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Category: Top stories

A local program leader’s long history of crossing racial divides

Published: July 28, 2020
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Harry Hayes

Harry Hayes has been director of Houston’s Solid Waste Management Department since 2007. | Photo courtesy of city of Houston 

Harry Hayes’ journey to the top of Houston’s solid waste department in many ways began over 40 years ago, when he confronted fears about being the only Black kid in French class.

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Equipment upgrades drive greater UBC recovery

Published: July 21, 2020
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Aluminum cans for recycling.

Recent research determined that in 2019, UBCs made up 12.5% of potential revenues in MRFs in bottle bill states and 33% of potential revenues in MRFs in non-bottle-bill states. | Graham Corney/Shutterstock

Robotics and additional eddy current separators are key to maximizing sortation of used beverage cans, according to MRF operators, researchers and other experts.

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British Columbia expands EPR and bottle deposit systems

Published: July 21, 2020
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Starting in 2023, “packaging-like” and “single-use” products will be added to British Columbia’s producer-managed recycling program. | Tudoran Andrei/Shutterstock 

Canada’s third-largest province has approved a number of changes to its extended producer responsibility and container deposit programs.  Continue Reading

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China vows to further slash imports while approving permits

Published: July 14, 2020
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Cargo ship docked at a shipping terminal.

From January through May 2020, China imported 1.9 million short tons of recovered fiber from the U.S.. | Avigator Fortuner/Shutterstock

The Chinese government continues to indicate it will eliminate “solid waste” imports, restating the plan during a recent press conference. At the same time, the country has approved additional shipments of recovered paper.

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Judge’s ruling means plastics initiative likely going to voters

Published: July 7, 2020
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U.S. and California flags against a blue sky.

A proposed California ballot measure would direct CalRecycle to charge producers up to a 1-cent fee for each single-use plastic package sold into the state. | RaksyBH/Shutterstock

A California court has given proponents of a California plastic waste initiative more time to gather signatures, all but assuring it will make the ballot, according to supporters.

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Study explores southeast state’s contamination rate

Published: June 30, 2020
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Recycling bins on a Florida street.

Researchers in Florida have noticed a gradual increase in contamination rates in recent years. | Blueee77/Shutterstock

MRFs in Florida have historically landfilled about one-quarter of the weight that comes in the door, according to a study commissioned by the Florida Recycling Partnership Foundation.

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Recycled pulp mill planned in Northeast US

Published: June 30, 2020
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Paper bales for recycling.

Once operational, the Empire Recycled Fiber mill will produce 440,000 tons per year of recycled paper pulp. | Luis M. Seco/Shutterstock

A $125 million recycled paper pulp mill in Pennsylvania will source more than 500,000 tons per year of mixed paper and OCC. The facility will ship its product to China.

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GFL to buy assets from WM and Advanced Disposal

Published: June 30, 2020
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GFL waste hauling truck.

In a recently announced deal GFL agreed to pay $835 million for operations now owned by WM and Advanced. | Philip Lange/Shutterstock

Waste Management will acquire Advanced Disposal Services for about $300 million less than originally anticipated. Meanwhile, GFL Environmental agreed to buy a number of U.S. solid waste operations as part of the acquisition deal.

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