
In its regulations, CalRecycle put the regulatory burden on local officials, who must ensure homes and businesses are provided with – and actively use – food scraps and yard debris collection services. | SaskiaAcht/Shutterstock
Local governments in California must ensure residents and businesses have organics collection service, under rules finalized by state regulators recently.



Food waste has become an increasingly hot topic in recent months and for good reason. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about one-third of all food produced in the world for human consumption – approximately 1.3 billion metric tons – ends up as waste each year.
By tweaking existing equipment, materials recovery facilities could reduce the amount of flexible film packaging landing in their fiber bales, an industry study concluded.
Most U.S. residents can now access a free mail-in and drop-off program from Nespresso to recycle aluminum-based coffee capsules.
A months-long string of rising prices for recovered materials has continued into February.
A campaign aimed at curbing criminal activity could cause headaches for those legally sending recyclable materials across the Pacific Ocean.
A rebound in commodity values meant substantial recycling-related revenue boosts for North America’s two largest residential haulers.