Colin Staub is a reporter at Resource Recycling. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Several factors are contributing to price increases within the wider aluminum market. | Darrenp / Shutterstock
A year ago, some aluminum end markets were slowing purchases of the material. But demand has steadily increased throughout 2021, bringing welcome pricing for the municipal recycling sector.
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Legislation awaiting the governor’s signature would classify mixed plastics that are generated in California and exported from the U.S. as “disposal” rather than “recycling.” | Sumrit Tesrumphun/Shutterstock
California lawmakers have approved a bill that would no longer allow scrap plastic that is exported to be considered recycled. The legislation now heads to the governor for final consideration.
Stewardship Ontario reported 729,906 metric tons of recyclables were collected in 2019, representing a 57.3% recycling rate.| keikona / Shutterstock
Stewardship Ontario, which helps fund that province’s residential recycling program, reported a lower recycling rate for 2019 than the year before. Less newsprint entering the recycling stream drove the decrease.
Olympia, Wash. is one of many communities implementing recycling contamination checks at the curb. | Courtesy of city of Olympia
Facing ever-increasing pressure to deliver a cleaner stream to processors, cities across North America are turning to curbside inspection of residential carts. Many are seeing positive results from the efforts.
Google’s report noted headwinds to plastics recovery including unfavorable economics for recycled resins compared with virgin resins. | maciej nicgorski / Shutterstock
A report from Google lays out how mechanical and chemical recycling, a virgin plastic production tax, consumer incentives and more can increase plastics recovery over the next two decades.
Pratt Industries’ facility in Albany, Ga. | Courtesy of Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission
Two major producers of containerboard made from recycled fiber are growing their presence in the U.S. Pratt Industries will add on to a Georgia box plant, and Atlantic Packaging is working on a major facility in Illinois.
The strong global containerboard demand suggests the U.S. recovered fiber market will continue to export OCC. | ja images / Shutterstock
Paper mills that use a lot of recovered fiber were forced to pay substantially more for OCC over the past few months, reflecting the global strength in corrugated packaging demand.
Recovered fiber exports jumped from 7.4 million short tons in the first half of 2020 to 9.0 million short tons this year. | Sreytoch Lann / Shutterstock
Recovered fiber exports increased significantly during the first six months of 2021 compared with the same period last year, with a spike in material moving to India and Thailand. Plastic exports were steady year over year.
Oregon will establish a producer responsibility program for packaging, printing and writing paper, and food serviceware. | Jacquie Klose / Shutterstock
Oregon will overhaul components of its recycling system and will make packaging producers partially responsible for funding recycling of their products. It’s the second U.S. state to approve such a law.
Pratt has announced plans for a 450,000-square-foot paper mill and a 700,000-square-foot adjacent corrugating plant. | Mark Agnor / Shutterstock
Pratt Industries and Kentucky state officials on July 29 announced the company will build its sixth 100% recycled paper mill in the U.S. The project will break ground next year and is slated to start up in fall 2023.