It appears the final chapter of the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) story has yet to be written. Today, 12 former presidents of the recently shuttered organization submitted a letter to the NRC Board of Directors requesting that its members reconsider their decision to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection.

"For the world´s largest economy — and biggest waster — to lose its most important independent voice for recycling is wrong,” the letter asserts. “More importantly, it is not necessary!"

Instead, the letter’s authors posit a time-out period during which the NRC could reorganize. The past presidents say they would help the organization circumvent bankruptcy by negotiating with creditors and identifying new sources of funding.

Among the letter’s signers were Clifford Case, Pete Grogan, Dale Gubbels, Terry Guerin, Susan Hubbard, Mark Lichtenstein, Gary Liss, Meg Morris, E. Gifford Stack, Richard Tichenor, Mary Wiard and Catherine Wilt.

The NRC ceased operations and terminated all staff members at the close of business on Sept. 4, shortly after an attempt by the NRC's Board of Directors to merge the organization with Keep America Beautiful (KAB) failed. The board had promoted the merger as a way for NRC to solve its financial woes.