Marissa Heffernan started working for Resource Recycling in January 2022 after spending several years as a reporter at a daily newspaper in Southwest Washington. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Circular Action Alliance hired Jeff Fielkow as CEO, putting him at the head of an organization with ambitious extended producer responsibility goals. | Monticello/Shutterstock
Circular Action Alliance picked Jeff Fielkow as CEO, putting the industry veteran at the head of several fast-paced plans to roll out extended producer responsibility laws for paper and packaging.
The DRS redemption rate decreases ranged from 1% to 4%, with only two states tallying increases. | Kwangmoozaa/Shutterstock
New data from the Container Recycling Institute showed falling beverage container redemption rates in most states with deposit return systems in 2023, which advocates said shows the need to modernize aging systems.
Five large publicly traded North American haulers recently reported their second-quarter earnings. | LV Olga/Shutterstock
Rising commodity prices were a boon for major recycling operators in the second quarter of the year, and they’re now anticipating better full-year results than they initially expected.
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Eco-modulation is commonly introduced after an EPR program is established, as it requires a strong foundation of data. | Olivier-Le-Moal/Shutterstock
Many recycling industry players and brands are now familiar with the base concept of extended producer responsibility for packaging, but now advisory boards, producer responsibility organizations and state regulators are working on another complex, interrelated concept: fee eco-modulation.
AMP’s systems combine color cameras and AI to improve sorting accuracy in MRFs, but the company founder said there are more ways to harness that power. | Marina Onokhina
Putting AI and robotics into a MRF is one thing. Designing a MRF with AI and robotics makes for an entirely different experience, according to AMP founder and CEO Matanya Horowitz. Continue Reading
Swedish app Bower was selected for a six-month Google.org fellowship and $1.9 million in funding to further develop its recycling app. | Photo Courtesy of Bower
With the help of a Google program, Swedish recycling app Bower is expanding its AI-visioning model worldwide, aiming for a world without waste. Continue Reading
WM is planning a new MRF in the Portland, Oregon, metro area. | Ken Wolter/Shutterstock
WM is planning a new $35 million MRF in the Portland, Oregon, area that will process up to 140,000 tons of residential materials annually and come on-line as early as December of this year. Continue Reading
A new carton recycling facility is coming online, growing out of a partnership between the Carton Council, Elof Hansson and Upcycling Group. | Wachiwit/Shutterstock
By the second half of 2025, a new facility will be turning out roofing construction materials made from 1.5 million pounds of post-consumer cartons per month on the West Coast. Continue Reading
The initial list was published in December 2023 and had 98 categories, while the updated list has 94 as some materials were double-listed. | Joseph_Sohm/Shutterstock
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery released an updated version of the list of materials covered under its extended producer responsibility program for packaging, making nearly 30 tweaks to the list.
A draft bill in California called the Truth in Labeling Act of 2024 would set federal parameters around recycling labels on consumer packaging. | 9dream Studio/Shutterstock
Due to its size and tendency to be on the leading edge of environmental law, California has long been seen as the bellwether, setting policy that other states will later follow – or that producers and manufacturers take as de facto law nationwide when it comes to standards. Continue Reading