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Former Environmental Manager Michael Mayfield received a three-year prison sentence and was ordered to pay nearly $1.3 million in restitution. | Proxima Studio/Shutterstock
A former Mars Wrigley employee who managed on-site recycling programs at a production facility will serve prison time after he admitted to stealing more than $1 million in recycled commodity revenues. Continue Reading
Under Maine’s EPR program, signed into law in 2021, producers directly reimburse municipalities for collection and recycling of materials. | Yurii Prohonnyi/Shutterstock
Maine approved rules for its extended producer responsibility law for packaging, three years after becoming the first state to pass packaging EPR. Continue Reading
The third iteration of Oregon’s program plan had more accurate cost estimates, after Circular Action Alliance carried out a survey over the summer. | Nadia Yong/Shutterstock
Oregon moved its rulemaking process ahead for its extended producer responsibility for packaging law set to roll out next summer, and Circular Action Alliance also released its third program plan draft. Continue Reading
Prices for most major curbside recyclables dropped this month, but a couple outliers were natural HDPE and aluminum beverage cans, both of which saw double-digit percentage increases in value. Continue Reading
Over the course of the year, Greif reported its paper packaging and services division saw $2.3 billion in sales, up 2% year over year. | Pitipat Wongprasit/Shutterstock
Paper packaging giant Greif is the latest containerboard producer to announce a price hike for the recycled fiber end product at the beginning of 2025, employing a tool the company has used throughout this year to offset higher OCC feedstock costs and account for other cost growth. Continue Reading
AMP, which started off offering sortation robots that could be added into existing recycling facilities, recently shifted its focus to include full facilities. | Courtesy of AMP Robotics
AMP recently raised $91 million in a financing round and plans to use the funds to accelerate the deployment of its AMP ONE sortation system. Continue Reading
The consumer recycling rate rose from the preceding three years, but industry association executives warned that the U.S. still has much work to be done to compete on a global level. | Ji Jinn/Shutterstock
Only 43% of aluminum cans shipped in the U.S. in 2023 were ultimately recycled, well below the 30-year average but slightly higher than in the previous three years, according to the most recent industry report. Continue Reading
Continuus Materials’ Iowa facility was acquired by hauler WM only a few years ago. | Courtesy of Continuus
A growing end market for mixed paper, plastic and cartons abruptly closed this fall. Continue Reading
The Coca‑Cola Company eliminated its goals around reusable packaging and virgin plastic reduction. | StudioPortoSabbia/Shutterstock
The Coca‑Cola Company has rolled back its voluntary sustainability goals, decreasing some and eliminating others, following the growing number of big brands announcing they will not meet often-ambitious 2025 or 2030 targets.