In case you missed it: Thoughtful, newsworthy comments from industry professionals, consumers, and legislators.
"Everyone is looking to make a change and they’re buying into the program. They want to do more and we’re giving them the tool to do it."
— Greg Lettieri, co-founder and CEO of Recycle Track Systems, in an interview with Waste Dive regarding the company's unique approach to working with haulers and acting as an untraditional waste broker.
"This job is as sweet as July jam."
— Allen Davis, garbage collector for the DC Department of Public Works, during a route ride-along with Waste Dive. Davis and his crew recently showed Waste Dive what a "day in the life" of a recycling collector is like during a Wednesday morning collection route in the Northeast area of the city.
"We want to see less plastic bags in the landfill ... We want the city landscape to be cleaner. We want our waterways, our creeks, our storm drains not to be polluted with plastic bags. And we want people to continue to think about reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible."
— Mario Sierra, director of the San Diego's Environmental Services Department, to KPBS on the city's consideration to ban the distribution of single-use plastic bags. A similar ordinance was considered in 2013 and while it was passed by committee to the full council, it never received a vote.
“There’s a role for innovation by these manufacturing companies to really invest in that supply chain. It can save them money long term, but there’s an upfront investment that’s really needed here to pave out the supply chain right now.”
— Eric Kessler, founder of Arabella Advisors and senior managing director of its Good Food Practice, to Food Dive. Kessler explained the value of managing ingredients throughout the supply chain to eventually cut down on food waste and grow profits.
"Although it's been a long road, today marks a significant step toward bringing one of the most technologically advanced recycling facilities in the nation back online."
— Montgomery, AL Mayor Todd Strange in an announcement about acquiring a materials recovery facility from Infinitus Renewable Energy Park (IREP). The city will purchase the infamous MRF for $625,000, and IREP will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as part of the agreement.
"Please know that you have helped shaped the daily practices that our kids will follow both at home and in their workplace today and in years to come."
— Officials from New York's Marcus Whitman Central School in a letter to Jerry Leone of Casella Waste Systems. For years, Leone has offered facility tours to local schools to educate children about waste management and give them a hands-on introduction to the industry.