A European analysis shows 9 million metric tons of discarded plastic was collected for sorting, out of 30 million produced in 2021. | Muhammad Azman/Shutterstock
European plastic recyclers are struggling to get enough material, even as exports of plastics decline and values rise.
An Oregon program is addressing driver shortages by extending training to people who might otherwise struggle to become garbage and recycling collectors. | M2020/Shutterstock
As of Dec. 31, TerraCycle US has over 150 brand-sponsored national recycling programs in 48 states. | photo gonzo/Shutterstock
TerraCycle US continued to rake in more money from companies paying it to operate mail-in recycling programs, but it incurred steeper losses doing the actual recycling of plastic and other materials.
Call2Recycle is offering a bulk collection service for battery recycling called OneDrum. | Courtesy of Call2Recycle
A battery collection kit sold by Call2Recycle helps communities, MRFs and others reduce the labor needed to sort and prepare batteries for downstream shipment.
Broken down by scrap type, a study found that bottles, non-bottle rigid plastics and other plastics all saw declines individually in 2020. | TeuNg StyLe/Shutterstock
The U.S. is processing more of its scrap plastic domestically, but the overall weight of plastic recycled in 2020 dropped just under 6% from 2019, according to an annual industry report.
Waste Management’s overall recycling collection dropped slightly from 2019 to 2020. | Courtesy of Waste Management
A report from Waste Management describes how the pandemic shifted the composition of the curbside stream from paper to plastic last year. The document also provides insights into the company’s domestic market expectations and recycling investments.
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.
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.
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.
