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Author Archives: Colin Staub

About Colin Staub

Colin-StaubColin Staub is a reporter at Resource Recycling. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Policy draws focus at the state and national levels

Published: February 9, 2021
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Aerial view of the Maryland state capitol building.

Legislators in nine states, including Maryland, say they will collaborate to push extended producer responsibility policies for plastic packaging. | tokar/Shutterstock

The industry-led Recycling Leadership Council published a set of policy recommendations for national lawmakers. Meanwhile, state legislators are collaborating to push for extended producer responsibility in nine states.

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Nine Dragons building up infrastructure in SE Asia

Published: February 9, 2021
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Spool of paper at the manufacturing plant.

China’s largest paper company continues to source recovered fiber from around the world but is converting it into pulp before shipment into China. | safakcakir/Shutterstock

Nine Dragons announced plans for a $4.6 billion paper mill in southern China, one of the company’s huge investments in response to China’s recovered fiber imports ban.

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Expert explains why OCC prices are bucking expectations

Published: February 9, 2021
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Cardboard collected for recycling.

A senior economist at recovered paper research firm RISI recently spoke on the forces driving the OCC market. | Quang Ho/Shutterstock

The end of 2020 was marked by promising recovered fiber prices. An analyst says that’s due to strong domestic and international demand, despite China’s move to cease buying.

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Glass is ‘collateral damage’ as one city responds to markets

Published: February 2, 2021
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Glass bottles for recycling.

In the 2020 fiscal year, Tucson collected some 5,300 tons of glass for processing, representing a cost of more than $567,000. | Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Beginning this month, glass is no longer collected at the curb in Tucson, Ariz. The move is part of a push to reduce overall recycling costs, but it jostles the strategy for a material that has seen steady downstream demand.

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Tight trucking market will persist well into 2021

Published: January 19, 2021
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Many hauling trucks parked in a lot.

With fewer available drivers comes less available trucking supply, leading to higher prices and potential disruptions in trucking availability for those in the recycling industry. | Vitpho/Shutterstock

A driver shortage that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to create challenges for moving recyclables this year, analysts say.

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Industry group provides its largest cart grant to date

Published: January 12, 2021
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Blue recycling bins lined up against a brick background.

By shifting the collection method to 96-gallon carts, it is estimated Omaha will generate 10,000 tons of additional recyclables per year. | Lightspring/Shutterstock

The city of Omaha, Neb. will receive $825,000 from The Recycling Partnership to significantly expand local collection infrastructure.

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‘Anomaly’ year brings recycled PET market twists

Published: January 12, 2021
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Closeup of empty PET bottles.

COVID-19 and pricing pressure led companies to seek other supply lines for PET feedstock. | Pixel B/Shutterstock

A confluence of recycled PET market disruptions in 2020 included low prime plastic pricing and supply challenges that led end users to seek feedstock from other sources. Still, experts maintain a surge of RPET demand is fast approaching.

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Lawsuit takes aim at Walmart’s plastic recycling labels

Published: December 15, 2020
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Greenpeace sign on a brick building exterior.

A lawsuit from Greenpeace seeks to force Walmart to change its labeling and conduct a “corrective” advertising campaign. | nitpicker/Shutterstock

Environmental activist group Greenpeace this week accused Walmart of falsely labeling items as recyclable and asked a California court to compel the retailer to stop making the claims.

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