A rebound in commodity values meant substantial recycling-related revenue boosts for North America's two largest residential haulers. Houston-headquartered Waste Management (WM) reported it generated $1.22 billion in revenue from recycling last year, an increase of 5 percent over the year before. Republic Services generated $420 million from the sale of recyclable materials, up 13 percent from 2015. Last fall, Resource...

A campaign aimed at curbing criminal activity could cause headaches for those legally sending recyclable materials across the Pacific Ocean. China’s General Administration of Customs announced it will launch the one-year campaign, which will target “foreign waste,” including plastics, industrial waste, electronics and other household waste materials. The effort is part of a larger initiative some are translating into English...

Chinese customs authorities announced a crackdown on illegal imports of scrap electronics and other materials. China’s General Administration of Customs announced it will launch the one-year campaign, which will target “foreign waste,” including scrap electronics, plastics, industrial discards and other household materials. The effort is part of a larger initiative some are translating into English as “National Sword 2017,” which...

When an electronics recycling facility achieves R2 certification, stipulations of the standard extend to activities outside the walls of that building, according to a recent decision. That determination was approved by the board of Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI), the nonprofit organization that administers the R2 standard. R2 is an environmental, worker health and safety standard for the electronics refurbishing and...

An employee at an e-scrap facility in Ontario discovered just how much money there is in used electronics. A worker at the Global Electric Electronic Processing (GEEP) processing facility in Barrie, Ontario was dismantling an old TV when he discovered more than $100,000 in cash inside, Barrie Today reports. He also found banking records dating to 1985. The employee brought...

A campaign aimed at curbing criminal activity could cause headaches for those legally sending recyclable materials across the Pacific Ocean. China's General Administration of Customs announced it will launch the one-year campaign, which will target "foreign waste," including plastics, industrial waste, electronics and other household waste materials. The effort is part of a larger initiative some are translating into English...

When it comes to plastic bag legislation, 2017 may be the storm after the storm. After the high-profile battle over California’s statewide plastic bag ban, legislators in at least 16 states have introduced bills related to bags this year. Last fall California became the second state -- and, by far, the largest -- to have a statewide ban on plastic...

When it comes to plastic bag legislation, 2017 may be the storm after the storm. After the high-profile battle over California’s statewide plastic bag ban, legislators in at least 16 states have introduced bills related to bags this year. Last fall California became the second state -- and, by far, the largest -- to have a statewide ban on plastic...

A bill limiting exports of scrap electronics has been reintroduced in Congress, after it failed to advance in 2016. A lawmaker reintroduced the Secure E-Waste Export and Recycling Act (SEERA), HR 917. The bill is supported by a group called the Coalition for American Electronics Recycling (CAER), which says the legislation will "restrict exports of untested, non-working electronic scrap that...

Illinois-based electronics refurb firm PC Rebuilders and Recyclers has been sued by another industry firm that claims tens of thousands of dollars in payment have not materialized. Indiana-based OmniSource Electronics Recycling (OER) filed the suit on Feb. 6 against PCRR. The complaint alleges OER sold and shipped thousands of used electronics to PCRR but wasn't paid the $190,000 it is...