Trade groups urge US House to pass recycling infrastructure, data bills

A broad coalition of organizations are giving a final push to the bills as one of the lead co-sponsors, Sen. Tom Carper, prepares to retire. Both bills have already passed the Senate.

By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 20, 2024

California opts to preserve credits for anaerobic digesters in major regulatory update

A state regulator voted to amend the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, injecting new life into a lucrative biofuels credit market that is used by waste projects throughout the U.S.

By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 19, 2024

Anaergia to continue operating Rialto Bioenergy Facility as it reports finances stabilizing

The facility in California was sold at bankruptcy auction earlier this year. The company also confirmed its top executives going forward as it works to turn the page on a turbulent year.

By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 18, 2024

Boston requests new waste and recycling ideas ahead of 2027 contract expirations

Collection and disposal, waste prevention and recycling, data and analytics, and policy and behavior change are among the topics for which the city wants input. It reupped many existing contracts to buy more time to craft RFPs.

By Cole Rosengren • Nov. 13, 2024

Veolia takes over operation of Toronto’s organics processing with second digester contract

The Dufferin Organics Processing Facility was launched more than 20 years ago to handle collected materials from Toronto’s green bin organics program. Today it’s one of two facilities serving the city.

By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 11, 2024

New York City official backs composting over codigestion, citing environmental justice concerns

A report from Brooklyn’s borough president argues the city should expand composting capacity instead of relying on codigestion to process residential organic material. 

By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 6, 2024

Republic, Ameresco partner on California RNG; plus news from Vision RNG and Vanguard

The project partners tout California’s largest facility for converting landfill gas to renewable natural gas. Meanwhile, RNG groups like Vision RNG and Opal Fuels continue to gain ground in the space.

By Jacob Wallace • Updated Nov. 6, 2024

Biosolids and PFAS questions are rippling to other states after Maine’s land application ban

The U.S. EPA has yet to offer guidance on how to address forever chemicals in the organic material from wastewater treatment facilities. States around the country are implementing their own policies to fill the gap.

By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 4, 2024

USDA convenes stakeholders to tackle PFAS contamination from biosolids

Suggested long-term solutions include finding new ways to detect contamination and developing tools to stop "forever chemicals" before they cause harm to soil.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 29, 2024

How the 2024 election could affect waste and recycling policy

The presidential nominees have different takes on environmental and regulatory policies that could affect the industry, including those addressing emissions, recycling, PFAS, labor and environmental justice.

By Megan Quinn , Jacob Wallace , Cole Rosengren • Oct. 22, 2024

Food waste responsible for 14% of US methane emissions: ReFED

A report issued by ReFED with the support of the Global Methane Hub outlines where food waste spurs methane emissions and how solutions like composting could help.

By Jacob Wallace • Oct. 18, 2024

State resources boost zero waste efforts in Massachusetts and Colorado

Speakers at the National Zero Waste Conference discussed how strong state and local partnerships can help leverage funding and technical assistance that may not often be accessible to smaller communities.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 11, 2024

Inside the debate over PLA, the packaging industry’s favorite bioplastic

Polylactic acid has been around for decades, but it only became popular as an option for compostable packaging more recently. While some environmental groups question its credentials, the packaging sector expects demand to grow.

By Mary Catherine O'Connor • Oct. 9, 2024

Nation’s largest curbside organics collection program rolls out across New York City

The New York City Sanitation Department will now collect food waste from residents in Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island after previously rolling out the service to Brooklyn and Queens. 

By Jacob Wallace • Oct. 7, 2024

Notable waste and recycling conferences in 2025

Many industry events are on the calendar for 2025, including SWANA’s newly named RCon. See details about next year’s events covering business trends, organics, plastic recycling and more.

By Waste Dive Staff • Updated Oct. 23, 2024

9 federal recycling and waste grants to apply for in 2024

Grant applications are due soon for numerous waste, recycling and organics programs funded by the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 1, 2024

Compostable packaging’s relationship status with organics recyclers: ‘It’s complicated’

The BPI Summit highlighted tension and complexity around how to handle this growing category of packaging. The California Compost Coalition, Athens Services, Dirt Hugger, A1 Organics, Moonshot Compost and others weighed in.

By Mary Catherine O'Connor • Updated Oct. 1, 2024

California’s organics diversion mandate enters its ‘adolescent age,’ updated with new laws

The law requiring jurisdictions to divert organic waste from landfills has survived years of difficulty. Some newly passed tweaks for rural areas and composters look to move it beyond its growing pains. 

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 25, 2024

EPA announces $117M worth of recycling grant opportunities with organics focus

The new opportunities build on a historic amount of infrastructure funding the Biden administration has awarded for recycling projects since last year, as well as efforts to build a circular economy for organics and other materials.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 17, 2024

EPA says it has no obligation to regulate PFAS in biosolids in federal lawsuit

The agency filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by farmers in Texas who allege they’ve been harmed by PFAS contamination from the spreading of sewage sludge, or biosolids, on agricultural land.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 16, 2024

Bootstrap Compost pursues bond program to strengthen New England presence

The New England organics hauler, known for its focus on residential and smaller-scale commercial accounts, has a goal of eventually raising $750,000. This comes as the market is evolving in Massachusetts and neighboring states.

By Cole Rosengren • Sept. 13, 2024

New York awards organics contracts to WM, Denali, American Recycling worth $96M

The contracts will add processing capacity for source-separated organics just as the city rolls out its residential collection program in Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 12, 2024

New compost program framework offers a starting point for local officials

Resources released by the Composting Consortium, a project from Closed Loop Partners, and Eco-Cycle seek to close the knowledge gap for local officials looking to begin an organics recycling program in their town.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 11, 2024

What are the federal government’s waste and recycling priorities for the rest of 2024?

The U.S. EPA released its schedule of regulatory actions for the remainder of the year. Plus, food waste, recycling data, and other topics Congress and President Biden could address by 2025.

By Jacob Wallace , Megan Quinn • Sept. 9, 2024

Tribal projects to reduce waste receive millions in EPA, NOAA funding

The EPA announced $300 million for tribal climate change programs, including $21 million in waste-related initiatives. NOAA also announced $23 million in grants for marine debris mitigation efforts.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 6, 2024