Big Recycling Ideas in the Southeast
Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023
10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
Cheryl Young, Research and Data Manager, Orange County Solid Waste | Zondra Kuykendall, Administrative Officer/Recycling Coordinator, Haywood County Solid Waste | Dexter Matthews, VP Government Relations and Environmental Affairs, Liberty Tire Recycling | Joaquin Mariel, Chief Commercial Officer, Balcones Resources | Peggy Whitlow Ratcliffe, Founder/Executive Director, Live Thrive | Scott Jones, Executive Director, Tiny House Community Development | Moderator: Will Sagar, Executive Director, Southeast Recycling Development Council
This session will cover:
Innovative strategies from the municipalities, organizations and companies that are finalists for the 2023 SERDC Champion Awards.
Steps to build stronger coordination around materials recovery between public, private and nonprofit sectors in a given region.
Case studies of collection and processing success throughout the Southeast U.S.
Speaker Bios
Cheryl Young, Research and Data Manager, Orange County Solid Waste
Cheryl Young has been the research and data manager for Orange County Solid Waste since July of 2015. She oversees the department’s education and outreach activities and helped to develop and implement the “Recycling Stars” program.
Cheryl Young
Zondra Kuykendall, Administrative Officer and Recycling Coordinator, Haywood County
In 2000, Zondra Kuykendall began working for Haywood County in the finance office and in 2009 became its solid waste office manager. In that role, Kuykendall worked on the transition from county-managed facilities to public-private partnerships at the convenience centers and landfill. In 2016, her role was expanded to include recycling coordinator. Along with administrative duties, Kuykendall writes and manages grants that have a direct impact on recycling in Haywood County. In her outreach efforts, Kuykendall works with Haywood Community College, Soil and Water Conservation, Haywood Waterways and local libraries to provide recycling education to the students and residents of Haywood County.
Zondra Kuykendall
Dexter Matthews, Vice President of Government Relations and Environmental Affairs, Liberty Tire Recycling
Dexter Matthews is vice president of government relations and environmental affairs for Liberty Tire Recycling (LTR). Since July of 2014, his duties have included working with administrative and legislative officials and staff at the federal and state levels throughout the U.S. on issues and initiatives involving collection, management, processing, recycling and disposal of waste tires and tire materials. Prior to working for LTR, Matthews retired from the state of North Carolina as director of the NC Division of Waste Management in the Department of Environmental Quality.
Dexter Matthews
Joaquin Mariel, Chief Commercial Officer, Balcones Resources
As the leader of Balcones’ business development team, Joaquin Mariel is on a mission to bring the company’s expertise and commitment to recycling to more communities in the southern United States. Mariel previously served as the company’s COO, vice president of operations, and general manager of the Austin division. His combination of operations experience and a passion for enhancing the MRF’s role as a pioneer of the circular economy makes him what some in the business like to call a “true believer” – a moniker he wears with pride.
Peggy Whitlow Ratcliffe, Founder/Executive Director, Live Thrive
Peggy Whitlow Ratcliffe is the founder and executive director of Live Thrive, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that empowers people, organizations, communities and businesses to make positive, healthy and sustainable changes for the benefit of the environment. Live Thrive’s Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) encourages reuse while diverting household hazardous waste and other hard-to-recycle items from homes, landfills and water systems. In 2022, CHaRM recycled or put into reuse 4.7 million pounds of material and had more than 65,000 drop-off visitors. CHaRM is expanding its reach through community programs, such as Corporate Challenge, Kids Day, pick-up service and multifamily home recycling initiatives.
Peggy Whitlow Ratcliffe
Scott Jones, Executive Director, Tiny House Community Development
Scott A. Jones serves as executive director for Tiny House Community Development (THCD), where he has been instrumental in the development of one of North Carolina’s first tiny house communities, addressing the growing homeless population by creating safe, affordable housing. He has also worked with multiple municipalities to address zoning ordinances and building code requirements, and in conjunction with High Point, N.C. planning staff, created one of North Carolina’s first tiny house community zoning ordinances. His recent activities include partnering with universities and Guilford County schools to create future tiny houses for upcoming communities in High Point and Greensboro, N.C..
Scott Jones
Joaquin Mariel
Will Sagar, Executive Director, Southeast Recycling Development Council
Will Sagar has been the Executive Director of SERDC since 2010. He works from Hendersonville, North Carolina. Sagar was the solid waste director for two county programs over 21 years. In his service with SERDC, he has worked across the region to unite government and industry to promote sustainable recycling. This work includes economic research on recycling’s impact in the Southeast, producing recycling awareness events in state legislatures and increasing material capture for production feedstock. .
Will Sagar
Back to the full 2023 Detailed Schedule.