In case you missed it: Thoughtful, newsworthy comments from industry professionals, consumers and policymakers.

"Recycling continues to be one of the fastest growing segments of the waste stream, and our focus remains on investing in traditional recycling in select and prioritized markets where customers have demonstrated both a demand and a willingness to pay for recycling."

— Republic President and CEO Don Slager, in a press release, on his company's acquisition of ReCommunity Holdings, the largest independent recycling processor in the U.S.

"In the end, Republic basically exploited some loopholes in the contract language. This two-tier living wage that’s coming out of this settlement is going to set a terrible precedent because everybody’s going to ask for that."

— Doug Bloch, political director for Teamsters Joint Council 7, on an agreement between San Jose, CA and Republic Services. The city has a living wage of $20.57 for employees who receive health benefits; the settled-on agreement will see the workers at a San Jose MRF make $17.29 an hour.

"They don't have to do what they're doing. The companies that are doing this are doing (it) because they care."

— Lucas Mariacher, Phoenix's recycling coordinator, to azcentral, on the city's initiative to award businesses that opt-in for a commercial recycling program.

"I was actually disappointed to see how much money the Americans have spent on waste management services and how little attention they have paid to it."

Ning Ai, co-author of "Planning for Sustainable Material and Waste Management," in an interview with Waste Dive. The report outlines ways that zero-waste and circular economy ideas and plans can be taken to scale. 

"My big work challenge is to maintain a level of excellence and to keep my relationships with members in as good a stead as possible."

— Steven Changaris, in a post written for Waste Dive, about his 25 years at the National Waste and Recycling Association.