Aqua Metals, a lead-acid battery recycling technology company, is moving into the lithium-ion battery recycling business. | showcake/Shutterstock
A battery recycling company goes public, North American collection numbers are released, and a lead-acid battery recycling technology company moves into the lithium-ion realm. Those announcements were made around National Battery Day last Thursday.
Despite last year’s drop in landfill tip fees, the five-year average is still trending upward. | Janossy Gergely/Shutterstock
Average landfill tip fees across the country dropped in 2020, although the eastern U.S. continued to see rising disposal costs.
Massachusetts is the latest state to propose extended producer responsibility for packaging, the largest component of the residential recycling stream. | Thanatos Media/Shutterstock
An expansive packaging stewardship proposal was recently introduced in Massachusetts. Meanwhile, a bill providing state assistance to bolster recycling markets has cleared both legislative chambers in Maryland.
The past month has been marked by value boosts for recovered PET, HDPE and PP. Fiber grades recovered in curbside programs, however, have been flat or slightly down.
Constellium is among the largest consumers of used beverage cans in the world. Huguette Roe / Shutterstock
Constellium, which runs a major recycling operation in Alabama, will borrow funds for a number of sustainability projects, including efforts that will significantly increase the amount of recycled aluminum the company consumes.
U.S. exports of recovered commodities decreased in 2020, continuing a multi-year trend. | Jose Luis Stephens/Shutterstock
Recovered paper shipments from the U.S. to China slowed immensely as 2020 drew to a close, newly released figures show. Meanwhile, scrap plastic exports decreased during the year, but shipments to certain countries grew sharply.
Legislators in nine states, including Maryland, say they will collaborate to push extended producer responsibility policies for plastic packaging. | tokar/Shutterstock
The industry-led Recycling Leadership Council published a set of policy recommendations for national lawmakers. Meanwhile, state legislators are collaborating to push for extended producer responsibility in nine states.
China’s largest paper company continues to source recovered fiber from around the world but is converting it into pulp before shipment into China. | safakcakir/Shutterstock
Nine Dragons announced plans for a $4.6 billion paper mill in southern China, one of the company’s huge investments in response to China’s recovered fiber imports ban.
