National Recycling Coalition

Founded in 1978, the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) is a non-profit organization comprised of concerned individuals and environmental, labor, and business organizations who wish to promote the recovery and reuse of materials and energy. Believing that recycling is vital to the nation's well-being, NRC encourages collection, the development of more processing venues, and the purchase and promotion of recycled materials.

Originally formed by a small group of recycling professionals to convince others that recycling provides many benefits to America's economy, NRC has since grown to 4,500 members. They participate in several different projects, including the Peer Match Program—in which NRC gives technical advice and direct assistance in recycling—and technical councils such as the Rural Recycling Council and the Minority Council. The most prominent of these councils is the Recycling Advisory Council (RAC)

The Coalition established the RAC in 1989 to build consensus on recycling issues. Partially funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the mission of the RAC is to "examine the current status of recycling in the United States with the aim of recommending consensus public policies and private initiatives to increase recycling, consistent with the protection of public health and the environment." The NRC Board of Directors selects members of the RAC from among high-ranking environmental and public interest groups, recycling professionals, and business and industry. The RAC examines information on a specific recycling topic and then issues recommendations; both public and private organizations recognize the standards the RAC sets. Some topics about which the Council has made decisions include the definition of recycling; solid waste management costs; and policies and initiatives to promote the recycling of paper and plastics .

One of the most productive campaigns of the NRC has been the "Buy Recycled Business Alliance." Twenty-five major American businesses in cooperation with NRC have agreed to increase the number of their products and packages made with recycled materials. In conjunction with the Alliance, NRC launched the "Buy Recycled" campaign. Aimed at consumers, it promotes a market for recycled products by encouraging the patronage of companies that sell such products. NRC maintains that first, one must request and buy recycled products, then one must ask governments and businesses to buy recycled material, and third, one should help develop a lasting system for procuring recyclable material.

NRC sponsors an annual conference, the National Recycling Congress and Exposition. Regarded as the nation's most significant recycling event, this membership meeting exhibits the latest innovations in recycling and allows networking within the recycling industry. NRC also publishes a quarterly newsletter and the National Policy on Recycling and Policy Resolutions, thereby keeping members and the concerned public abreast of recycling matters.

[Andrea Gacki ]

RESOURCES

ORGANIZATIONS

National Recycling Coalition, 1325 G Street NW, Suite 1025, Washington, D.C. USA 20005-3104 (202) 347-0450, Fax: (202) 347-0449, Email: [email protected], <http://www.nrc-recycle.org>