First-quarter fiber exports to India dropped significantly from 2022 numbers; meanwhile, Thailand stepped up as the prime destination. | Canetti/Shutterstock
U.S. companies exported 8% less recovered fiber and 10% less scrap plastic during the first quarter of 2023 than they did a year earlier, and there were some dramatic changes in where material was flowing. Continue Reading
OCC, mixed paper and polyolefin container prices have continued their upward climbs this month. Continue Reading
The commission voted 4-0 to publish a notice in the Federal Register to begin a 60-day public comment period. That notice is expected to be published in mid-January of 2023. | DCStockPhotography/Shutterstock
Companies making deceptive sustainability claims distort the market for environmentally friendly products and “hurt honest companies who are bearing the costs of green business practices,” the chair of the FTC said recently.
The move will result in around 300 employees being laid off. | Joi54/Shutterstock
The Packaging Corporation of America is idling a mill that handles OCC, after adding recycled fiber processing capability in 2021. Continue Reading
A session at the ISRI Convention in Nashville, Tenn. featured (from left) moderator Jacqueline Lotzkar, Zhang Lin and Robin Cai. | Dan Leif/Resource Recycling
Last week’s Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Convention put a focus on two issues critical to the global side of the sector: the state of recycling in China and efforts to enhance shipping protocols. Continue Reading
Advancements in AI and sorting tech are allowing MRFs to capture materials more efficiently. | Courtesy of Bulk Handling Systems
AMP Robotics, MSS and National Recovery Technologies are rolling out updates to AI algorithms, optical sorters and other sorting technologies. Continue Reading
The Circular Action Alliance will coordinate producer responsibility efforts around the recovery of paper and plastic packaging in Colorado. | Konektus Photo/Shutterstock
In a big step toward implementing one of the nation’s first extended producer responsibility programs for packaging, Colorado selected Circular Action Alliance as its producer responsibility organization. Continue Reading
During a press briefing, leaders from the aluminum industry highlighted strong public support for bottle bills. | Jiri Vaclavek/Shutterstock
The aluminum recycling industry continues to push for new beverage container deposit programs, with an executive pointing to potential in the Upper Midwest and in the nation’s capital. Continue Reading
The five largest haulers in North America reported first-quarter 2023 financials, with some seeing prices recover from a slump. | L.O.N DSLR Camera/Shutterstock
Depressed commodity prices continued to batter the bottom lines of large publicly traded curbside recycling businesses during the first quarter, although some MRF operators are now seeing steadily increasing values.
Republic Services is one of several major haulers that benefitted from higher commodity prices in the first quarter of this year. | Iv-olga/Shutterstock
Higher commodity prices continue to drive revenues and profits for the largest waste and recycling haulers in North America.