Events

2021 Event

WRED’s May the 4th be with You, Coffee with Colleagues 
Tuesday, May 4th from 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Join us for a casual morning meetup with recycling colleagues from across the galaxy! Bring a hot cup of energy force in your favorite Star Wars (or Star Trek – we don’t discriminate!) themed cup. If you’re not a die-hard fan, don’t worry, you can join us for conversation and networking all the same! We will be having a short presentation from ReCollect about digital recycling tools since the future is now! Feel free to launch your Zoom background into space or love the space you’re already in. However you choose- join us in connecting to our community, seeing new faces and making new connections, or reconnecting with old ones! We hope to see you there. And always remember…May the fourth be with you. RSVP Now!

Sponsored by:  

WRED’s Earth Day Trivia Social
Tuesday, April 20, 2021 from 3:30 – 4:30 PM
WSRA’s Washington Recycles Every Day (WRED) Committee is calling all Superheroes to join us for a fun battle of knowledge! Come in costume (costumes are not required but absolutely encouraged) with your power snacks and use your super powers to answer fun trivia questions and engage in a variety of fun networking activities on a variety of topics. This is a great opportunity for you to socialize with others as super as yourself!

WRED’s To Shred or Not to Shred
Wednesday, March 3, 2021 from 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Do you ask, “What do I do with shredded paper?” Do you ponder, “Why can’t I put shredded paper in the recycling cart?” Do you puzzle, “What do shredding companies do with shredded paper?” These questions and more will be answered on Wednesday, March 3rd from 9:30 -11:00 a.m. at WRED’s shred event! Coinciding with National Consumer Protection week and tax season, the Attorney General’s office will present on which documents should be shredded and common misconceptions about sensitive material. Shred-It and the paper mill, NorPac, will trace what happens next: how shredded paper is recycled into paper plates, napkins, and other everyday products and the challenges they face. This live online event will be free to all but registration is required to attend.

WRED’s Coffee with Colleagues
Friday, February 26, 2021 from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Has the pandemic left you missing networking? Come join your WSRA friends on Friday, February 26th, from 9-10 AM, for a coffee networking get together! This will be a great opportunity to close the week out sipping on your morning beverage of choice, while catching up with colleagues and friends. There will be some fun (non-work related..) ice breakers, discussion around single use items and the pandemic, and if you’re worried about a Zoom call being too difficult to talk or share, we’ll have breakout rooms if enough join so that everyone can participate! Whether you can join for the whole hour, or have 15 minutes free to drop in and say hi, we’re looking forward to catching up with all of you. This is an informal chance to say hello to friends and meet some new people.

5th Annual Policy Forum 
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM virtually.

2020 Events

Recycle BC, Beyond the Blue Box

The Recycle BC Packaging and Paper Product Extended Producer Responsibility program. Recycle BC is responsible for residential packaging and paper product recycling throughout British Columbia. The recycling program is funded by businesses that supply packaging and paper product to BC residents. We heard from Recycle BC staff about how the whole system works, including a virtual tour of their various facilities, operations, and components that make it run smoothly. We also heard from Washington’s State Senators Christine Rolfes, Mona Das, and other legislators who provided brief remarks as part of this tour. In partnership with: Washington Beverage Association and Zero Waste Washington.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW WEBINAR

CLICK HERE FOR PRESENTATION SLIDES

WBA WA EPR one-pager 10.27.20

WRED: Outreach with Obstacles, Changing Programs to Meet Needs Webinar

On Wednesday, July 29th from 1:00 – 2:30 PM, join us as we discuss how the world has shifted with the emergence of COVID-19, and like every other industry, the Recycling and Solid Waste world has had to adapt. We went from in-office teams to remote teams who are adjusting to an entirely new way or working to communicate with your customers. With many in person events, businesses, and schools being closed, the recycling and solid waste industry need to find the best ways to educate and reach their customers.

Some of the topics we will be covering are: Outreach via social media platforms, School outreach using virtual methods, supporting food service businesses in Seattle with commercial technical assistance during the pandemic, what has worked best, some humbling lessons learned, and so much more!

Our speakers include: Miguel Nigenda, Cascadia Consulting Group. Sara Gersten-Rothenberg, Triangle & Associates, Joycelyn Chui, ECOSS, Kim Ducote, Resource Stewards, LLC, Lauren Liming, Kitsap County, Becca Fong, Seattle Public Utilities.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW WEBINAR 

WRED: COVID-19 Impacts on the Recycling Industry Webinar.

will cover MRF’s perspective and challenges, Municipalities’ and haulers’ challenges and strategies for planning a continuity of operations plan, what the industry and municipalities are doing to protect workers and much more! Speakers include; Laurie Davies, Department of Ecology, Paul Jewell, Washington State Association of Counties, Gary Franks, City of Olympia Solid Waste, Bill Berni, King County Solid Waste, Cyndi Holloway, Waste Connections, Matt Stern, Waste Management, Christopher Piercy, Kitsap County.; Matthew Zybas, Snohomish County, and Kris Major, City of Spokane.

Due to technical difficulties, this webinar is in two parts. Click here to view Part 1 and here to view Part 2

As requested, King County was kind enough to provide their Social Distancing flyer. Click here to view King County’s Social Distancing flyer

WRED: Reduce, Reuse, Reboot! Electronics Recycling in Washington State.

Join WSRA on Thursday February 27, 2020 from 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM as we dive into Electronic Recycling! This event will include presentations on the state of electronics recycling, what happens with electronics once you’re done with them, and discussions of what’s on the horizon. We will get a behind the scenes tour 3R Technology’s recycling facility. Added bonus, if you register for this tour, feel free to bringing your electronics to this event to recycle! 3R Technology will be accepting our attendee’s electronics recycling!

• Charles Brennick, 3R Technology Presentation

• Bob Akers, Basel Action Network Presentation

• Erin Gagnon, Recology Waste Zero Presentation

2019 Event Highlights

WRED: Networking Morning Coffee at Cole’s Coffee

December 3, 2019  | 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM This networking opportunity is free and open to all WSRA members!

WRED: Spokane Industries Facility Tour

December 3, 2019  |  10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

WSRA’s Annual Fall Policy Forum 

December 17, 2019  |  8:30 AM – 12:00 PM

WRED: Sound Sustainable Farms Facility Tour

September 25, 2019  |  10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

WRED: Nucor Steel Seattle, Inc. Facility Tour

WRED: Waste Management JMK Fibers Facility Tour

July 30, 2019  | 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM

WSRA  |  Networking Happy Hour to follow 

July 30, 2019  |  3:30pm  | The Harmon Brewing Company

WRED Event | Recology King County Material Recovery Facility Tour

June 26, 2019 | 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Click here for flyer. Please download release document here. NOTE: You must bring this with you to the tour, signed.

4:00pm Networking & Happy Hour at Two Beers Tasting Room – The Woods

EVERYONE IS INVITED TO HAPPY HOUR! Click here for website

 2018 Event Highlights

The WSRA Fall Policy Forum

WRED: The Shirt Off Your Back – The State of Textile Recycling, Reuse, and Repair Today

October 30, 2018 | 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
REI Flagship Store | 222 Yale Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Presentations from the event HERE

WRED: The Paper Chase – The Ins and Outs of Paper Recycling

Tuesday, September 11, 2018 | Olympia, WA
Find Presentations and More Information From the Event HERE

Tour – Sort, Melt, Repeat: How Glass Gets Recycled – Tour of Strategic Materials and Ardagh Group

July 25th & 26th, 2018 | Seattle, WA
View photos on our Facebook Page and find out more about Ardagh’s products HERE.

Tour – Repurpose, Reuse and Recycle; the Washington State Surplus Operation

June 28, 2018 | Washington State Surplus | 7511 New Market St SW, Tumwater, WA 98501

2018 Conference and Trade Show – Navigating the Waves of Change

May 20-23 | Semiahmoo Resort, Blaine, WA

ContaminationFest 2018 – From Consumer to Bin to Truck to MRF

March 29, 2018 | LeMay Pierce County Refuse, Tacoma, WA
Find Presentations and More Information From the Event HERE

Tour – Nucor Steel Seattle

Friday, February 9, 2018 – Nucor Steel Seattle Inc.