The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is partnering with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Southeast
Recycling Development Council (SERDC) and the Tennessee Recycling Coalition to host a Symposium on Recycling and the Economy. The event will be Oct. 26-27, 2011, in Memphis and will feature discussions on how recycling affects local, state and regional economies, jobs and tax revenues.
“We’re pleased to partner in an event aimed at growing jobs and increasing revenues in our state and region in a way that also benefits the environment and our natural resources,” says Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau. “Recycling is an example of how we can do well in business by doing good.”
A 2010 study by the SERDC found that more than 30 Tennessee manufacturers rely heavily on recycling content feedstock. These companies generate more than $4.3 billion in sales per year and support more than 6,500 manufacturing jobs, according to the study. Another study, this by the College of Charleston, found that recycling creates 1.6 jobs and more than $3,600 in tax revenue for every 1,000 tons recycled.
The symposium will explore ways to further these trends and grow the region’s economy by providing a forum for industry, policy makers, state recycling organizations and government officials to discuss the economics of recycling, including job creation, the effects of idle capacity, tax base growth and the economics of secondary market materials compared with virgin resources.
EPA will also recognize the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation at the symposium for its induction into the WasteWise Hall of Fame. The agency organizes recycling programs across state government, resulting in this recognition.
The symposium is open to the public and is geared toward policy makers and industry officials across the supply chain.
More details about symposium programs, including registration information, is available at www.serdc.org/symposium.
Source : recyclingtoday.com
