Marissa 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].
The Stewardship Agencies of BC is a coalition of extended producer responsibility organizations, including Call2Recycle Canada, Return-It, the Electronic Products Recycling Association, Recycle BC and others. | Myibean/Shutterstock
The Stewardship Agencies of British Columbia worked together to divert a record 425 million kilograms of end-of-life products from landfills in 2023, and leaders pointed to factors including the efficiency and education that collaboration brings. Continue Reading
The FDA awarded 27 letters of no objection to 21 companies between January and June. | Vershinin89/Shutterstock
Nearly two dozen plastics recycling processes received a federal greenlight for food and drink applications in the first half of 2024. Continue Reading
California sent a handful of bills to the governor’s desk, including bills on plastic film and the deposit return system. | Natalie Board/Shutterstock
Several states end their legislative sessions in late summer, including Massachusetts and California, and in the final days several bills relating to plastics recycling passed both legislative chambers.
The Association of Plastic Recyclers updated its Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability to note that packaging containing degradable additives, nutrients and supplements are no longer considered recyclable. | Josep Curto/Shutterstock
Degradable additives, nutrients and supplements will boot packaging into the non-recyclable category, according to an update to the Association of Plastic Recyclers’ Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability.
Non-compostable produce stickers, multi-material plastic packaging and degradability additives have been added to U.S. Plastics Pact’s list of problematic and unnecessary materials. | Neungstockr/Shutterstock
With the U.S. Plastics Pact on track to eliminate its initial 11 problematic plastics by 2025, the group decided to add three more items to the list. Continue Reading
After a rise in GPS tracker tests of curbside recyclable materials, the Association of Plastic Recyclers is asking the public to schedule a MRF tour instead. | pkproject/Shutterstock
The Association of Plastic Recyclers is encouraging members of the public who have questions about what really happens to their recycling to book a MRF tour instead of putting trackers in curbside materials. Continue Reading
Grants of $70 million will lead to 250 new sites for Californians to redeem used beverage containers. | Pichetw/Shutterstock
In an effort to boost used beverage container redemption access, the state of California provided nearly $70 million in grants to open 250 new redemption sites across the state. Continue Reading
Michigan is eyeing EPR for packaging, with lawmakers recently introducing a bill that would set specific targets for recycling and reduction. | Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock
Michigan lawmakers have introduced an extended producer responsibility bill for packaging, following the successful passage of a packaging EPR bill in Minnesota. Continue Reading
Baled clamshells in Ridwell’s Portland facility on Aug. 15, 2024, awaiting shipment to a downstream processor. | Marissa Heffernan/Resource Recycling.
As more consumers turn a skeptical eye to traditional recycling programs, Ridwell, a company that provides curbside collection of hard-to-recycle materials, is growing into numerous markets across the country. And the company is doing it with transparency in mind. Continue Reading
The DRS redemption rate decreases ranged from 1% to 4%, with only two states tallying increases. | photobeps/Shutterstock
New data from the Container Recycling Institute showed falling beverage container redemption rates in most states with deposit return systems in 2023, which advocates said shows the need to modernize aging systems.