Martin Bourque of the Berkeley, California-based Ecology Center spoke about challenges in plastics recycling during a short film produced for the Alliance for Mission Based Recycling. | YouTube
MRF operators linked by an organizational belief that recycling is just one part of materials management recently hosted a film screening and discussion that touched on policy, chemical recycling and the nuances of alternative collection systems like TerraCycle and Ridwell.
The new recycling center in Ohio combines vast processing capacity with community outreach and education, company leadership said in an interview. | Courtesy of Rumpke
Understanding customer needs has shaped the new Rumpke Waste & Recycling facility in Columbus, Ohio, and will help increase incoming volumes, according to company leadership. Continue Reading
Texas experienced its first major hurricane of the season in early July, with significant power outages, but peak storm season has yet to occur. | Vladimir-Martinov/Shutterstock
As the first major hurricane of the season hit Texas last week, MRFs and processors braced for disrupted services, flooding and power outages, which are familiar obstacles for Gulf Coast operators each June through November.
SB 1013 brought more container types into the California Redemption Value system but also removed an option for retailers to choose to pay a $100 daily fee instead of accepting returned containers. | Andrii Koval/Shutterstock
Formal rulemaking for changes to California’s deposit system is about to begin, and draft rules shed more light on new requirements for beverage dealers and retailers. Continue Reading
A drop in overall plastics collection contributed to a decline in the annual bottle recycling rate, which decreased to 27.8% in 2022. | Mohamed Abdulraheem/Shutterstock
Just over 5 billion pounds of post-consumer plastic was recovered for recycling in 2022, an annual industry report found, marking a decrease from the prior year. One trade association pointed to macroeconomic factors like inflation as driving the lower recovery. Continue Reading
A partnership between the city of Phoenix, Arizona State University (ASU), Goodwill of Northern and Central Arizona and Hustle PHX will recycle several hundred tons of PE and PP into local end markets. | Courtesy of Goodwill of Northern and Central Arizona.
For years, recycling collection has focused on centralizing material and processing high volumes. An Arizona project is exploring other options with a micro-factory. Continue Reading
The Hawai’i Pacific University’s Center for Marine Debris Research created a Megaplastic Pollution Research Program to accelerate plastic marine debris removal and recycling in the Hawaiian Islands. | Richard Chapman – UK/Shutterstock
Marine pollution abatement, a boost to the local economy and a way to help solve the local housing crisis: A proposed project to turn marine plastic into durable infrastructure could provide all three on the island of Oahu, Hawai’i. Continue Reading
A rendering of the Republic Polymer Center set for Indianapolis. | Courtesy of Republic Services
Republic Services announced that its second plastics processing and production hub, expected to come on-line in late 2024, will be located in Indianapolis. Continue Reading
Companies such as Prairie Robotics and AMCS Group are leveraging AI to craft more robust analytics, all the way down to the individual household level. | 9dream Studio/Shutterstock
Artificial intelligence is now well established in MRFs as a tool for sorting material and dramatically reducing contamination. Now, multiple companies are taking AI to an earlier stage of the recycling process by mounting cameras on collection trucks. Continue Reading
Topics at a recent discussion of EPR programs included collection, efficiency and harmony across jurisdictions. | mi_viri/Shutterstock
Producer responsibility organizations can help drive efficiency and harmonization in extended producer responsibility programs, stakeholders suggested at a recent conference. Continue Reading