Colin Staub is a reporter at Resource Recycling. He can be contacted at [email protected].
There are now only a few types of scrap plastic shipments not subject to the new Basel criteria. | Go_Legacy/Shutterstock
Experts with the U.S. EPA say there are a number of potential outcomes from upcoming shifts in global rules governing scrap plastic shipments. Under one possibility, trade in scrap plastic will no longer be allowed between the U.S. and most other countries.
The new GAIA report includes recycling market development examples from Salt Lake City and Minneapolis-St. Paul. | Sabelnikova Olga/Shutterstock
The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives this month published a document laying out steps communities can take to reach zero waste, tying the actions to social and economic justice.
The Recycling Partnership recently released “Accelerating Recycling,” a policy document outlining a proposal that includes fees paid by brands and packaging producers. | photka/Shutterstock
Two major industry groups are promoting packaging fees on product makers to support recycling infrastructure development, a shift one MRF operator described as a “historical moment.”
The Brown County MRF processes an average of 100,000 to 105,000 tons per year of material.
In the greater Green Bay, Wis. metropolitan area, Brown County and its neighboring communities came together to collectively improve their recycling programs. They currently operate a regional MRF and collaborate on area-wide messaging.
The financial services sector is taking note of the waste and recycling sector’s growing prominence in corporate sustainability measures. | Bacho/Shutterstock
Financial experts predict restructured contracts will lead to greater stability in the recycling sector. They also anticipate technology and corporate sustainability pushes will benefit the industry while ample consolidation will continue.
Communities across Vermont are delving deeper into organics diversion, after a statewide landfill ban on food scraps took effect in July. | Alseenrodelap.nl – Elco/Shutterstock
An industry group released labeling guidelines to keep non-compostable packaging out of the green bin, and New York provided an overview of updates to the state’s food scraps recycling law.
According to one analyst, domestic demand for OCC was up about 6% during the first five months of 2020. | digitalreflections/Shutterstock
Supply and demand realities for key curbside materials are evolving fast, impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, domestic processing capacity increases and other key trends, according to two experts. Continue Reading
Li-Cycle Incorporated recently announced plans for a Rochester, N.Y. facility capable of processing at least 10 million pounds of lithium-ion batteries per year. | Vietnam stock photos/Shutterstock
Canadian firm Li-Cycle Incorporated, which handles lithium-ion batteries from e-scrap and other sources, is developing a $175 million processing hub in the U.S.
Officials in both China and Hong Kong have recently signaled stricter controls over the flow of recycled plastics into the region. | Barks/Shutterstock
Recycled plastic pellets are facing greater scrutiny upon import into China, international recycling stakeholders recently reported. Meanwhile, Hong Kong moved to incorporate upcoming global regulatory changes in the plastic waste trade into its domestic legal framework. Continue Reading
