ISRI’s 2021 Summer Board of Directors and Committee Meetings began Tuesday, July 13 and ran through Friday, July 16. Here are some highlights from the closing Board of Directors meeting on Friday, July 16.
Board members had nine motions and additional action items on their plates as the closing meeting kicked off Friday, July 16. ISRI Chair Gary Champlin began by thanking everyone for coming to the in-person meetings or attending them via Zoom. He gave a special thanks to ISRI president Robin Wiener and staff for their behind-the-scenes support to ensure quality and efficiency. Champlin also thanked Chuck Carr, ISRI’s vice president of meetings and convention, and Connie Samuels, ISRI’s senior meeting planner, for their work on Wednesday night’s reception.
Champlin mentioned ISRI’s Community Relations Resource Center, which will provide guidance on how recyclers can engage with local communities. He asked members to contribute to the section under development at ISRI.org by adding their personals stories and experiences, to benefit all members. “To make it work, we need more information and anecdotes from the chapters and broader membership,” Champlin says. Contact Mark Carpenter, ISRI’s vice president of communications, or Danielle Waterfield, ISRI’s chief policy officer, to contribute to the site.
After a quick update from the Finance Committee, the board approved and passed a motion to approve ISRI’s most recent financial statement, and approved a motion to broaden the funds ISRI has put aside to support the association’s ISRI’s Surface Transportation Board fund to expand and include any other transportation-related items.
With feedback from the Government Relations Committee and ISRI’s Commodity Divisions, the MRF Committee proposed to the board an amendment to ISRI’s position on product stewardship to address state legislation targeting the residential recycling stream. The committee also developed a guidance document with negotiation principles. The board approved the amended position and guidance documents.
The Membership Committee presented a motion to revise ISRI’s bylaws concerning chapter membership, which the board voted to approve. Previously, a member or associate member was required to join the ISRI chapter in which its principal office was located. The revised bylaw allows a member or associate member the option to join the chapter in which it conducts significant operations that are equal to or greater than the commercial activity carried out at the principal office.
The Ferrous Division brought forward a motion asking the board to authorize ISRI to support an extension of the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (NVMSRP) contingent on continued funding of the End of Life Vehicle Solutions Corporation (ELVS) program by auto manufacturers and the steel industry. The board approved the motion.
The Nonferrous Division brought forward a motion, which the board passed, to approve two new additions to the ISRI specifications, nickel-bearing scrap and mixed nonferrous wheel weights, and a modification to lead wheel weights. Similarly, the Paper Division brought forward a motion, which the board approved, to accept proposed amendments from the Paper Stock Industries Specifications Committee regarding the Guidelines for Paper Stock section of the ISRI Scrap Specifications Circular.
The Audit Committee, the Education and Training Committee, and the Government Relations Committee provided brief updates about their meetings throughout the week.
During the Trade Committee’s update, Adina Renee Adler, ISRI’s vice president of advocacy, shared an announcement from the U.S. embassy in Jakarta that Indonesia will allow the importation of recycled materials with up to 2% impurities. This follows work by ISRI to educate Indonesian authorities about ISRI’s specifications and the importance of trade in commodity-grade recyclable materials.
The Recycling Education and Research Foundation (RERF) board brought forward a motion to approve Neil Byce as a board member to replace Haley Glick-Rountree. The Board of Directors approved the motion.
All in all, it was a productive and successful first in-person board meeting in 15 months for ISRI.
Images courtesy of ISRI.
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