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Author Archives: Marissa Heffernan

About Marissa Heffernan

Marissa HeffernanMarissa 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 are also the editor of the monthly newsletter Policy Now. Heffernan can be contacted at [email protected].

MRF updates from Iowa, Canada and Guantanamo Bay

Published: January 2, 2023
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Machinex equipment in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Machinex brought a single-stream processing system and various other processing, baling and shredding equipment on-line at the U.S. Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. | Courtesy of Machinex

New MRF equipment is coming to both Guantanamo Bay and Iowa. Meanwhile, commodity pricing for Ontario in November showed a mixed bag.
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What to do to access new EPA grant funding

Published: December 12, 2022
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Folders showing grants, projects and funding titles.

Entities can submit an optional intent to apply for the grants by Dec. 15, and the application deadline is Jan. 16. The EPA anticipates dispersing funds in summer or fall of 2023. | Olivier Le Moal/Shutterstock

This story has been updated.

With deadlines for two large EPA recycling grants fast approaching, one expert suggests double-checking project goals and making sure all the pre-application work is done.

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Senators press industry on plastic waste impacts

Published: December 16, 2022
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Senate hearing room.

The Dec. 15 hearing by the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works brought four panelists together to answer questions from legislators. | Katherine Welles/Shutterstock

During a two-hour hearing, U.S. senators questioned industry experts about chemicals in plastics, marine plastic pollution and extended producer responsibility. 

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Largest commingled MRF in North America adds robots

Published: December 6, 2022
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EverestLabs robots at work sorting material at the Sims Sunset Park MRF.

Two EverestLabs robots pick out material on the Sunset Park MRF’s last-chance line. | Courtesy of EverestLabs

Sims Municipal Recycling installed four EverestLabs robots in its New York City MRF and plans to add up to four more in 2023, bringing the facility into the AI age. 

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Shared database vital for better recycling

Published: December 5, 2022
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MRF Interior with equipment.

The Sightline database currently has over 5 million data points across the U.S., representing all 50 states, over 3,000 counties and 14,000 disposal and recovery facilities. | Resource Recycling file photo

With new state laws requiring more and more reporting of waste generation and diversion data, the Re-TRAC team launched a detailed database to improve efficiency and information sharing. 

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Another aggressive plastics bill lands in Congress

Published: December 2, 2022
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US Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

The new act is built on the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, which was introduced in the last two Congressional sessions but failed to move forward. | Rob Crandall/Shutterstock

A newly introduced bill in Congress is reviving parts of the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, with a focus on environmental justice. 

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Oregon redemption center brings AI counting to consumers

Published: November 28, 2022
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Behind the scenes at BottleDrop's collection location.

The latest drop-off center from the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative uses AI to rapidly count and identify bottles and other containers. | Marissa Heffernan/Resource Recycling, Inc.

The busiest container redemption center in Oregon recently got an upgrade, delivering the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative’s neural network technology to a consumer-facing location for the first time. 

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What’s the right role for chemical recycling?

Published: November 28, 2022
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Mixed plastic caps and residuals for recycling.

As of 2021 there were more than 40 companies working to develop or manage chemical recycling projects in the United States. | paul prescott/Shutterstock

Mechanical recycling should take priority over chemical recycling, but there will need to be several technical solutions to the world’s plastic problem, argued panelists on a recent Product Stewardship Institute webinar. 

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Dow, WM team up on curbside residential film project

Published: November 28, 2022
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Plastic bag filled with plastic bags for recycling.

Waste Management (WM) has committed to investing more than $800 million to enhance recycling infrastructure, including $56 million to upgrade three Pacific Northwest MRFs. | Pavel Kubarkov/Shutterstock

Dow and Waste Management are partnering on a pilot program that will give some Chicago residents the option of recycling plastic films curbside. 

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