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 groups behind the database have already compiled a dataset that includes about 1,000 plastic reduction laws in the U.S. | DC Studio/Shutterstock
In order to tamp down on plastic pollution, several environmental groups have worked together to launch a global database for tracking plastic-related laws. It even covers the upcoming United Nations plastics agreement. Continue Reading
Of the nine states for which data is available, only two showed meaningful increases in their container redemption rates. | Poring Studio/Shutterstock
Most states with deposit return systems saw static or reduced bottle redemption rates in 2022, according to a deposit advocacy organization. Continue Reading
New Hampshire’s legislature passed a bill that prohibits larger generators of food scraps from sending the organic material to disposal, with some exceptions. | Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock
New Hampshire lawmakers slipped a food waste disposal ban into a state budget bill, which was signed into law in June. Continue Reading
A federal purchasing rule handed down last week directs agencies to buy sustainable products and avoid those that contain PFAS. | Petrmalinak/Shutterstock
The federal government has announced plans to further prioritize American-made sustainable products and services in its purchasing, including recycled content. Continue Reading
The bill’s passage follows years of efforts on the part of municipalities and industry groups. | Brandon Bourdages/Shutterstock
Riding the ongoing recycling policy wave, Vermont recently enacted a program nearly a decade in the making that’s designed to put producers in charge of handling household hazardous materials. Continue Reading
The bills cover a wide range of items, from single-use plastics at lodging establishments to blades for wind turbines. | Ververidis Vasilis/Shutterstock
Washington state legislators sent a handful of recycling-related bills to the governor’s desk recently, including one that would set up an extended producer responsibility program for batteries. Continue Reading
Collection trucks parked outside of Waste Expo in New Orleans last week. In sessions, leaders from various haulers and MRF operators discussed recycling policy. | Dan Leif/Resource Recycling
At Waste Expo last month, executives from several MRF operators and private-sector recyclers detailed concerns about material ownership and “stranded assets” as recycling policy evolves. At the same time, some MRF leaders voiced clear support for EPR frameworks. Continue Reading
An official at the Arizona DEQ predicts interest in serving on the Recycling Advisory Committee will be high. | EQRoy/Shutterstock
After over a decade, Arizona’s Department of Environmental Quality is relaunching its recycling grant program thanks to funding from the state. Continue Reading
During a recent AMERIPEN webinar, industry insiders discussed the importance of policy for building end markets for recycled materials. | SunnyToys/Shutterstock
Without a market for a material, collection is not economically viable – but how can end markets be created unless there is stable supply? A webinar recently explored the role of legislation in solving that industry paradox. Continue Reading