Tag Archives: MRFs

Collaboration sits at heart of the best MRF contracts

Published: August 23, 2022
Updated: August 23, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

The “Rethinking MRF Contracts” session at this year’s Resource Recycling Conference featured (l to r) moderator Keysha Burton of The Recycling Partnership and speakers Natalie Betts of Balcones Resources and Stephanie Sidler of GFL. | Big Wave Productions/Resource Recycling Inc.

Volatile markets, changing material compositions and aging infrastructure can all be addressed with the right municipal MRF contract. Industry experts discussed how to achieve such arrangements at the Resource Recycling Conference.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged local programs, markets, MRFs |

NERC 2Q bale value report shows upward trend

Published: August 15, 2022
Updated: August 15, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

Recovered fiber bales at a recycling facility.

A recent survey of Northeast MRFs found the blended average value of a ton of recyclables was nearly $170 during the second quarter. | SocoXbreed/Shutterstock

The value of curbside recyclables increased in the second quarter of 2022, according to a bale study conducted by the Northeast Recycling Council.

Posted in News | Tagged data, markets, MRFs |

Glass group explores lease-to-own program for MRF equipment

Published: August 15, 2022
Updated: August 15, 2022
by Jared Paben

Grants are available for MRFs to install equipment to clean up their glass recovery stream. | NatchaB/Shutterstock

The Glass Packaging Institute is developing a leasing model to help more MRFs finance glass cleanup systems.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged glass, industry groups, MRFs |

Why a waste district took the ‘waste’ out of its name

Published: August 1, 2022
Updated: August 2, 2022
by Jared Paben

ReGen Monterey's MRF seen from an aerial view.

ReGen Monterey operates an advanced MRF among other diversion operations. | Via ReGen Monterey video

A prominent waste management district in California sees state policies and investments opening up the possibility of a zero-waste future, and its new name reflects that vision.

Posted in News | Tagged California, local programs, MRFs, Organics |

A new approach to sorting containers at MRFs

Published: July 26, 2022
Updated: July 26, 2022
by Jared Paben

An automated sorting system uses AI to continuously reprogram itself to remove different materials. | Courtesy of BHS

An autonomous system developed by Bulk Handling Systems is really more of a sorting loop than a sorting line.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged MRFs, technology |

Aluminum industry rolls out new model to bolster MRFs

Published: June 28, 2022
Updated: June 28, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

MRFs are being offered creative financing options to boost used beverage can recovery. | pim pic/Shutterstock

Two can manufacturers have developed a lease-to-own approach for recycling facilities looking to target UBCs in a more effective way.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged collection, local programs, MRFs |

PP grant brings robot to a facility’s sorting line

Published: June 28, 2022
Updated: June 28, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

A Fresno, Calif. MRF leveraged grant funding to install robotic sortation equipment to recover more PP. | Courtesy of AMP Robotics

With a little help from The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition, a Fresno-based MRF has entered the world of robotics.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged industry groups, MRFs, plastics, technology |

Vermont solid waste district plans $22M recycling facility

Published: June 28, 2022
Updated: June 28, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

The Chittenden Solid Waste District wants to build a 62,000 to 64,000-square-foot facility, almost double the size of the existing one. | Lenscap Photography/Shutterstock

A solid waste district in Vermont is planning a $22 million recycling facility to replace the current nearly 30-year-old MRF, where everything is still sorted by hand.

Posted in News | Tagged MRFs |

NERC bale value study shows declining prices

Published: May 17, 2022
Updated: May 20, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

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.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged industry groups, markets, MRFs |

Robotics provider begins operating its own facilities

Published: May 10, 2022
Updated: May 20, 2022
by Dan Leif

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.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged challenging materials, MRFs, plastics |