Refusing to pay: A group of Indiana citizens are refusing to pay an itemized curbside recycling charge that appears on their property tax bills. The South Bend Tribune reports that the St. Joseph County residents, who are backed by a group called Citizens for Common Sense, claim not to use the recycling service and feel they should not have to pay for it.
Franchise zones: Long Beach, Calif. leaders have taken a step toward changing the city’s recycling and garbage collection system, issuing a five-year notice to haulers of a possible transition. The group Don’t Waste Long Beach urged the city to look into a franchise system, an approach neighboring Los Angeles recently approved.
Planning ahead: A report by the American Planning Association (APA) advises city employees to begin incorporating sustainable materials management principles into city planning work. The report’s authors identify six strategies to encourage a holistic look at a city’s waste management system.
Material challenge: The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and several partners are challenging the packaging industry to up its recyclability game and are offering a total of $2 million in awards. According to a press release, the New Plastics Economy Innovation Prize is divided into two components, one that focuses on product design to lessen waste and another that emphasizes packaging recyclability.
E-commerce costs: The increase of OCC in San Francisco’s recycling stream has led hauler Recology to seek a 14 percent increase in service charges. The San Francisco Chronicle writes that the growth in corrugate usage is due to packaging from e-commerce.
Shareholder pressure: Nearly a third of McDonald’s shareholders want the company to phase out EPS packaging in overseas locations, according to advocacy group As You Sow. In a press release, the group reports that 31 percent of shareholders supported a proposal submitted by As You Sow seeking to phase out EPS cups globally. The company stopped using foam in the U.S in 2013.
New record: A new materials recovery facility (MRF) near Perth, Australia says it is the largest facility of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The Western Australian reports that the Cleanaway MRF in South Guildford will have a full operating capacity of more than 250,000 short tons per year. The system was provided by Bulk Handling Systems.
