Latest
A collection of our most recent news, research and upcoming events.
RRS’ Coryanne Mansell is Recycle Colorado’s Recycler of the Year for 2026
Coryanne Mansell, RRS Senior Consultant, was named 2026 Recycler of the Year by Recycle Colorado for her work managing RRS’s role on the C3 STEPS Projects. Read her story: her path into organics, what the STEPS program does, and where she sees the biggest opportunities for Colorado’s circular economy.
RRS Welcomes Two New Shareholders
RRS welcomes two new employee-shareholders, Alex Baertschi and Frannie Miles, whose data-driven work strengthens the company's research and materials management expertise.
Roadmap to Zero: How the University of Minnesota Is Charting a Path to 90% Waste Diversion
RRS partnered with the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities to develop its first comprehensive Zero Waste Plan, providing a realistic roadmap to advance from 52% to 90% campus-wide waste diversion. Through systems-based assessment, stakeholder engagement, and phased implementation strategies, the plan turns one of higher education's most ambitious sustainability goals into an actionable, community-driven path forward.
A Symbol Is Only as Strong as the System Behind It
RRS explores what PR3’s Global Reuse Symbol means for organizations considering reusable packaging, and the infrastructure, operations and planning needed to build reuse systems that work.”
The Next Generation of Paper Recycling Leadership: Marcus Coleman Joins ReMA’s Young Executives Council
As paper recycling enters its next generation of leadership, RRS associate analyst Marcus Coleman discusses his new role on ReMA's Young Executives Council, his path into the recycling industry, and why building up the next wave of professionals matters right now.
RFID Flow Testing: Understanding Packaging Movement Through a MRF
Is your packaging actually sorting correctly at the MRF? RRS uses RFID technology to track tagged packages through real-world sorting systems, giving brands and producers facility-level insights into how their packaging performs.
It's Not All Boring Trash
Today's communities face challenges that extend far beyond waste disposal. From housing and climate goals to infrastructure and economic development, materials management has become a critical tool for building resilience. Explore how forward-thinking communities are moving beyond traditional solid waste planning and using integrated strategies, including construction and demolition material recovery, to create lasting environmental and economic benefits.
How Sara Nichols Turns Complex Challenges into Collaborative Solutions
What drives someone to tackle some of the recycling industry's toughest challenges? For Senior Consultant Sara Nichols, it's a combination of curiosity, collaboration, and a commitment to turning plans into action. Recently recognized as a Waste360 2026 40 Under 40 honoree, Sara shares insights from her career, lessons learned through coalition building, and how experiences both in and outside of work continue to shape her approach to solving complex materials management challenges.
Resa Dimino to Lead NERC's Sustainable Materials and Recycling Policy Course This Fall
RRS Co-CEO Resa Dimino is teaching NERC's Sustainable Materials and Recycling Policy course this fall, bringing over 30 years of hands-on policy experience to a three-session virtual curriculum covering EPR, deposit return systems, and the evolution of U.S. recycling policy.
FREE Webinar - The Impacts of Food Residue on Food Packaging Recovery
Explore how food residue impacts food packaging recycling in this upcoming webinar hosted by RRS and the Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI). Industry experts from across the value chain will discuss contamination, recovery systems, processing technologies, and whether evolving infrastructure is changing the narrative around recyclable food packaging.
FREE WEBINAR - Why Consumers Say They Recycle, But Often Don't
On June 3, Melissa Radiwon (MRad), Senior Communications Strategist at RRS, will present as part of the SHAPE Engine Seminar Series, exploring the factors behind this intention-behavior gap and what organizations can do to help close it.
RRS Co-Founder Jim Frey to Lead NERC's Foundations of Sustainable Materials and Recycling Course
Jim Frey is Co-Founder of Resource Recycling Systems and executive chair of its Board of Directors. Over more than three decades in the field, he has helped shape recycling programs, market development strategies, and systems-level thinking for municipalities, producers, and industry organizations across the country, spanning everything from curbside collection program design to commodity market analysis to producer responsibility policy.
Inside Paper Stock Industry: How Cross-Industry Collaboration Strengthens Paper Recycling
From shifting fiber streams to contamination challenges, the recovered paper industry is navigating a period of significant change. RRS consultant Matt Todd discusses his role within the Paper Stock Industries (PSI) chapter of ReMA and how PSI aligns Material Recovery Facility (MRF) operators, brokers, mills, and other stakeholders.
Watch “Beyond Recycling: EPR Meets Reuse” Webinar
Watch the recording of RRS and Signalfire’s “Beyond Recycling: EPR Meets Reuse” webinar exploring how reuse systems are being integrated into packaging EPR programs in the U.S. and France.
When Policy Is Designed for Implementation
Effective waste and recycling policy is not just about setting goals. It is about designing requirements that communities can actually execute. From food waste diversion to mandatory commercial recycling, see how thoughtful policy design is driving real progress across the Southeast.
Turning Construction Waste into a Diversion Opportunity
Construction and demolition debris is one of the largest portions of the waste stream in growing communities, and much of it is recoverable. Learn how targeted C&D recycling policies are helping communities across the Southeast turn disposal pressure into a diversion opportunity.
The Biggest Opportunity for Waste Reduction is Organics
Organics represent one of the greatest opportunities for waste diversion, climate impact, and ESG performance. This article explores how communities can evaluate and implement organics programs, from food rescue to composting to anaerobic digestion, with the technical and market expertise needed to make them work.
Solid Waste Belongs in Your Sustainability Plan
Solid waste is often overlooked in sustainability planning, despite being a major opportunity for emissions reduction and measurable impact. This article highlights how RRS helps communities integrate solid waste expertise early in planning to develop practical, fundable strategies that improve diversion, align with climate goals, and drive long-term sustainability outcomes.
RRS Expands Ownership Team with Nine New Shareholders
RRS welcomes ninenew shareholders, expanding employee ownership and strengthening leadership to drive innovation in sustainable materials management.
FREE Webinar - Beyond Recycling: EPR Meets Reuse
As Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging expands across the United States, attention is shifting beyond recycling to explore how reuse systems can be integrated into circular economy strategies. This webinar brings together U.S. and international perspectives to examine reuse in EPR policy, including opportunities, infrastructure needs, and challenges for scaling reusable packaging systems.