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.
Leaders with Hillenbrand discussed the company’s ESG efforts, including a recycling equipment manufacturer acquisition. | d.ee_angelo/Shutterstock
Sustainability and environmental, social and governance plans are typically multifaceted, but a recent acquisition by Hillenbrand brought recycling to the forefront for the manufacturing conglomerate.
The “Resiliency at the Local Level” session at the 2022 Resource Recycling Conference featured (l to r): Eduardo Rodriguez, Alexis Yaple, Kanika Greenlee and Zach Woodruff. | Big Wave Productions/Resource Recycling, Inc.
Resilience in recycling requires a number of elements: upgrading technology, extending contracts or even buying carts for residents.
California legislators sent a number of recycling-related bills to the governor at the end of this session. | Leonid Adnronov/Shutterstock
When California’s legislative session ended Aug. 31, a number of recycling-related bills passed just before the deadline. Here’s a roundup of bills currently waiting to be signed into law and that have already been signed.
A collaboration will bring recycling collection for certain health and beauty products to 25 Walmart stores in four U.S. states. | Chanandra Ramsurrun/Shutterstock
In collaboration with Procter & Gamble and TerraCycle, Walmart is allowing customers in four states to recycle beauty product packaging in certain stores.
For the second year in a row, Recycle BC observed “significant growth” in collected metric tons, with a 17% increase over the past two years. | Lightspring/Shutterstock
British Columbia’s paper and plastic packaging collection rates have rebounded after pandemic-related challenges, reaching a record-high recovery rate of just over 94%.
Some glass recycling advocates have withdrawn their support for proposed California bottle bill legislation in the wake of last-minute amendments. | Fotosr52/Shutterstock
Just days before the end of the legislative session, lengthy amendments were tacked on to California bottle bill expansion legislation, greatly increasing the cost of the program. In response, some previous backers rescinded their support.
Amazon recently noted it has on-site plastic film recycling systems at facilities across North America and Europe. | Bret Habura/Shutterstock
Amazon has eliminated more than 1.5 million tons of packaging since 2015 and created programs to increase recycling and diversion, according to its latest sustainability report.
A pilot project will bring carton recycling to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. | Ho Su A Bi/Shutterstock
Circular Action, Tetra Pak and Packaging Recycling Organisation Vietnam teamed up to create a carton recycling initiative in Vietnam they hope will increase recycling rates and provide income to freelance waste pickers.
The “Rethinking MRF Contracts” session at this year’s Resource Recycling Conference featured (l to r) moderator Keysha Burton of The Recycling Partnership and speakers Natalie Betts of Balcones Resources and Stephanie Sidler of GFL. | Big Wave Productions/Resource Recycling Inc.
Volatile markets, changing material compositions and aging infrastructure can all be addressed with the right municipal MRF contract. Industry experts discussed how to achieve such arrangements at the Resource Recycling Conference.
A new effort from industry group The Recycling Partnership aims to assess and change behavior. | Air Images/Shutterstock
Recycling doesn’t work unless people can put material into the stream, so The Recycling Partnership is expanding its efforts to both understand and change consumer behavior at the bin.
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