OCC makes up about one-quarter of outbound tons from MRFs, according to NERC’s formula. | mann7429/Shutterstock
Northeastern MRFs say the recyclables they produced during the second quarter were worth more than they were during the first three months of the year.
Waste Management issued its September 2020 “Report on Recycling” to identify gaps in U.S. plastics recycling infrastructure, among other goals. | Natallia Boroda/Shutterstock
A recent report from the nation’s largest waste and recycling hauler outlines MRF infrastructure and reviews the current state of reclamation capacity for key recovered plastics.
Quincy Recycle plans to start up the 64,000-square-foot facility early next year.
Quincy Recycle has opened its eighth recycling facility to handle material from back-of-house commercial and industrial settings, underscoring opportunity in these areas despite a pandemic-driven decline in commercial material generation.
As a result of the acquisition, GFL now operates in nine Canadian provinces and 27 U.S. states. | Gajus/Shutterstock
Toronto-based waste management provider GFL Environmental reported a milestone in its quest to grow its U.S. presence.
In 2019, Waste Management processed a record amount of recyclables: 15.5 million tons, up from 15.2 million tons in 2018. | Courtesy of Waste Management.
The largest hauler in North America processed a record amount of recyclables in 2019, and it invested more than $100 million to improve its recycling infrastructure, according to its latest sustainability report.
MRFs are seeing more containers and office paper in the residential stream as Americans continue to stay home in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. | Evan Lorne/Shutterstock
During the third quarter, Waste Management enjoyed commodity prices that averaged 33% higher than the prior-year period. | David Tonelson/Shutterstock
The waste sector’s biggest companies extended their recycling business rebound into the second half of this year, helped by higher fiber prices.
Packaging EPR programs are currently in place in parts of Europe, Canada and elsewhere, but to date, this system hasn’t reached the U.S. | Skylines/Shutterstock
Extended producer responsibility for a wide range of recyclables is gaining steam around the country. Haulers and MRF operators say it’s critical that these proposals are crafted well – both to preserve what already works and allow for much-needed changes.
A leader with AMP Robotics says artificial intelligence has changed how robotics can be incorporated into MRFs. | Courtesy of AMP Robotics.
A recycling facility operator and a robotics company say artificial intelligence is providing materials recovery firms with much-needed data to analyze changes in the recycling stream. That’s in addition to sortation improvements.
The recycling industry has become increasingly consolidated in recent years following major corporate acquisitions. Fernando Cortes / Shutterstock
It may not receive a lot of media attention, but corporate concentration in America’s waste industry negatively impacts the lives of nearly all Americans and contributes to a range of economic and environmental burdens.