NERC’s survey showed that the blended value for a ton of recyclables in the first quarter of 2022 was down 15% from the previous quarter but up 57% year over year. | Olexandr Panchenko/Shutterstock
The value of curbside recyclables dropped again in the first quarter of 2022, according to a newly released bale study. But pricing remained higher than what was seen during the same period last year.
Secondary-sortation sites run by AMP Robotics are targeting a wide variety of materials that come from MRFs and other sources. | Courtesy of AMP Robotics
AMP Robotics is now breaking and sorting MRF residual bales at secondary-sortation operations in Colorado, Georgia and Ohio.
Recycling equipment manufacturer Machinex provided improved sorting technologies for two Pratt single-stream MRFs. | Courtesy of Machinex
Pratt Industries may be primarily focused on recycling fiber into cardboard boxes, but with higher scrap plastics prices, the company also saw a business opportunity in boosting PET and HDPE bottle sorting.
A fire at Tulsa’s MRF is the latest example of the industry trend of fires caused by improperly disposed batteries and electronics. | BlurAZ/Shutterstock
The city of Tulsa, Okla. was forced to redirect its residential recycling stream to a waste-to-energy plant after an improperly discarded battery sparked a blaze at a local MRF.
Industry leaders detailed how recycling operations have adapted a year into the pandemic.
During a recent virtual panel, the Northeast Resource Recovery Association reported that many recycling facilities are operating at 100% again, after pandemic disruptions. Additionally, a disease expert offered current guidance on preventing spread in facilities.
The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) received market pricing numbers from 16 MRFs in 10 states for its first-quarter 2021 survey. | Max Barnum / Shutterstock
A pricing survey of Northeast U.S. recycling facilities underscores the impact of skyrocketing commodity prices during the first quarter.
Eureka Recycling, one of the founding members of AMBR, operates a MRF in Minneapolis. | Photo credit: Mark Kegans
Four organizations that run recycling operations recently created the Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers to advocate for recycling and zero waste policies during a period of “systemic changes.”
Oregon legislators have sent an EPR bill to Democratic Gov. Kate Brown for a final signature. | Noah Strycker / Shutterstock
The Oregon House and Senate last week approved a bill establishing extended producer responsibility for packaging and adding other elements to the state’s recycling system, including new requirements for MRFs and an evaluation program for product labels. Continue Reading
With the planned upgrade, sorted and processed plastics will be converted into a plastic lumber inside Firstar’s facility. | jantsarik / Shutterstock
Firstar Fiber is receiving a loan from the Alliance to End Plastic Waste that will help the processor convert hard-to-recycle plastics into building materials, all within the confines of the MRF.
