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.
Maine’s EPR draft rules will go to the Board of Environmental Protection to begin the formal rulemaking process in December 2023. | Yurii Prohonnyi/Shutterstock
Maine’s governor signed an extended producer responsibility law for packaging in 2021, and the state is now seeking stakeholder feedback to guide the rulemaking process.
CalRecycle staff are busy developing implementation plans for the state’s EPR program and other new recycling laws. | Lowe Llaguno/Shutterstock
After California’s legislature passed a host of recycling and reuse-related bills, the state’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery is shifting into high gear to turn the mandates into reality.
Circular Action Alliance revised its draft needs assessment to alter its modeling of recycling scenarios. | Rarrarorro/Shutterstock
At the request of the state, Circular Action Alliance revised its draft needs assessment in Colorado in response to over 100 public and industry comments. Continue Reading
The Zero Waste DC plan’s goal is to divert 80% of the city’s waste stream away from landfill and incineration by 2040. | Janossy Gergely/Shutterstock
The nation’s capital recently finalized a zero-waste plan nearly a decade in the making, one that ecompasses 43 actions such as composting mandates, extended producer responsibility for many materials and single-use plastic bans. Continue Reading
BCFC/Shutterstock
Though the fourth quarter of 2023 brought some recycling revenue increases, overall the five largest publicly traded recycling companies posted losses for the year. Continue Reading
The report from the Center for Climate Integrity calls for Big Oil and the plastics industry to be held accountable “for their campaign of deception.” | Maryshot/Shutterstock
A new report, “The Fraud of Plastic Recycling,” argues there has been a “decades-long campaign of fraud and deception about the recyclability of plastics.” In response, recycling groups highlighted current plastics diversion successes and technology investments. Continue Reading
Fabricated bottle and can weights led to a $140.5 million bill for Recycling Services Alliance. | Zolnierek/Shutterstock
Recycling Services Alliance must pay $140.5 million under the state of California’s final decision in a yearslong bottle and can smuggling case. Continue Reading
Novelis notified the Securities and Exchange Commission of its intent to complete an initial public offering. | Ji Jinn/Shutterstock
Novelis, the largest recycler of used beverage cans in the U.S., is making moves to publicly trade the company. Continue Reading
The complaint argues that marketing the tubes as recyclable is false and misleading. | George W. Bailey/Shutterstock
A lawsuit over Colgate-Palmolive marketing its Tom’s of Maine and Colgate brand toothpaste tubes as recyclable is moving forward. Continue Reading
