Census Bureau data shows U.S. companies exported nearly 18 million short tons of recovered fiber in 2021, up 13% from the year prior. | DifferR/Shutterstock
Scrap fiber exports to China collapsed in 2021, but the rest of the world more than made up the difference. Scrap plastics, however, continued their years-long decline in shipments.
Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act was signed into law in August 2021, creating a 12-person task force to research and evaluate recyclability claims. | Yanqiang Dai/Shutterstock
For several years, lawmakers across the U.S. have been drafting policy to address concerns about ocean plastic. In Oregon, a key recycling labeling task force elected a representative from an ocean environmental group as vice chair.
The largest waste and recycling haulers in North America reported rising revenues for 2021. | Photick/Shutterstock
Surging commodity prices drove markedly higher recycling revenues for the largest haulers in North America last year. Those companies say they’ll put a lot of money into upgrading their MRFs in 2022.
Eco-Cycle recently held a launch event for their 100% electric truck. | Credit: Kay Beaton
Nonprofit hauler and processor Eco-Cycle is bringing the first electric collection truck to Colorado’s streets, but it took a series of other firsts – and plenty of patience – to get there.
February has brought substantial price increases for three curbside commodities: PET containers, aluminum cans and polypropylene.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued a request for technical information to help staff in considering which materials will make the state’s accepted recyclables list. | Konektus Photo/Shutterstock
Regulators in Oregon are asking producers to pony up the proof that their products are effectively recyclable.
In the draft bill, deposits are set at at least 10 cents for containers under 24 fluid ounces and 15 cents for containers larger than that. | Veja/Shutterstock
West Coast lawmakers plan to introduce a national container deposit bill that one advocate says has a better chance of passing than past proposals because of wide “industry engagement.”
An analysis of federal data shows recycling firms received over a billion dollars in Paycheck Protection Program loans. | NIKCOA/Shutterstock
U.S. MRFs and recyclables traders received about $1.19 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans, including nearly $318 million received after Congress allowed certain companies to take a second bite at the PPP apple.
Every 1,000 square feet of Everboard prevents about 1 ton of mixed paper-plastic from going to landfill. | Courtesy of Continuus
Within three years, Waste Management could be sending 150,000 tons of mixed paper and plastic each year to a factory that will recycle the otherwise-landfill-bound material into a high-quality roofing board.
According to AF&PA, in 2021, U.S. mills took in a total of nearly 33 million tons of recovered fiber, the largest amount in over a decade. | noomcpk/Shutterstock
About 94% of U.S. residents had either curbside or drop-off recycling service for at least one type of paper last year, indicating recycling programs largely retained the material despite pandemic pressures.