Dive Brief:

• A report from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality showed, overall, that recycling in the state increased between 2013 and 2015. Texans recycled 6.1 million tons in 2013 and 9.1 million tons in 2015, according to the report. However, plastics, electronic materials, and textiles all saw tonnage declines.
• The report, prepared by Burns & McDonnell, estimates that 13.4 millions tons of material, made up mostly of MSW and C&D, could have been recycled in 2015 but was instead disposed. That 13.4 million tons is equal to 43% of all the tonnage generated and disposed in Texas that year.
• Recycling adds over 17,000 direct and indirect jobs to the Texas economy and has a total economic output of over $3.3 billion, according to the report. The fact that manufacturers using recycled feedstocks supported the equivalent of almost 9,500 jobs in 2015 was also listed as a potential benefit of expanded recycling.

Dive Insight:

This report was initiated by a 2015 state bill aimed at exploring the barriers and economic opportunity related to recycling in the state. While Texas has a history of recycling interest, and was actually the birthplace of what is now America Recycles Day, the state's diversion rate is lower than many other states.

Texas is not alone in seeing a decline in recycling rates for some materials, especially plastics. A recent report showed that PET recycling dropped in 2016 and recent market challenges have hindered efforts for #3-7 plastics in multiple states. The decline in e-waste recycling may not be as troubling as it first appears. The report says that e-waste recycling is down by weight generally, not just in Texas, because CRT production is phasing out as new technology emerges. Rather than recycling electronic materials, there's a new focus on refurbishing and repairing devices, which can generate its own economic impact. 

Also worth noting is that professionals surveyed for the study saw organics diversion as growing in Texas over the next few years. The report found a lack of processing facilities in Texas, though there is certainly room for growth in that field. As cities across the country and around the state pay more attention to organic material, there will likely be increased opportunity for processors, collectors and recyclers to launch new ventures. Austin continues to be a leader in the state on these efforts and Fort Worth recently passed a new 20-year solid waste management plan that will also prioritize organics diversion.