Speakers on the “Frontline Communities” panel included (from left) Sandra Gonza, Jo Banner, Paulina Lopez and Joy Banner. | Dan Leif/Resource Recycling
As companies across the sector try to navigate concerns around environmental justice, leaders of activist groups have some advice: Stop and listen to the local community first. Continue Reading
The New York City Council aims to overhaul organics collection, and legislators in Connecticut face criticism from environmentalists over their embrace of gasification. | Esse David Falls/Shutterstock
Members of the New York City Council are looking to amp up organics recycling and push forward on zero-waste goals. Meanwhile, a bill that focuses on gasification facilities awaits the Connecticut governor’s signature. Continue Reading
June has brought generally bad news for MRFs, with prices for curbside plastics and metals tanking this month. The only real bright spots are the slow but continuing climbs in OCC and mixed paper prices. Continue Reading
The amended extended producer responsibility bill enjoys support from Members of New York’s legislature, but faces opposition from several brands and industry groups. | Real Window Creative/Shutterstock
This story has been updated.
Some New York legislators are pushing to see extended producer responsibility for packaging pass this year. With days left in the session, they’ve reintroduced what they see as a compromise bill. Continue Reading
An AMP Robotics unit, nicknamed Arturito, is allowing the city of Dallas to accept cartons at curbside. | Courtesy of FCC Environmental
A recently installed carton-sorting robot at FCC Environmental Services’ Dallas MRF has reduced residue by about 11%, one reason the unit is “going to have a pretty big financial impact for us,” a company manager said. Continue Reading
During the 2022 fiscal year, WestRock handled 7.1 million tons of recyclables at its recycling facilities. | Postmodern Studio/Shutterstock
Container and paperboard manufacturer WestRock continues to consume internally a larger and larger portion of the recovered fiber the company handles each year, achieving a high of 79% last year. Continue Reading
Analysts speaking in a recent GAIA webinar said eco-modulated fees on packaging fail to incentivize reduction and reuse. | Photoeu/Shutterstock
As extended producer responsibility programs for packaging start to take hold in the U.S., many are looking to Europe for ideas. Several stakeholders in the decades-old French system shared some lessons they’ve learned, including that eco-modulated fees have not achieved their desired effect. Continue Reading
Grants, a government report and industry funding are all making an impact on the world of glass recycling. | Sinart Creative/Shutterstock
Private dollars have been flowing to glass recovery efforts, and California manufacturers consumed a little less cullet last year. Those were a couple of recent glass announcements. Continue Reading
More honesty in recyclability labeling could save brands the trouble of going to court – without costing them much in sales. | Ivan Alex Burchak/Shutterstock
After Keurig Green Mountain reached a class-action settlement in a case concerning the company’s K-Cup recyclability claims, the plaintiffs anticipated the brand owner would end up paying consumers $1.25 million.
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