Food waste impacts emerging as coronavirus shifts life from commercial to residential

The normal supply chain for excess food has been upended due to an economic freeze keeping people home in many parts of the country. ReFED and others are tracking the issue, helping ongoing food recovery efforts continue.

By E.A. Crunden • March 25, 2020

How 12 months of the coronavirus pandemic disrupted US waste and recycling service

A year into the pandemic, waste and recycling workers are increasingly gaining access to the COVID-19 vaccine through a range of eligibility categories.

By Cole Rosengren, Nami Sumida • Updated March 15, 2021

New York City Council outlines big plans for curbside organics, textiles and EPR

A new agenda calls for the expansion of curbside residential organics collection citywide, along with more than a dozen other policies, to accelerate progress toward "zero waste" by 2030. Mention of a "save-as-you-throw" program is notably absent.

By Cole Rosengren • March 16, 2020

Waste and recycling trade groups issue coronavirus guidance for worker safety

SWANA, NWRA and ISRI do not think there is cause for heightened alarm. Though they emphasized broader caution, at a time when details are changing rapidly and many events are being postponed or canceled.​

By E.A. Crunden • Updated March 12, 2020

New Jersey governor signs contentious organics diversion bill

New Jersey will become the ninth site with some form of food waste diversion policy, but a multiyear debate over whether landfills with gas capture systems should count as a form of organics recycling is likely to continue.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated April 15, 2020

Ambrosia, organics recycler behind food waste-based cleaning product, eyes expansion

The company is still scaling up plans for more processing capacity, but its CEO also now sees potential for a new business line. The concept could gain traction amid rising consumer awareness of food waste, experts say.

By Cole Rosengren • March 10, 2020

Baltimore council members back goal of 'zero waste' by 2040 amid incinerator litigation

Activists pushing for the closure of Wheelabrator Baltimore are calling for a dramatic turn toward waste reduction and diversion. A majority of council members introduced a resolution Monday in support of that plan.

By E.A. Crunden • Updated March 10, 2020

House lawmakers debate regulatory role of federal government in plastics and recycling

In a Wednesday hearing, lawmakers formed stances along partisan lines over several pieces of federal recycling legislation. Republicans took a hard line against plastics bans and seemed to scrutinize shifting oversight to the federal government.

By E.A. Crunden • March 5, 2020

PFAS concerns abound for landfill operators, even as industry sees potential for opportunity

Public outcry and regulations remain an ongoing worry, an issue highlighted at this year's Global Waste Management Symposium. Some also see solving the crisis as potentially lucrative. 

By E.A. Crunden • Feb. 27, 2020

Waste Management's Tara Hemmer says industry needs to be more proactive on climate issues

Speaking at the Global Waste Management Symposium, the senior vice president emphasized a need to be more proactive around emerging topics such as plastics and the Green New Deal.

By E.A. Crunden • Feb. 26, 2020

EPA proposes yet another cut to waste minimization and recycling budget

The Trump administration's proposed budget would add new grant programs, but significantly shrink sustainable materials management funding. This comes as the agency insists it remains committed to strengthening national systems.

By Cole Rosengren • Feb. 12, 2020

Letter to the editor: Starbucks food packaging goal also about food waste

Rhodes Yepsen, executive director of the Biodegradable Products Institute, says a broader materials management discussion is key to understanding the shift toward new waste reduction targets.

Jan. 27, 2020

New Jersey passes recycling market bill; organics diversion and bag ban stalled

Legislation to establish a Recycling Market Development Council has been signed into law. Sponsors have pledged to revive efforts on other bills when they return for a new session later this month.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Jan. 22, 2020

Taco Bell wants compostable, recyclable packaging by 2025

The chain will also remove harmful chemicals like PFAS, phthalates and BPA from its consumer packaging as part of a larger sustainability initiative.

By Lauren Manning • Jan. 13, 2020

7 pressing questions for the waste and recycling industry in 2020

The year is shaping up to be a major one for the industry's future. We'll be digging into safety, corporate consolidation, climate commitments, recycling policy, organics, PFAS, politics and more.

By Cole Rosengren , E.A. Crunden • Jan. 6, 2020

New toolkit provides guidance on composting food scraps at yard trimming sites

A new resource from BioCycle and the Center for EcoTechnology outlines potential to utilize existing sites amid growing demand for organics processing infrastructure.

By Rachel Perlman • Dec. 23, 2019

Court denies industry appeal over New York transfer station law

A 2018 law designed to address environmental justice concerns around transfer stations has prompted multiple court challenges, and it led the city to cut at least 10,000 tons of permitted capacity so far.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Dec. 18, 2020

Climate change becomes widely recognized corporate factor for waste and recycling

While many of the largest companies have been releasing sustainability reports for years, 2019 marked a potential turning point in the level of detail and acknowledgment for this looming issue.

Dec. 20, 2019

New Jersey Assembly passes organics diversion mandate without landfill exemption

Following Gov. Phil Murphy's conditional veto of a contentious bill earlier this year, legislators are moving ahead with a bill intended to spur organics recycling. Landfill operators with gas-to-energy systems remain displeased.

By Cole Rosengren • Dec. 19, 2019

New York closer to citywide commercial organics diversion with latest proposal

The Department of Sanitation's third expansion of commercial rules affects a broad swath of food businesses. Some say it's too fast. Others view it as a needed step toward upcoming market changes.

By Cole Rosengren • Dec. 16, 2019

Vanguard Renewables will operate digesters around US in $200M Dominion deal

Proposed projects in five states will trap methane from cow manure to create renewable natural gas offer "a new way to improve on farm economics."

By Catherine Morehouse • Updated Dec. 13, 2019

Climate Solution of the Year: California's SB 1383

The Golden State's plan to curb waste could have implications for the whole country as it offers sweeping opportunities for infrastructure expansion while combating climate change. 

By E.A. Crunden • Dec. 9, 2019

The Waste Dive Awards for 2019

From operations to policy, these are some of the top organizations and executives that shaped the waste and recycling industry this year.

Dec. 9, 2019

Philadelphia reports 50% diversion rate, ongoing 'zero waste' progress

Despite high-profile recycling issues earlier this year, the city says its plans are still on track. Waste reduction and organics recycling are among the top priorities moving forward.

By Cole Rosengren • Nov. 25, 2019

Funding advances for 3 Mid-Atlantic anaerobic digestion projects

New announcements from RNG Energy Solutions and Bioenergy DevCo are the latest sign of an uptick in financing interest for organics processing infrastructure.

By Cole Rosengren • Nov. 22, 2019