A handful of states have modernized their bottle bills in recent years, and pressure to enact programs in non-bottle-bill states appears to be growing, according to panelists on a recent webinar. | Monticello/Shutterstock
Deposit return systems are poised to take center legislative stage in the coming years, with strong potential benefits for the environment and economy, the Container Recycling Institute noted in a recent analysis and webinar. Continue Reading
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery published drafts of its covered material list categories for the extended producer responsibility for packaging program, among other announcements. | Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock
California is moving ahead on implementation of its extended producer responsibility law. The state agency recently released a draft of the regulations and selected a producer responsibility organization. Continue Reading
The acquisition brings five more MRFs into the Balcones Recycling arm of Circular Services. | Courtesy of Closed Loop Partners
Circular Services, the operating group of Closed Loop Partners, acquired Midwest Fiber Recycling for an undisclosed amount. Continue Reading
A robot funded by the aluminum industry successfully picked an average of 1,565 UBCs per day, an analysis found. | EWY Media/Shutterstock
A recycling robot installed at a California MRF has recovered an average of 1,565 UBCs per day since it was installed this summer, according to a metal can industry group.
The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), which helped finance the installation of the EverestLabs robot at Caglia Environmental’s MRF, is now looking to deploy another unit at another MRF.
“CMI plans to use the learnings from this successful initiative to support additional UBC capture equipment at MRFs, further enhancing the recycling industry’s efficiency,” according to a case study that was published today (Dec. 12). “CMI and EverestLabs are now looking to expand their partnership and are exploring placing a robotic system in another MRF.”
The robot installed at Caglia’s MRF in Fresno, Calif. received financing assistance from CMI members Ardagh Metal Packaging and Crown Holdings. Those companies, which manufacture aluminum beverage cans, financed a two-year equipment lease for Caglia, which has agreed to share 50% of the revenue generated from the UBCs collected by the leased robot.
The system was deployed on the MRF’s last chance line, where its picking priority is UBCs, followed by other containers.
Canadian technology company Reusables.com is working to reduce single-use plastic foodware at universities. | Kanittha Boon/Shutterstock
Several recently published reports from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Oceana explored how to scale reusable packaging, while a Canadian company took another step toward establishing one such system. Continue Reading
Recently published figures from the Northeast Recycling Council unpacked the proportions of materials in curbside recycling bales. | Philip R/Shutterstock
For all the global, national and state-level arguments and policymaking surrounding plastics, paper continues to increase its already-large share of the curbside bin, new data shows. Continue Reading
A grinder at rPlanet Earth in the Los Angeles area. The PET reclaimer recently received a grant from the PET Recycling Coalition. | Courtesy of rPlanet Earth
The PET Recycling Coalition has given grants to three MRFs and a PET reclaimer to help them better recover and recycle post-consumer PET. Continue Reading
Closed Loop Partners suggested that more MRFs explore collecting paper cups. | NatalyaBond/Shutterstock
A report from Closed Loop Partners found that only about 11% of U.S. communities accept paper cups in their recycling operations, despite paper mills’ more widespread acceptance of cups in bales. Continue Reading
With the broad intent of its EPR program now settled, regulators and stakeholders in Maine are hashing out the details of reimbursements, covered material lists, and much more. | Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Maine is moving ahead with its packaging EPR rulemaking process, with a key December deadline for submission to the state’s Board of Environmental Protection approaching fast. Continue Reading
A study from packaging research group AMERIPEN found that recycling market centers generated nearly 260,000 full-time equivalent jobs in the past 33 years. | Virrage Images/Shutterstock
Recently published research from AMERIPEN dug into the past three decades of state recycling marketing development, finding that creating recycling market centers can boost jobs, economic growth and the industry. Continue Reading
The Recycling Program Solutions Hub is intended to provide up-to-date information on local recycling programs. | Johnny Habell/Shutterstock
Circularity-focused NGO The Recycling Partnership has launched a free resource to help local recycling center staff improve their operations. Continue Reading
Staff at the West Tennessee Regional Recycling Hub display the check they received from The Recycling Partnership. | Courtesy of West Tennessee Regional Recycling Hub
Five grants recently awarded by The Recycling Partnership will help MRFs install additional sorting equipment, boosting recovery of aluminum and plastics. Continue Reading
Amy Lestition Burke will take over the SWANA CEO role previously held by David Biderman, who left in March 2023. | Redpixel.Pl/Shutterstock
Following a six-month search, Amy Lestition Burke will take over as head of the Solid Waste Association of North America in November. Continue Reading
Divert is building an Integrated Diversion and Energy facility in Longview, Wash. that will have the capacity to process 100,000 tons of food scraps into natural gas annually. | Courtesy of Divert
Compost facility projects are heating up as Divert and Bioenergy Devco commence construction on new spaces. Meanwhile, there’s also been some policy movement around compostable packaging. Continue Reading