Plan for these upcoming waste and recycling conferences

The National Zero Waste Conference is one of the next events on the calendar. Other upcoming events in 2024 will cover recycling, e-waste, MRF innovations, biogas, thermal conversion and more.

By Megan Quinn • Updated Sept. 18, 2024

Massachusetts awards $5M for recycling programs, with environmental justice focus

Priorities included pay-as-you-throw, curbside organics, textiles, mattresses and more. The annual grants come as MassDEP’s commissioner previewed plans to hire new staff through an “unprecedented” level of state funding.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 2, 2023

National bottle bill complexities take center stage at Senate hearing

The Container Recycling Institute, the Association of Plastic Recyclers and the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative offered perspectives on how a national bottle bill could coexist or clash with existing state programs.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 29, 2023

Packaging experts talk gaps in state, federal policy

Speakers from Ameripen, the Flexible Packaging Association, General Mills and the Plastics Industry Association weighed in on the policy landscape with emerging material bans, extended producer responsibility laws and more.

By Katie Pyzyk • Sept. 27, 2023

Can manufacturers fund MRF robot in profit-sharing model

The Can Manufacturers Institute, with Ardagh and Crown, funded a lease for an aluminum can-seeking robot in a California MRF. It’s the first lease partnership for the companies, meant to split revenue from the cans collected.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 27, 2023

Recology meets cleaner fleet goal, announces new 5-year targets

The West Coast waste hauler and processor fuels 90% of its vehicle fleet via renewable or alternative fuels. It set new goals on landfill emissions and facility power.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 27, 2023

LRS CEO Spencer talks 100-day plan for leading fast-growing Midwestern company

Matt Spencer says he’ll draw from previous industry experience, including time in the field, and a relationship with Macquarie to help cement a vision for the company’s M&A, infrastructure and safety investments.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 21, 2023

Inside 4 MRF projects getting a boost from EPA grants

EPA grants for MRF projects in Colorado, Kentucky, New Jersey and Ohio aim to bolster recycling in underserved areas, battle contamination and boost the capture of valuable materials like PP or aluminum. 

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 20, 2023

BASF, Nanotech Energy team up to produce lithium-ion batteries with recycled metals

The companies will also work with American Battery Technology Co. and Toda Advanced Materials to build a North America-based battery value chain.

By Sara Samora • Sept. 19, 2023

Plastic industry’s $1M ‘Recycling is Real’ campaign designed to reclaim the narrative

The Plastics Industry Association says its campaign is meant to overcome “anti-recycling” rhetoric by educating lawmakers and brands. Some advocacy groups say the effort ignores plastic recycling’s challenges.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 19, 2023

WM opens $30M MRF in Cleveland as part of larger regional and national recycling plans

The nearly 100,000-square-foot MRF is meant to be WM’s processing hub in Ohio. It’s part of a plan to invest $1 billion in recycling infrastructure by 2026 to raise recycling rates and collect more valuable materials.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 18, 2023

California bills on right-to-repair, bottle deposits, labor and plastic reduction headed to governor

Advocates expect the governor to sign a long-awaited right-to-repair bill. The state is also poised to add juice to the bottle bill and establish laws related to an upcoming extended producer responsibility program for packaging.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 15, 2023

ERI building 3 ITAD and electronics recycling facilities to ‘recalibrate’ for new demand

ERI CEO John Shegerian says demand for services is increasing across the country, and the Southwest has shown “particularly strong and robust growth.”

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 13, 2023

EPA announces recipients of $105M in grants for recycling infrastructure

The long-awaited recycling infrastructure grants are going to 25 communities, including the Baltimore and Minneapolis metro areas as well as recipients in Puerto Rico, Hawai’i, Montana and Ohio.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 13, 2023

AI study on polypropylene in MRF streams launched by Closed Loop, Greyparrot

Balcones, Cougles, Rumpke and Eureka will participate in the study. Closed Loop and a group of brands known as the NextGen Consortium want more information on the volume and value of food-grade PP in MRF streams.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 11, 2023

With on-truck AI, haulers are no longer blind

On-truck camera systems and optical artificial intelligence (AI) now provide visibility on every lift. And with this vision, haulers can now address overflow and contamination issues effectively.

Sept. 11, 2023

WM’s sustainability report shows progress on GHG emissions reduction, diversity

The company’s most recent report, which reflects newer metrics it first published in 2022, shows progress on reducing Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions aligned with SBTi requirements. WM made less progress on its materials recovery goal due to construction on recycling facility upgrades.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 7, 2023

Miami-Dade County commissioners approve fee increase after multiple votes, demand waste plan

Commissioners’ initial vote to reject a fee increase in the Florida county was motivated by broader frustrations about the lack of a comprehensive solid waste plan from the mayor.

By Jacob Wallace • Updated Sept. 15, 2023

Ameripen, ACC talk intersection of chemical recycling, EPR

Chemical recyclers should participate in the legislative process as more EPR for packaging legislation comes down the pike, speakers at the Advanced Recycling Summit said.

By Katie Pyzyk • Sept. 6, 2023

California legislative snapshot: Right-to-repair, labor dispute bill, bottle bill expansion still on table

California’s legislative session ends Sept. 14, and a handful of waste and recycling bills are still inching toward a final vote. EPR bills for textiles and solar panels are among those that will be carried over into 2024.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 6, 2023

Taming the wild west of environmental marketing: A Green Guides history

More than 30 years after state attorneys general pushed for scrutiny of marketing claims, the packaging landscape is as complicated as ever, and opinions vary about whether the guides served their original purpose.

By Mary Catherine O'Connor • Updated Sept. 6, 2023

Recycling in diverse communities requires nuanced outreach, Recycling Partnership guide says

The new resource offers a starting point for recycling outreach coordinators to make programs more equitable, but it acknowledges that effective programs require long-term commitment and diverse strategies.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 5, 2023

Redwood Materials raises $1B for battery recycling efforts

The Series D funding round comes months after the company announced a $2 billion loan from the federal government to help build and expand its Nevada plant. 

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 1, 2023

D.C. set to launch curbside composting pilot program in September

The pilot program aims to make composting more convenient for Washington, D.C., residents and help the city meet its 80% by 2032 diversion goal.

By Megan Quinn • Aug. 31, 2023

Container redemption rate stayed flat in most states with bottle bills

Redemption rates in most states with bottle bills didn’t change much between 2021 and 2022, but the Container Recycling Institute says stagnant rates could be improved by updating programs. 

By Megan Quinn • Aug. 30, 2023