Submitted by Jonathan M. Rivin, Oregon DEQ

If you’ve ever attended a conference, you’ll know that promotional items (e.g., wearables, souvenirs, etc.) , sometimes branded, are ubiquitous. The intent of these freebies – colloquially termed SWAG (Stuff We All Get) – is to recognize sponsoring organizations and enhance attendee experience. Often, conference attendees are given a “gift bag” containing SWAG. While common for in-person gatherings, virtual conferences did not necessarily put a halt to this practice.

ClearStream would like to help re-boot Recycling in 2022. Many of our members have enjoyed successful recycling with ClearStream products at their public space events (some for two decades). Recycling is here to stay and people are eager to come back to events! 

Now is the time to take advantage of your Purchasing Power before 2022 Product Price Increases! The driving forces behind the increases is our cost for raw materials, manufacturing and shipping. Now is the time to take advantage of your purchasing power! 

DEQ developed in-depth explanatory materials to help people understand the Recycling Modernization Act and how different businesses, organizations and communities may be affected when the law is implemented. The law becomes effective January 1, 2022 and program changes begin July 2025. 

Oregon DEQ is an AOR member and sponsor of Sustainable Oregon 2021, AOR's virtual annual conference.

Oregon DEQ has released a new analytical tool to help Oregon's sustainability workers and activists quantify the effects of waste management activities like recycling.

Keep America Beautiful® has released data from its 2020 study on litter in America. The Keep America Beautiful 2020 National Litter Study provides a comprehensive understanding of the quantity, composition, and sources of litter along roadways, waterways, and in non-roadway areas across the United States. The organization’s 2020 study is a follow up to its landmark 2009 study, which builds on a history of science-based litter research started by Keep America Beautiful in 1969.

EPA recently launched the nationwide expansion of an interactive dataset that maps recyclers and landfills for the planning, response, and recovery of debris. The disaster debris recovery tool can assist federal, state, local and tribal emergency personnel to quickly identify recycling, composting, and disposal facilities near affected areas that may be able to accept disaster debris.

Closed Loop Partners announced that some of the world’s largest consumer brands and corporate foundations are extending more than $54 million in capital commitments with the Closed Loop Infrastructure Fund (CLIF). This extension is a testament to the progress CLIF has made over the last five years toward building a more circular economy and the sense of urgency from these brands to accelerate their circular economy goals and support the transformation of the recycling system.

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) is collecting orders online for cloth face coverings through July

RRS has released Textile Recovery in the U.S.: A Roadmap to Circularity - a white paper that highlights the current state of textile waste in the U.S. and outlines a future-state system in which textiles are recovered for best and highest use.