Here's a quick update on MRN activities and upcoming events. Plus, exciting news about the 2026 MRN/SWANA Mid-Atlantic Conference!
♻️ On July 15, MRN members visited ECO City’s Bladensburg Farm, where Farm Manager Thomas Fazio gave an up-close look at the facility’s composting system. From prep to finished product, Thomas walked the group through how the farm turns food scraps and organic materials into rich, high-quality vermicompost which plays a key role in growing ECO’s wide variety of fresh, chemical-free table crops right on-site.
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♻️ MRN’s Tire Workgroup got a firsthand look at an innovative pilot project using tire rubber modified asphalt by visiting the production facility and observing the paving process, highlighting the potential of scrap tires in sustainable road construction.
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♻️ MRN’s Legislative Team has been working with Delegate Dana Stein and Senator Malcolm Augustine to develop an electronics and battery EPR legislation for submission to the 2026 Maryland General Assembly. MRN President Kitty McIlroy has been heading up conversation with the legislators and a number of experts in the field to craft a bill (or bills) that will ensure a sustainable system to keep electronics and batteries out of the waste stream.
Stay tuned for more details this fall.
Upcoming events:
♻️ Eastern Maryland Facilities Tour – Fri Sep 12: Go behind the scenes at two innovative composting and recycling sites:
Go Green OC, which has diverted 650,000 lbs of waste from landfills, and the
Worcester County Recycling Center. Don’t miss this chance to see sustainability in action.
SIGN UP HERE!
🖥️ Communications Strategies to Maximize Participation and Minimize Contamination (webinar) – Wed Oct 29: Learn proven and practical strategies you can employ to ensure your residents put the right stuff in the right bin!
SIGN UP HERE!
🖥️ New Paint Recycling Program Coming to Maryland (webinar) – Wed Nov 19:
PaintCare is launching a statewide paint recycling program in early 2026. Learn how the program works, how to get involved, and what the rollout will look like. Featuring Jacob Saffert, Director of Eastern States, PaintCare.
SIGN UP HERE!
📅 Get Ready – Get Set – Mark Your Calendars for the 2026 MRN/SWANA-Mid-Atlantic Conference on Tuesday, June 2. Next year we’ll be moving to Martin’s West in Woodlawn, MD. Exhibit sales and registration will open soon!
p.s. be sure to check out the 2025 conference recap.