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Author Archives: Jared Paben

About Jared Paben

Jared Paben Associate Editor Jared Paben has worked for Resource Recycling since December 2014. Most of his earlier career was spent as a reporter for the daily newspaper in Bellingham, Wash., but he also has experience working for the Oregon volunteerism commission and for Oregon nonprofits serving low-income populations. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Here’s what cities in Oregon want to see under EPR

Published: July 31, 2023
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This large D is on a ridge near Dayville, a tiny Oregon town that told state regulators it would like producer funding to launch curbside and drop-off recycling programs. | Real Window Creative/Shutterstock

At first glance, there aren’t a ton of similarities between Portland, a green, liberal city of 650,000 people, and Dayville, a conservative, Eastern Oregon town of dozens of residents.  Continue Reading

NOVA Chemicals announces film recycling facility

Published: July 24, 2023
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NOVA Chemicals’ film recycling facility will occupy 450,000 square feet of a 1.7-million-foot building in Connersville, Ind. | Courtesy of NOVA Chemicals

Plastic resin giant NOVA Chemicals will build a large PE film recycling facility in Indiana. The facility will be operated by film specialist Novolex. Continue Reading

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Province imposes ban, limits on single-use plastics

Published: July 24, 2023
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The bans on single-use items in British Columbia come as the Canadian federal government is pushing to enact similar legislation countrywide. | Courtesy of Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy

The British Columbia government will institute bans and other restrictions on single-use bags and food service items. A food retailers group says it’s the first province to implement such a regulation.  Continue Reading

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Study suggests glass widely used as ADC in Northeast

Published: July 17, 2023
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Three-quarters of states and provinces surveyed by the Northeast Recycling Council reported the use of recovered glass as alternative daily cover at landfills. | One Photo/Shutterstock

This story has been updated.

There may not be solid data available on the amount of MRF glass used as alternative daily cover at Northeast landfills, but a recent survey suggests the low-value end use is fairly common. Continue Reading

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How public money could propel organics processing

Published: July 10, 2023
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An organics site in Kent County, Mich. would serve as an anchor to a sustainability-focused business park. | Courtesy of Anaergia

A U.S. state and the Canadian federal government have recently put millions of dollars into large-scale anaerobic digestion projects. The following are details on the projects in Michigan and British Columbia. Continue Reading

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NOVA considers huge pyrolysis plant in Canada

Published: July 17, 2023
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NOVA partnered with a company called Plastic Energy, which uses pyrolysis to make TACOIL, a branded oil that can be used to make new plastic. | RozenskiP/Shutterstock

Plastic producer NOVA Chemicals is exploring a partnership to build a pyrolysis plant to process up to 146 million pounds of scrap plastic each year. Continue Reading

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Paper mills anticipate modest rise in OCC prices

Published: February 21, 2023
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Market graph.

Producers of recycled paper products continue to wrestle with labor costs, energy costs and an uncertain economy. | Sittipong Phokawattana/Shutterstock

Some of the biggest U.S. consumers of OCC enjoyed the benefits of low bale prices late last year, but they generally expect prices to rise modestly over the course of 2023. 

Continue Reading

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WM and Republic move forward on major plastic plans

Published: March 27, 2023
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Both WM and Republic are vertically integrating, with the former making acquisitions and the latter drawing up plans for a new facility. | Lipik Stok Media/Shutterstock

Seeing big business opportunities, the two largest garbage and recycling companies in North America will put tens of millions of dollars into expanding their downstream plastics processing capabilities in coming years. 

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Nine Dragons takes downtime at two US mills

Published: April 10, 2023
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Nine Dragons has issued a “profit warning” to investors, informing them to expect a loss for the second half of 2022. | Courtesy of ND Paper

Citing difficult market conditions, paper product manufacturer ND Paper is temporarily halting or reducing production at some of its U.S. locations that consume recycled feedstock.

Continue Reading

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North American paper mills discuss demand, OCC pricing

Published: May 15, 2023
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Workers at Cascades’ recently converted Bear Island Mill in Ashland, Va. celebrate the first paper roll produced at the site. | Courtesy of Cascades

Early 2023 presented a challenging business environment for big buyers of OCC and recovered paper, with some mills taking downtime on lackluster paper product demand.  Continue Reading

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