Republic forecasts servicing fewer commercial containers as bars, restaurants and schools temporarily close. | Aaron of L.A. Photography/Shutterstock
Republic Services foresees major changes in the residential and commercial recycling landscape due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The New York Department of Sanitation is preparing for higher-than-normal volumes of material to be collected curbside. | Andrea Izzotti/Shutterstock
New York City, which has the largest concentration of coronavirus cases in the U.S., is continuing curbside service even as the city’s collection department battles infections among employees.
In communities around the country, recycling programs are limiting the materials they collect, altering service hours or shutting down altogether. | Oksana Shturo/Shutterstock
Recycling programs nationwide have curtailed service due to the coronavirus pandemic, potentially hampering the supply of recyclables moving to market in the weeks to come.
A recent Greenpeace report noted companies are increasingly calling a wider variety of products “recyclable.” | Marko Rupena/Shutterstock
Several recycling industry reports were recently released, including a Greenpeace indictment of recyclability labeling, the latest updates from Closed Loop Partners, and one state’s investigation of food waste in public schools.
How2Recycle announced that all PP tubs, trays, bottles and cups will now be labeled with the organization’s “check locally” label. | Josep Curto/Shutterstock
Changes in U.S. recycling programs led the How2Recycle labeling initiative to downgrade recyclability classifications for non-bottle rigid PET containers and certain PP products, potentially impacting recovery of those materials.
The ISRI Board of Directors will consider the new specifications during its winter meeting on Feb. 21. | Thanatos Media/Shutterstock
Recycling coordinators, MRFs and others tend to refer to material in different ways. Draft specifications from an industry group aim to help put all parties on the same page.
Curbside recycling can put additional collection trucks on the road. But the recycling process ultimately brings environmental benefits that far outweigh the extra vehicle emissions, according to a study from Waste Management.
The City of San Antonio began accepting plastic bags in curbside single-stream carts two years ago. In its first year, 550 tons were recovered through the program, but that number fell by more than two-thirds in the second year.
Not surprisingly, the great glass debate is continuing into 2017. Four municipalities from different corners of the country recently made moves or began discussions to try to recover glass in a more cost-effective manner.
A worker was killed in a MRF accident in Nebraska shortly after the publication of an article highlighting the often-dangerous working conditions in the recycling industry.