The Latest

  • Aerial view of a collection truck picking up waste or recyclables in a residential area
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    RichLegg via Getty Images
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    Tracking the waste and recycling industry’s M&A activity

    Circular Services acquired Waste Recycling in Alabama; VLS acquired Samex Environmental in California; Fuzion Field Services acquired another Colorado hauler; IWS acquired a family-owned New Jersey hauler.

    Updated 10 hours ago
  • A park with curving paths near a small river in the foreground with a skyline of tall buildings visible in the background.
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    The image by DerekAyala27 is licensed under CC BY 4.0
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    Fort Worth, Texas, ends Synagro’s biosolids contract early

    The city council voted to terminate their 10-year contract with Synagro early and will take over a biosolids drying facility. The decision comes amid questions over PFAS contamination and responsibility in the region.

  • Overhead view of several large trucks unloading waste onto the open face of a landfill.
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    Permission granted by OC Waste & Recycling
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    California poised to ramp up landfill emissions regulations

    The state just announced a new satellite monitoring program, and key officials are lining up in support of a new landfill methane rule. Advocates are eager for that process to start.

  • hands open a plastic beverage bottle with a tethered cap
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    Thomas Faull via Getty Images
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    US states renew push for tethered bottle caps to help recycling

    Since last July, companies selling single-use plastic beverage containers in the EU have had to tether caps or lids. California legislators advanced a similar regulation that beverage makers oppose.

  • glass recycling equipment
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    Courtesy of Glass Half Full
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    Glass Half Full opens facility to boost Southeast glass recycling

    The new site offers 30 times more capacity and expands the company’s offerings into the cullet market.

  • U.S. Department of Transportation
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    hapabapa via Getty Images
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    Trump nominates former Florida Highway Patrol chief as FMCSA head

    The trucking industry had lobbied for Derek Barrs' nomination to lead the safety regulator. 

  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sign on a tan building and glass double-doors on the right side.
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    Sara Samora/Waste Dive
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    What a new ‘waters of the United States’ rule could mean for waste facilities

    The U.S. EPA plans to solicit feedback and tighten the language on its “waters of the United States” definition, which guides federal water permits. Changes could ease the permitting process for waste facilities.

  • Several white, plastic yogurt cups containing different colored yogurt, one of which has a metal spoon sticking out of it.
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    AtlasStudio via Getty Images
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    AI-enabled MRF technology aids food-grade polypropylene recovery: report

    A study led by Closed Loop Partners, in collaboration with Greyparrot, analyzed more than 650 tons of material from four U.S. MRFs. 

  • Young eagle and vulture sit on a methane gas well at a recycling landfill with plant in background used to turn gas into electricity
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    TerryJ via Getty Images
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    Breaking down what deregulation means for landfills

    The U.S. EPA has already issued new language regarding enforcement of landfill emissions rules and reporting requirements. Experts say other impacts could take months or years to unfold.

    Updated March 24, 2025
  • Capitol building, DC
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    Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Packaging groups back bipartisan recycling bill in Congress

    Ball, Kraft Heinz, SC Johnson and other companies pledged their support. This adds to other packaging-related bills in the 119th Congress, including the Steward Act and the Farewell to Foam Act.

  • The California statehouse
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    The image by Jimmy Emerson, DVM is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
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    California packaging EPR implementation moves ahead amid regulatory redo

    State officials shared updates in the first SB 54 advisory board meeting since Gov. Gavin Newsom called for a regulatory restart. CalRecycle said it will continue working on other statutory requirements in the meantime.

  • Rear view of a waste collection vehicle, with the word "caution," next to empty collection carts.
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    xphotoz via Getty Images
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    Three ways to refresh workplace safety initiatives

    Mixing up employee safety programs, taking a fresh look at data and getting leadership more involved can add pep to flagging safety initiatives, said speakers at the Waste Advantage Safety Summit.

  • Aerial view of a recently expanded cell at the Murray County Landfill in Georgia.
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    Permission granted by Capital Waste Services
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    Waste and recycling is now a $100B industry, report says

    The industry continued to see consolidation among public companies, especially in disposal activities, in 2024.

  • An aerial view of a recycling facility construction site
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    Courtesy of Circular Services
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    Circular Services and Balcones break ground on $61M Texas MRF

    The facility is meant to expand Balcones’ MRF operations in the state by entering a region with notable population and business growth.

  • A wheel loader moves bales of plastic
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    Courtesy of Republic Services
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    Republic opens Indianapolis plastics complex meant to fuel recycled content markets

    This location houses the company’s second polymer center, along with a Blue Polymers facility. Together, they’re expected to process 175,000 pounds of recycled plastic annually.

  • Various fruits inside clear plastic food containers.
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    Retrieved from Plastic Ingenuity on March 19, 2025
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    PET thermoform recycling is rising, but still not matching PCR demand

    Only 54% of U.S. residents with recycling programs have access to thermoform recycling. That must increase to meet growing postconsumer recycled content demand, according to the National Association for PET Container Resources.

    Updated March 20, 2025
  • An engineered fountain spills shallow water over a concrete basin.
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    Thompson, Jeremy. (2021). "Fort Worth Water Gardens" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
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    Synagro seeks to dismiss lawsuit over PFAS in its biosolids, citing new research

    The company, backed by a Goldman Sachs fund, argues its treated sludge from the Fort Worth, Texas, wastewater system could not have caused harmful contamination on farmland.

  • A worker walks through an industrial facility
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    Retrieved from Brightmark on March 18, 2025
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    Brightmark files for bankruptcy at Indiana chemical recycling facility

    The Ashley pyrolysis facility is expected to remain in operation as it undergoes a possible sale process. The facility is only at 5% capacity, according to court documents.

  • Aerial view of a large industrial shed taken with the sun low in the horizon. Agricultural fields are visible in the background.
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    Courtesy of Divert
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    Divert announces 3rd C-suite appointment of 2025

    The company is in the midst of permitting and growing new facilities in multiple states to achieve its vision of a national anaerobic digestion network. CEO Ryan Begin said the hires would help Divert meet that goal.

  • A Greyparrot AI system sits on top of a sorting line
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    Courtesy of Greyparrot
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    Recyclers give packaging designers a glimpse into limitations, opportunities in today’s MRFs

    Leaders from Republic Services, Rumpke Waste & Recycling and elsewhere discussed their role in recycling plastics at the Sustainability in Packaging US conference.

  • A truck with Stericycle branding sits among cars on the road with a tall office building behind it.
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    Jacob Wallace/Waste Dive
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    WM eyes growth from healthcare trends as it integrates Stericycle

    WM sees future healthcare trends, such as the growth of at-home healthcare, as a business opportunity as it works to ramp up Stericycle’s McCarran incinerator and plans a rebrand, said Rafa Carrasco.

  • The Toyota logo on a sign at a dealership.
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    Tomohiro Ohsumi via Getty Images
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    Toyota subsidiary to acquire Radius Recycling in $907M deal

    The deal is expected to expand Toyota’s closed loop system for materials like steel, precious metals and batteries used by automotive manufacturers. 

  • LRS truck on display at WasteExpo 2022
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    Maria Rachal/Waste Dive
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    LRS breaks into Indianapolis market with new collection contract

    The Midwest company will take over collection contracts currently held by Republic Services and WM. LRS will also help roll out citywide recycling collection services in 2028.

  • EPA to end environmental justice programs, monitoring tools

    As part of the Trump administration’s end to environmental justice programs, the waste industry no longer has access to EJScreen, a monitoring tool used to track environmental justice metrics near facilities. 

  • Line of dumpsters in alley
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    Spiderplay via Getty Images
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    Quest names Moss as CEO, starts layoffs after ‘very disappointing year’

    Quest Resource Management Group is elevating a former Rubicon leader to CEO and bringing in a former Republic executive. It reported “disappointing” results in 2024 despite earning its most new clients ever.