The Michigan Legislature last week passed a package of eight bills designed to update the state’s solid waste law. | Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock
A series of policy-focused bills passed by Michigan lawmakers may not include the spice of EPR, but their meat-and-potatoes approach of ensuring residents have a minimum level of recycling service may prove a big boost to the recycling industry.
Two EverestLabs robots pick out material on the Sunset Park MRF’s last-chance line. | Courtesy of EverestLabs
Sims Municipal Recycling installed four EverestLabs robots in its New York City MRF and plans to add up to four more in 2023, bringing the facility into the AI age.
Van Dyk Recycling Solutions was selected by Mecklenburg County, N.C. to rebuild a publicly owned MRF that sorts and sells recyclables from Charlotte and surrounding communities. | CLS Digital Arts/Shutterstock
On either side of the country, major recycling players are investing big money into significant improvements to their facilities.
The Sightline database currently has over 5 million data points across the U.S., representing all 50 states, over 3,000 counties and 14,000 disposal and recovery facilities. | Resource Recycling file photo
With new state laws requiring more and more reporting of waste generation and diversion data, the Re-TRAC team launched a detailed database to improve efficiency and information sharing.
The new act is built on the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, which was introduced in the last two Congressional sessions but failed to move forward. | Rob Crandall/Shutterstock
A newly introduced bill in Congress is reviving parts of the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, with a focus on environmental justice.
Berry brand owner Driscoll’s has worked with its clamshell suppliers to boost the percentage of recycled PET derived from used thermoforms. | Courtesy of Driscoll’s
Clamshell containers used by berry brand Driscoll’s last year contained an average of 9% recycled PET sourced from used thermoforms. Continue Reading
After winning a contract previously held by Republic Systems, Balcones Resources will operate Phoenix’s North Gateway MRF (pictured above and below), as well as the city’s 27th Avenue MRF, which will be rebuilt with Machinex equipment. | Courtesy of city of Phoenix
Balcones Resources’ recently signed MRF operations contract with the city of Phoenix is exactly the type of “huge step” toward growth envisioned when Closed Loop Partners bought a majority stake in the company, a Balcones executive explained.
Even though OCC bales are currently selling for unusually low prices, many producers are seeing their savings offset by increased costs in other areas. | Kenishirotie/Shutterstock
Recycled paper product producers may be enjoying the lower OCC prices as 2022 comes to a close, but those giant manufacturers are still facing higher inflationary pressures in other areas, several executives recently noted.
As of 2021 there were more than 40 companies working to develop or manage chemical recycling projects in the United States. | paul prescott/Shutterstock
Mechanical recycling should take priority over chemical recycling, but there will need to be several technical solutions to the world’s plastic problem, argued panelists on a recent Product Stewardship Institute webinar.
The latest Greenpeace report challenges the viability of U.S. plastics recycling. | MuhammadAzman/Shutterstock
This story has been updated.
An updated report from Greenpeace USA maintains that no plastics in the U.S. actually meet the definition of recyclable and calls for companies to switch to other materials.