Hall also received high marks, with attendees enjoying the chance to meet vendors face-to-face, learn about new technologies and services, and gather valuable information.
Overall Impressions
The conference was widely praised as "very informative," "well-run," and "well-organized." Attendees consistently expressed appreciation for the dedication of the conference organizers and staff, often extending thanks for their hard work. Many highlighted the positive and collaborative atmosphere, noting that it felt like a return to the pre-COVID energy, fostering meaningful conversations and forward-thinking discussions. The emphasis on practical, actionable strategies for municipalities was particularly valued.
In closing, the 2025 Recycling Conference & Expo served as a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaborative problem-solving, equipping attendees with the tools and insights necessary to navigate the ever-evolving world of recycling and waste management.
*Photo credit for all images in this article: Derrick Loughlin, DL Photos, all rights reserved.
