The Latest

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    Tracking the waste and recycling industry’s M&A activity

    TXP Environmental acquired the Diamond Back landfill in Texas to optimize its waste internalization. J.F. Lehman & Co. launched an environmental services platform and 5280 Waste Solutions acquired two Colorado composters.

    Updated Jan. 30, 2026
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    Deep Dive

    Is a better economy a worse environment for waste M&A?

    The industry has become a safe harbor for investors seeking stable returns over the last five years. But as it matures, sellers are getting larger and buyers are getting hungrier.

  • Bales of recycled paper sit in a MRF
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    Megan Quinn/Waste Dive
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    WM signals optimism in Q4 despite healthcare solutions integration

    WM CEO Jim Fish says sustainability investments paid off in 2025, with six more RNG projects and four recycling projects due in 2026. Improvements to its Stericycle integration should help margins.

  • Colorado State Capitol Building stands across a snow covered Civic Center Park
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    Doug Pensinger via Getty Images
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    5280 Waste Solutions prepares for Denver compost rules with 2 acquisitions

    Backed by Laurel Mountain Partners, 5280 is expanding its offerings for residential and commercial clients with the deals. The company plans to expand its organic waste processing capacity in the future.

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    Megan Quinn/Waste Dive
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    2026 waste and recycling industry conferences

    Organizers have announced new details about several conferences, including the Organics Recycling Conference, RCon and Business of Biogas. Check out the list of key events this year.

    Updated Jan. 30, 2026
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    Textile EPR back on the agenda in Washington, New York

    Reuse and repair provisions are part of these states' proposed textile EPR bills. Meanwhile, California is mulling three options for its PRO as part of its textile EPR implementation process.

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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    Bottle bill supporters face same challenges, new economic conditions for 2026

    Bottle bills will face the same hurdles as in years’ past, but supporters in places like Maryland and Washington hope new perspectives on domestic manufacturing and EPR can help make their case.

  • Two tractors move on a field against a clear sky.
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    The image by Brad Tinker is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Worries over PFAS in biosolids spill into 2026 legislative sessions

    The federal government has been relatively quiet on the issue of PFAS contamination from sewage sludge spread on farmland. That’s led state lawmakers to propose a wide range of regulations.

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    Permission granted by NWRA
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    Battery collection tech advances to mitigate fires, manage EPR volumes

    Redwood Materials launched bins in San Francisco and plans to scale this year. This follows efforts from The Battery Network to make battery collection safer at retail stores and facilities by using fire suppressant.

  • A bin full of organic food scraps
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    The image by Foerster is licensed under CC BY 1.0
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    Food was one-fifth of waste Wisconsinites sent to landfills, report finds

    The state is exploring options to improve market conditions for composters and anaerobic digesters, including raising landfill tipping fees and reviving a market development board.

  • Mixed plastic recyclables move on a conveyor belt at Recology's Recycle Central
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    CAA readies California EPR program plan without finalized rules or needs assessment

    Circular Action Alliance says it’s forging ahead but is between a rock and a hard place, as business and environmental advocacy representatives also worry about the implications of pressing toward a Jan. 1, 2027, start date.

  • Exterior of the New Mexico state capitol building, which is stucco and prominently features the state seal.
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    New Mexico finalizes rules for clean fuel program, boosting biogas potential

    Regulators approved the structure of New Mexico's Clean Transportation Fuel Program on Thursday. It will be the fourth state clean fuel program in the country when it goes into effect on April 1.

  • View of a truck tipping waste on the floor of an industrial incineration facility
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    Cole Rosengren/Waste Dive
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    Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Miami metros debate incinerator plans

    Advocates continue to pressure officials to close or cut off waste shipments to incinerators in Minneapolis and the Philadelphia area. But progress continues on an incinerator in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

    Updated Jan. 26, 2026
  • The exterior view of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showcases its neoclassical architectural style with limestone façade, tall arched windows, and decorative columns.​
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    Alamy
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    Trump signs $8.8B EPA budget bill

    The funding is about 4% less than last year but over 50% more than a previous White House proposal. It cuts funding for Superfund activities but maintains other research funding for landfill methane and PFAS.

    Updated Jan. 26, 2026
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Solid waste workers experienced higher injury rates in 2024

    Solid waste workers experienced fewer recorded illnesses in 2024, but landfill workers reported higher illness cases. BLS injury and illness data for 2024 was delayed due to the government shutdown in the fall.

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    Megan Quinn/Waste Dive
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    Casella completes acquisition of Mountain State Waste in West Virginia

    The acquisition, representing about $30 million in annualized revenue, opens the door for Casella to operate in new regions of West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky while expanding its Pennsylvania footprint. 

    Updated Jan. 22, 2026
  • The Department of Agriculture (USDA) building in Washington DC.
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    Getty Images
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    USDA pauses on-farm digester loan agreements amid high delinquency rate

    The pause is expected to affect projects on the cusp of securing loan note guarantees, which are used to finalize project financing. Agency staff cited elevated delinquency rates on digester loans in a letter.

    Updated Jan. 22, 2026
  • a close up of a bale of recycled cartons
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    California’s ‘truth in labeling’ law creates uncertainty about carton recycling

    SB 343 is slated to take effect in October. Carton advocates and environmental groups disagree over future markets and labeling for the material.

    Updated Jan. 22, 2026
  • Two people hold a sign that reads "BioCycle The Organics Recycling Authority"
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    Permission granted by BioCycle
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    Nora Goldstein passes the torch at organics recycling mainstay BioCycle

    BioCycle Media and BioCycle Consulting will continue under new leadership. The company traces its roots back to 1960, when the publication was called Compost Science.

  • Two open wooden boxes sit in a backyard with a bucket between them.
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    The image by Tomwsulcer is licensed under CC BY 1.0
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    Outgoing New Jersey governor signs food waste bill teeing up compost rules

    The new law would establish a tiered regulatory structure for the facilities modeled by the U.S. Composting Council, drawing praise from the industry. It also requires local officials to address the state’s food waste reduction goal.

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    BPI still seeking compost rulemaking at USDA

    The Biodegradable Products Institute is focusing on bringing more clarity to compostable packaging’s future in California, dually advocating for rulemaking at USDA as well as new state legislation.

  • A hand brushes organic materials like vegetable scraps off a plate and into a bin
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    Getty Images
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    Community composters are growing revenue and tonnages, report finds

    The Institute for Local Self-Reliance found 2024 was a positive year for small composting operations in its annual survey. But issues like zoning and permitting challenges limit their growth, according to the nonprofit.

  • A close up of a tool touching the inside of a hard disk for repair
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    Right-to-repair bills make a comeback in 2026

    Advocates hope a wave of laws newly enacted in 2026 will boost momentum for repair bills addressing consumer electronics, wheelchairs, farm equipment and vehicles.

  • A large anaerobic digestion dome connected to pipes in the ground
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    Stewart, Christopher. (2024). [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
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    Environmental groups petition to end federal grants for on-farm digesters

    A new petition seeks to end the Rural Energy for America Program’s support for on-farm digesters, which environmental advocates say do not provide sufficient benefits and take money away from other, more deserving projects.

  • View of Hammock Lake in Miami-Dade County.
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    Recycling app Scrapp launches innovation pilot in Miami-Dade County

    Scrapp, a company offering recycling education and data analytics, is partnering with Miami-Dade County to help divert waste from disposal. The pilot got a boost from a $100,000 county innovation grant.