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.
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
The Glass Recycling Coalition hopes the survey will shed light on how glass recycling programs have been affected by pandemic-era markets. | Jared Paben/Resource Recycling
An industry group has launched a survey of recycling industry stakeholders to bring clarity to how they recover glass. Continue Reading
Despite showing brief declines between 2018 and 2020, paper and OCC recycling rates continue to trend upward. | AdamBoor/Shutterstock
Data from the American Forest & Paper Association showed that paper and OCC recycling rates held steady in 2022, despite fluctuations in recycled material markets more generally. Continue Reading