NRC Votes to Reject Merger with KAB

Date: August 27, 2009

Source: News Room

Members of the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) failed to muster enough votes to merge with Keep America Beautiful (KAB). Both NRC and KAB boards supported the measure which was seen as essential to insuring the financial viability of the NRC. Even though 57% favored the merger, a two-thirds majority is required under New York State law where the NRC is incorporated. From the outset many NRC members including some who formed a group called "Save the NRC" opposed the merger on the grounds that it would "eliminate NRC as an independent voice for recycling, giving recyclers just a limited advisory role in an organization that has historically failed to support the structural changes that are essential if progressive recycling policies are to be adopted in this country." They fear that many recycling initiatives and more importantly issues of producer responsibility will not be effectively represented under KAB. As a precaution to the success of the merger, they filed papers to form a separate competing organization called the Recycling Organizations of North America (RONA) and lined up a number of state recycling agencies in support of the effort.

Sign up to receive our free Weekly News Bulletin