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Author Archives: Marissa Heffernan

About Marissa Heffernan

Marissa HeffernanMarissa Heffernan started working for Resource Recycling in January 2022 after spending several years as a reporter at a daily newspaper in Southwest Washington. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Bottle bills erode MRF revenues but create municipal savings

Published: March 7, 2022
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PET bottles for recycling.

Container deposit systems have benefits for municipalities, but MRFs are likely to see revenues decline as valuable PET and aluminum are removed from their material stream. | Myibean/Shutterstock

Though container deposit systems typically help lift recovery rates for covered materials, the programs also usually reduce tonnages of high-quality PET and aluminum going to sorting facilities. A new study helps to quantify those potential impacts.

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Recycling firm looking to tech to grow plastics recovery

Published: March 7, 2022
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Rendering of Rumpke's facility in Columbus, Ohio.

Set to open in 2024, Rumpke’s 200,000-square-foot MRF will be built on 25 acres the company purchased almost a decade ago. | Courtesy of Rumpke

Rumpke Waste and Recycling’s new $50 million materials recovery facility is designed to adapt, with plans for the Columbus, Ohio site putting a specific focus on PET.

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Mixed bale processor adds facility in western Canada

Published: March 2, 2022
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Pellet produced from recycled plastic by EFS-plastics.

EFS-plastics will open a second facility to expand recycling capacity while keeping the company’s carbon footprint as low as possible. | Courtesy of EFS-plastics

Driven by demand for polypropylene and polyethylene, plastics recycler EFS-plastics is opening a processing site in Lethbridge, Alberta.

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Keurig agrees to $10 million settlement, recycling disclaimer

Published: March 2, 2022
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Court gavel resting on a folio on a desk.

As part of the settlement, Keurig cannot label, market, advertise or otherwise represent the cups as recyclable without a qualifying statement that the materials are not recycled in many communities.  | zimmytws/Shutterstock

Keurig Green Mountain reached a class-action settlement with a consumer who sued over coffee pod recyclability claims, agreeing to pay $10 million and add language indicating the plastic cups are “not recycled in many communities.”

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Recycled-content roundup: Electronics, seating and more

Published: February 23, 2022
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Viren chair from Fortum

European company Fortum developed a post-consumer plastic chair to showcase how recycled plastic compounds can be used for more technical and challenging products. | Courtesy of Fortum

Several companies have announced progress toward recycled-content goals and new products made from recycled plastics. Here’s a roundup of recent developments.

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Star Plastics installs twin-screw extruders

Published: February 23, 2022
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Star Plastics new twin screw extruder.

Star Plastics has made a $5 million investment in a pair of twin-screw extruders to boost capacity. | Courtesy of Star Plastics

Recycling and compounding company Star Plastics installed the first of two additional extruders at its West Virginia plant to expand its capacity and product offerings.

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Environmental voice guides recycling labeling policy push

Published: February 23, 2022
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Oregon capitol building with trees in bloom.

Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act was signed into law in August 2021, creating a 12-person task force to research and evaluate recyclability claims. | Yanqiang Dai/Shutterstock

For several years, lawmakers across the U.S. have been drafting policy to address concerns about ocean plastic. In Oregon, a key recycling labeling task force elected a representative from an ocean environmental group as vice chair.

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Huge shipping company will no longer move plastic waste

Published: February 16, 2022
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CMA CGM export ship

Shipping company CMA CGM didn’t specify exactly which categories of plastic scrap or waste the prohibition would apply to. | EQRoy/Shutterstock

CMA CGM Group, the third-largest ocean shipping company in the world, announced it will no longer carry post-use plastics on its ships as of June 1.

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Evergreen acquires two more PET recycling plants

Published: February 9, 2022
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Evergreen PET recycling facility.

Evergreen has spent a total of $200 million on three recent acquisitions and an expansion to the company’s original Clyde, Ohio location. | Courtesy of Evergreen

To meet growing demand, PET reclaimer Evergreen recently bought a pair of facilities and added another extruder to an expansion project.

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