WSRA Member Highlight: Latex Paint Recycling in Washington State

Guest Post by Peter Thermos, GreenSheen Paint

For years, Washingtonians have been told to dry out their leftover latex paint with kitty litter or paint hardener and throw it out with their garbage. No more! A network of latex paint collection sites has been created where individuals and business can drop off unwanted latex paint for a fee. (Recycling costs and quantity restrictions apply. Please contact the collection site you intend to use for details.)

The Washington State Recycling Association (WSRA), a 501(c)6 nonprofit trade association committed to recycling education and promotion in Washington State, welcomes college students to apply for a scholarship to attend their Annual Conference and Trade Show, May 20-23, 2018 at the Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine, WA.

WSRA’s Annual Conference and Trade Show draws over 200 recycling and waste prevention industry professionals from around the country. A showcase for the latest recycling, re-use, and waste reduction programs and technology, the conference will feature leading-edge educational sessions, local and national experts and speakers, facility tours, valuable networking opportunities, and an awards program to celebrate the achievements of Washington’s recycling businesses and leaders.

Full Circle Environmental, Inc. is thrilled to welcome Katie Atkins as a Senior Project Manager. Katie brings over 20 years of experience conducting trainings and providing technical assistance on natural resource and conservation issues related to solid waste, water shed protection, and energy conservation, including almost 15 years at Cascadia Consulting Group and four years independently as KTA Consulting, LLC.

In her new role at Full Circle Katie will be managing commercial recycling and hazardous waste programs on behalf of the Cities of Bellevue and Redmond, providing technical assistance and trainings in the field.  She will further support wide-ranging projects for Full Circle, such as EPA’s School Food Share Program and EnviroStars. Katie’s highly-regarded outreach, training, and public engagement experience includes reaching diverse audiences on topics ranging from recycling and composting, to green storm water infrastructure and construction projects. Katie will also maintain her existing storm water and wastewater projects as KTA Consulting. In addition to her wealth of experience in the field, Katie brings to Full Circle her problem solving skills, enthusiasm and can do attitude.  

In November of this year, the WSRA Board of Directors voted to appoint two new directors to open positions on the board. Please join the staff and current board members in welcoming, Quinn Apuzzo, Waste Zero Manager of Recology CleanScapes and Steve Wulf, Region Manager with Sunshine Disposal and Recycling to the leadership of the association.

Quinn joined Recology CleanScapes in 2009 and currently serves as the company’s Waste Zero Manager.  In this capacity, she and her team work collaboratively with municipal partners, businesses and community stakeholders to ensure contract compliance and deliver innovative public outreach and engagement programs in support of regional sustainability goals.  Quinn is an active member of the Washington State Recycling Association and currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the City of Seattle’s Solid Waste Advisory Board.  She is a graduate of Hobart & William Smith Colleges and holds a degree in Public Policy.  Quinn and her husband live in Seattle’s Green Lake neighborhood. Quinn has been involved in WSRA for a few years and has contributed to the Awards and Education Committees. 

Recipients to be recognized at WSRA Awards Gala Banquet, May 9, 2017

WSRA is excited to announce our 2017 Recycler of the Year Award recipients and Recycling Hall of Fame inductees! On Tuesday, May 9, we will honor 10 organizations, businesses and individuals for outstanding recycling achievements at our Recycler of the Year Awards Gala Banquet which is part of the 37^th Annual WSRA Conference & Trade Show in Pasco. Recyclers of the Year and Recycling Hall of Fame inductees are chosen by a panel of WSRA members, board members, and Hall of Fame inductees.

A Message from the WSRA President:

I wanted to share with you that we will be undergoing a staff transition at Washington State Recycling Association. Anne Baunach shared with me earlier this month that she will be leaving her position as Executive Director effective January 27. We are grateful for Anne's leadership and wish her well in her next position.

The board met last week to discuss transition planning. We realized that the next Executive Director of WSRA is someone who is already a part of the team. Today, we offered the position of Executive Director to Anne Piacentino. She has accepted this position and will start in the new role on February 1.

Anne Piacentino, Director of Events and Communications  

The Washington State Recycling Association (WSRA) is seeking nominations for its annual Recycler of the Year awards, which spotlight individuals, businesses, government agencies and community organizations that are making outstanding contributions to expanding and strengthening recycling and waste prevention. WSRA welcomes nominations of individuals and organizations that have demonstrated noteworthy dedication, innovation and success in recycling initiatives across the state.

Award categories include Individual Recycler, Public Agency, Institution, Non-Profit, Higher Education Institution, Business Generator, Public Education, Youth Education, Innovation, Nucor Steel Recycling Business, and the Recycling Hall of Fame. View the 2016 Recyclers of the Year on www.wsra.net.  

WSRA Elects 2016-2018 Board Members

May 4, 2016

For Immediate Release from WSRA
Anne Piacentino, Events and Communications Coordinator

Congratulations to the newly elected board members who will be joining the WSRA Board of Directors on July 1, 2016. Please join us in thanking these individuals for their passion and willingness to serve the association. 

“We welcome these board members to WSRA. Our board members play an important role in helping set the strategic direction for our organization and leading many of our working committees. We are so appreciative of the time that they spend working on behalf of WSRA and the recycling industry in Washington state.” Says Anne Baunach, Executive Director of WSRA.

WSRA welcomes two individuals, new to the board for the 2016 – 2018 term:
Jenna McInnis: Jenna is the Recycling Coordinator for the City of Kirkland. She has been in WSRA for the past 3 or 4 years including championing two WRED events. 

WSRA 2016 Conference & Trade Show Keynote Addresses to Feature a Generational Expert and a Stand Up Comedian
Hannah Ubl with Bridgeworks and Yoram Bauman, PhD to Present 

The Washington State Recycling Association’s (WSRA) 36th Annual Conference & Trade Show  will be held at the Wenatchee Convention Center in Wenatchee WA, May 15-18. The conference is a prime opportunity for those in the solid waste industry to connect with colleagues, clients, and friends as well as delve into a strong agenda of breakout sessions and tours focused on the pivotal issues and innovative work being done in the industry.   

WSRA is especially excited about the unique opening and closing keynote addresses that this year’s schedule has to offer. Kicking off the conference on Monday, May 16, the opening address will be from Hannah Ubl, a principal speaker with the Bridgeworks organization, who describe themselves as “The Generation People”. Attendees will dive into the background of how and why different generations communicate and work the way they do. The presentation will be catered to the recycling industry and the specific environmental influencers that shaped each generation. A mix or entertainment and education, Hannah’s presentation will apply to every attendee, no matter what generation they are.  With the changing workforce of the recycling industry, the tools and knowledge that wait in this session can be applied throughout the conference and more importantly in the workplaces of attendees. WSRA Board Member Lisa Sepanski of King County Solid Waste Division shared, “My organization will have 50% of our workforce retiring in five years. We will need to hire new employees from many different generational groups. The next few years will be a transitional period when the institutional knowledge from boomers gets passed on to these new employees.  I believe this presentation would help our organization to learn the best ways to build new productive relationships right from the get go.”