Federal authorities slap a Georgia plastics recycling company with hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, and officials in New Mexico get their hands dirty in a waste composition study. OSHA penalties: A Georgia plastics recycling company has received $317,814 in penalties from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Columbia Recycling Corp. of Dalton, Ga. received five repeated,...

Brexit not expected to impact UK WEEE recovery targets and an international group is calling for a universal laptop charger. U.K.: Despite it impending separation from the European Union, the U.K. isn't expected to lower its requirements for the recycling of electronics and electrical appliances, according to Eversheds, an international law firm.New Zealand: The municipality of Gisborne is helping residents...

Some New York residents now get curbside e-scrap collection service, and an article argues that Liam, the iPhone deconstructing robot, may not be your best option for recycling. Hands off, Liam: The website Grist writes in favor of repairing old iPhones, or reusing their components, instead of recycling themthrough their manufacturer, Apple. Despite the invention of Liam, a robot that...

Green is the new black when it comes to beer can carriers in Vermont, and Pennsylvania lawmakers are one step closer to a ban on bag bans. Plastic bottle battle: Amid news of potential bottled water plants coming to Ontario, there is disagreement about just what percentage of plastic bottles get recycled. Global News says that Nestle reports a rate...

A firm has designed a robot to take apart mattresses for recycling, and a fee on plastic bags seems to be diverting them from curbside bins. The fee is working: In the one year since a 5-pence fee was added to plastic bags in the U.K., waste management firm Veolia says it has seen a large decrease in the number...

Pratt Industries sets a one-day recycled paper production record, and some Canadian grocery stores take aim at waste by eliminating packaging altogether. Trashy attire: A filmmaker is trying to draw attention to the problem of waste by wearing each piece of trash he creates for 30 days. Rob Greenfield's documentary project is called "Trash Me." Recycled paper record: At more...

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Worldwide PC shipments have taken another hit, an indication of the shifting e-scrap stream in the years to come. In addition, Samsung's problematic smartphone is going off the market. PC purchases down: Two different reports say PC shipments declined in the third quarter of 2016. IDC notes shipments were down 3.9 percent year-over-year. Gartner says it was the eighth consecutive...

Residents in one area of Australia voice concerns over a plastics-to-fuel plant, and India's informal plastics recycling industry is being threatened. Australia: A proposed plastics-to-fuel plant is receiving opposition from neighbors, reports the Canberra Times. A public-comment period has been extended because of the controversy. U.K.: A study shows that support for a fee on plastic bottles to reduce litter...

Seattle evolves its plastic bag ban, and a flyover shows the marine plastics problem is growing. Compostable in Seattle: The Seattle City Council unanimously approved a ban on green- and brown-tinted non-compostable bags. The City says those bags are misleading and contaminate the organics stream. Bills signed: California Gov. Jerry Brown signed bills requiring beverage brands to report their recycled...