Marissa Heffernan worked at Resource Recycling from January 2022 through June 2025, first as staff reporter and then as associate editor. Marissa Heffernan started working for Resource Recycling in January 2022 after spending several years as a reporter at a daily newspaper in Southwest Washington. After developing a special focus on recycling policy, they were also the editor of the monthly newsletter Policy Now.
Minnesota sent an EPR bill to its governor in a budget bill. | Rawf8/Shutterstock
Minnesota is poised to be the fifth U.S. state to pass extended producer responsibility for packaging after adding the program language into the 2024 Environment and Natural Resources Budget, which is now on the governor’s desk. Continue Reading
Colgate-Palmolive said several challenges may require work beyond 2025, the target date for many of its sustainability goals. | Ungvar/Shutterstock
As the 2025 sustainability deadlines set by many brands get closer, another global heavyweight has announced that it will likely miss some of its target goals. Continue Reading
The equipment upgrades will allow the MRF to recycle more types of plastics, including polypropylene plastic bottles, jars, jugs and tubs. | Ken Wolter/Shutterstock
WM has finished $23 million in automation updates at its Pittsburgh MRF, increasing the facility’s capacity by 10 tons of material per hour. Continue Reading
RRS compiled initial data on the collection and recycling system in the state, and of the 121 categories of data the report sought, 43 were available, 27 were partially available and 51 were currently unknown or not currently available. | BestStockFoto/Shutterstock
While New York has several efforts underway to gather more recycling data, significant gaps still remain and could complicate passage of an extended producer responsibility bill for paper and packaging, a recent analysis found. Continue Reading
Coming from inside the ranks of the state agency, Zoe Heller was appointed director of the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery. | Rarrarorro/Shutterstock
California’s sizable waste reduction and recycling agency has a new leader in Zoe Heller, who was recently appointed director of the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery. Industry leaders praised her integrity, thoughtfulness and collaboration skills. Continue Reading
Five big North American haulers recently reported their first quarter earnings. | Janossy Gergely/Shutterstock
Publicly traded recycling collectors saw bale prices rise in the first quarter, contributing to higher revenues and a positive outlook for the year ahead.
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The week of negotiations had moments of both hope and frustration for delegates, who are racing against the clock to create a final treaty. | Photo courtesy of IISD/ENB Kiara Worth
The fourth meeting to draft a global plastic pollution treaty ended just after 3 a.m. on April 30 with general agreement on the need for global rules and mandates on product design, composition, performance and extended producer responsibility.
The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act AB 5322 in the Assembly Codes committee and its companion bill, SB 4246, is in the Senate finance committee. | robert-paul-van-beet/Shutterstock
New York legislators are once again pushing to become the fifth state in the U.S. to implement extended producer responsibility for packaging.
From left: Dan Leif, Holli Alexander and Candace Rutherford. | Big Wave Productions/Resource Recycling
This story has been corrected.
Chemical recyclers are forging partnerships, eyeing underutilized material streams and getting creative to secure enough supply to feed their ambitious plans, according to leaders in the sector. Continue Reading
Atlantic Coast Recycling’s new facility can process over 50 tons of recyclables per hour. | Courtesy of Atlantic Coast Recycling
Atlantic Coast Recycling reopened its recycling processing facility in Passaic, New Jersey, after a year-long redevelopment totaling $47 million. Continue Reading