November 2011: Let’s Get Technical
Welcome

Dear RMDZ Workshop Attendee: It is our pleasure to invite you to CalRecycle's Holiday Inn Sacramento "Zone Works" Training Workshop on November 30-December 1, 2011. Zone Works offers the unique opportunity for Zone Administrators, CalRecycle Zone Liaisons and Loan staff, and valued program partners to regularly convene and discuss current issues and to coordinate program activities and initiatives. The theme of this "Zone Works" is Let's Get Technical. The workshop sessions focus on a couple of emerging issues and related projects such as carpet product stewardship, CalRecycle's Anaerobic Digestion Initiative, and composting regulations review efforts. We will highlight improvements to the RMDZ the online Zone Information Reporting System (ZIRS), as well how it can be used in our business assistance efforts. In a continued effort to develop our economic gardening toolkit, we will also receive updates on a number of resources supporting California's green economy efforts through research, fostering increased recycling, and offering business assistance tools, including an upcoming consolidated funding resource.

As we continue to develop the final agenda, the following was prepared to give a glimpse of what we are planning.

Commodity Focus – Carpet Industry

Discarded carpet is one of the 10 most prevalent waste materials in California landfills. Fortunately, numerous products can be manufactured from recycled carpets, including carpet backing and backing components, carpet fiber, carpet underlayment, plastics and engineered materials, and erosion control products. Several carpet recycling facilities currently operate in California, offering jobs, and producing products and feedstock for products made from recycled carpet. The RMDZ program serves an important role in facilitating the development of this recycling and manufacturing infrastructure and creating local jobs. 

At the last Zone Works we learned also about the greenhouse gas emission reduction benefits of carpet recycling as it relates to local and statewide climate action planning. In follow-up, this session focuses on the carpet industry as it relates to product stewardship in California. Session topics will address the status of California’s Carpet Stewardship Program, perspectives from the Carpet America Recovery Effort, a third-party nonprofit carpet stewardship organization, and insights from a California carpet recycling company. Come prepared with information about your local carpet recycling efforts, including specific lessons learned, resources, successes, etc.

Peer Share

After tackling the technical aspects of carpet recycling, we will drill down deeper with respect to recent local efforts, lessons learned, related resources. The goal of this session is to take the information from the previous session as well as our collective peer experience and knowledge to define specific actions for our Zone action planning. Please come prepared to share and discuss the following:

  • Some of you have experience with carpet recycling or know someone in your area that has. Pull together your area’s experience regarding carpet recycling past and present. What are or could be challenges of implementing carpet recycling. What solutions have worked? Could work?
  • Who will do carpet recycling in your area? How will it be done? What issues are you running into as you organize for carpet recycling? Collecting, baling, storage, shipping, profit or loss? Market Development?
  • How could CalRecycle and the Zones work together on some of these challenges?

 

Updating the RMDZ General Criteria

For nearly a year CalRecycle has been soliciting stakeholder feedback on the RMDZ general criteria, including a survey to Zone Administrators and discussions at CARMDZ meetings, Zone Works training workshop sessions, and Touch Base meetings. In response to Zone Administrator request, CalRecycle prepared and distributed a Discussion of Revisions to the Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) General Loan Eligibility Criteria, July 7, 2011, summarizing this stakeholder engagement process, an analysis of the findings, and recommendations. This session offers a summary of the accomplishments of the CalRecycle RMDZ loan program and a review of the general loan criteria proposed for updating, followed by questions and answers.

Zone Incentive Fund (ZIF) Update

This session will review improvements to the Zone Information Reporting System’s (ZIRS) online Zone Incentive Fund approval and reimbursement tool: including streamlined screens and document uploads, and an automated form (meaning one less to form you to complete!). Attendees will also receive a resourceful handout listing the types of activities that were approved in the past as examples for ZAs and if possible include the related metrics.

Update on CalRecycle's Anaerobic Digestion Initiative & Composting Regulations Review

One of the key aspects of the RMDZ program is to offer streamlined assistance with permitting and siting, and finding market information for existing or interested recycling businesses. This session will focus on various technical aspects of anaerobic digestion, including the economics and efforts to streamline the permitting process at the statewide level. One component of these activities, which we will hear about, includes CalRecycle's current review of existing composting regulations. After the presentations, there will be time for your specific questions and answers.

Adding to Our Economic Gardening Toolbox

This session will focus on statewide business assistance resources and current collaborations. We will also continue to learn about valuable economic gardening resources, including the Funding Wizard within CoolCalifornia.org's Local Government Toolkit.

We are excited to provide another interactive and educational RMDZ Zone Works training workshop for you! The draft agenda is now available for planning purposes and the final agenda will be provided prior to the workshop via e-mail as well as on the Zone Works registration web site here.

Arrangements for registration, travel, and one night’s hotel can be made by CSUS using the online registration process, by phone, or by mail. The cost for each of these will be automatically paid via each ZA’s CalRecycle Zone Incentive Funds (ZIF). You will not have to get pre-approval or submit a reimbursement for airfare, lodging, or registration. However, other expenses like mileage or airport parking will require submitting a reimbursement form, which will be provided at the workshop. Please also be aware, if more than one night’s lodging is required, you will need pre-approval from Marshalle Graham prior to registering. Also, if you are a ZA and would like to use your ZIF monies to pay for a guest from your Zone to attend the workshop, prior approval must be obtained from Marshalle Graham. More instructions are forthcoming. 

We look forward to a successful event and hope to see you in Sacramento on November 30-December 1, 2011. If you have any questions about Zone Works, please contact Marshalle Graham atmarshalle.graham@calrecycle.ca.gov or 916-341-6270. 

Sincerely, 
Cara Morgan, Branch Chief 
Local Assistance and Market Development