Local program leaders discussed their challenges during an online industry gathering last week. | Michael Vi/Shutterstock
Last week, the Solid Waste Association of North America held its annual Wastecon event online. Not surprisingly, much of the talk during virtual sessions focused on the pandemic. But other topics got their due as well.
Prices for curbside recyclables are either up or flat this month, with some key materials seeing surging values. For example, OCC rose 14% during the past month.
By shifting the collection method to 96-gallon carts, it is estimated Omaha will generate 10,000 tons of additional recyclables per year. | Lightspring/Shutterstock
The city of Omaha, Neb. will receive $825,000 from The Recycling Partnership to significantly expand local collection infrastructure.
The Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA) insisted chaos would ensue if Republic Services shut down the MRF, which sorts and markets hundreds of tons of recyclables each day. | Tiko Aramyan/Shutterstock
A Connecticut court has ruled that Republic Services can’t terminate a contract and shut down a MRF while the company’s dispute with a recycling authority is appealed.
A judge has ruled that the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority (MIRA) must pay $1.1 million in damages to a subsidiary of Republic Services. | BCFC/Shutterstock
A Connecticut judge last month ordered a public authority to pay Republic Services damages in a MRF operations contract dispute. Soon after, the saga took another turn, with Republic indicating it’s set to bow out of the agreement altogether.
The new GAIA report includes recycling market development examples from Salt Lake City and Minneapolis-St. Paul. | Sabelnikova Olga/Shutterstock
The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives this month published a document laying out steps communities can take to reach zero waste, tying the actions to social and economic justice.
The Recycling Partnership recently released “Accelerating Recycling,” a policy document outlining a proposal that includes fees paid by brands and packaging producers. | photka/Shutterstock
Two major industry groups are promoting packaging fees on product makers to support recycling infrastructure development, a shift one MRF operator described as a “historical moment.”
The Brown County MRF processes an average of 100,000 to 105,000 tons per year of material.
In the greater Green Bay, Wis. metropolitan area, Brown County and its neighboring communities came together to collectively improve their recycling programs. They currently operate a regional MRF and collaborate on area-wide messaging.
Three recycling program leaders from across the U.S. said that education and outreach efforts have seen budget cuts due to the pandemic. | Stephen Griffin/Shutterstock
Leaders from three municipal recycling programs of varying size, including the largest city in the U.S., say they are grappling with budget issues and making alterations to collection service as the coronavirus pandemic continues.