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RTL | Recycling | Transer Stations | Landflls

What is the CTRA and how did theorganization form?

The Cooperative Teamwork & Recycling Assistance

(CTRA) is a result o a solid waste easibility study

perormed in central Texas in 1994. The results suggested

that this area o the State had limited rural recycling

options, and this was a service that many communities

were interested in. CTRA was ormed to help thesecommunities combine their resources to provide vendors

with a higher quality and a higher volume o product,

thereore making their recyclables more valuable.

What is its goals?CTRA is a 501(c)(3) non-proft organization based

on the concept o cooperative marketing o recyclable

commodities. The goals o CTRA include promoting

the development o end markets or recyclables and

urthering public education about recycling.

How does one/company become amember of the organization?

The most common way or an organization/

community to become involved with CTRA is to simply

reach out to us. From there, we start a series o meetings

and visits about what will be required o them to start

a program with CTRA. Each community CTRA works

with is unique, there is no cookie-cutter plan. CTRAwould like to ensure that all parties involved understand

what is required to make the program a success, beore

we commit to a contract.

Why is this an important organizationto be part of?

In the past 15 years, CTRA members have been able

to oer recycling services to more than 1.5 million

citizens throughout the State who might not otherwise

have a chance to recycle due to their geographic location.

The growth o rural recycling has helped create job

opportunities, and increased recycling awareness and

need. CTRA helps create an organized network o 

rural communities to share resources, knowledge,

transportation costs, equipment, etc. Whenever a new

CTRA member starts the process, we connect them

with a similar community in size and demographics to

discuss what works and what doesn’t, and give them an

advantage. This puts them ahead o the game becausethey can learn rom a program that is currently successul

and has made mistakes in the past, this prevents the new

program rom repeating the same mistakes. We believe

one o the most important educational components o 

this network is learning rom each other.

How does this organization helpcommunities with recycling?

CTRA can assist in a community recycling program inseveral capacities but the most common is a community

that has absolutely no recycling program and we work

with them to get it started rom the ground up (literally).

We assist with every aspect necessary, including acquiring

a acility, equipment, grants etc. We work with sta to

Rachel Perry,Executive Directorfor the CTRA,discusses theimportance of theorganization andwhat it’s donefor communities

looking to build arecycling program.

 The Cooperative Teamwork & Recycling Assistance

Creates Community Recycling Programs

84  WasteAdvantage Magazine October 2011

Baling workshop in Panhandle, TX. Photos courtesy of CTRA.

 As Seen In

 

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get them properly trained on equipment and ensure their product is up to mill

standards. Procedures, management, education, transportation arrangements

and reporting are all part o our services to our customers.

Are there any particular recycling trends you’ve seen inthe communities that you’ve helped or plan to help?

Currently, Texas is in the middle o a horrifc drought where almost the

entire state is under a burn-ban. As a result we have seen increased volumes o 

paper and cardboard that most olks would normally burn. We hope that even

when this ban is lited, people will continue to use the recycle center, rather

than go back to burning.

Cardboard is by ar the most prominent material seen at CTRA centers. This

is defnitely driven by area businesses that realize they can save some money on

their trash pulls i they divert the cardboard to the recycle center; it’s a win-win

or everyone.

Does the CTRA actively promote recycling? If so, how?It is within our scope o service to provide education and marketing on

general recycling knowledge, to how to recycle within each specifc community.

We try to do as many presentations to civic groups, schools and businesses as

we can to spread the word about recycling, and help ensure that the quality

o recyclables going to the recycle centers are worthy o any mill. We provideeducational materials that cover a variety o topics; basic recycling education,

specifc inormation on that community’s recycling program, how to recycle in

the ofce/home, hard to recycle items, HHW, electronics recycling, etc. CTRA

truly believes that education is a key actor in making any program a success.

|WA 

For more information, contact Rachel Perry, Executive Director, at info@

recyclingassistance.org.

 Top: Part of baling workshop in Amarillo, TX.Right: Recycle center grand opening in Utopia, TX.

86  WasteAdvantage Magazine October 2011

©2011 Waste Advantage Magazine, All Rights Reserved.Reprinted from Waste Advantage Magazine.

Contents cannot be reprinted without permission from the publisher.