The Latest

  • An illustration of the U.S. Capitol with recycling containers
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    Danielle Ternes/Waste Dive
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    Tracker

    Tracking the future of US recycling policy in Congress

    The Senate passed the bipartisan Ruese Act, which calls for the EPA to conduct a feasibility study on reuse and refill systems. Insight from the study could be used to inform local, state and federal reuse programs.

    Updated Nov. 24, 2025
  • Three people sit at a long table in a hearing room.
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    Retrieved from U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
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    Lawmakers debate federal PFAS disposal solutions in Senate hearing

    Clean Harbors Co-CEO Eric Gerstenberg testified at a U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works committee hearing Wednesday and urged the EPA to create a hierarchy of disposal options for PFAS-laden material.

  • Equipment at ExxonMobil's advanced recycling facility in Baytown, Texas
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    Courtesy of ExxonMobil
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    US Plastics Pact assesses pluses and minuses of chemical recycling

    The group calls for chemical recyclers to consider environmental justice impacts and offer more data and transparency around operations, but says the technologies offer key circular economy opportunities for plastic.

  • A lineup of six lightweighted beverage bottles (two Coca-Cola bottles, 2 Fanta bottles, 2 Sprite bottles)
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    Courtesy of Coca-Cola
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    How much further can source reduction in packaging go?

    U.S. packaging volumes reportedly fell by about 5 million metric tons between 2019 and 2024, despite population growth and an e-commerce boom. Future progress will require trade-offs, brand owners and packaging converters say.

  • An x-ray image of a truck bed filled with materials. A screen indicates what each of the materials is made of.
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    Courtesy of Visia
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    Visia AI expands X-ray tech to serve wide range of recycling facilities

    Visia offers customizable AI tech to companies like Casella, LRS and Coastal Waste. The company has expanded its work to over 30 facilities and aims to solve problems like equipment optimization and fire prevention.

  • Various buckets filled with food scraps like banana peels, onion skins, and kale being repurposed for chicken feed.
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    Alamy
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    New grants support 37 organics recyclers in the Northeast

    The Institute for Local Self-Reliance announced the second round of its Composting for Community Mini-Grant Program, which supports small organics organizations.

  • Aerial view of a collection truck picking up waste or recyclables in a residential area
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    Getty Images
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    Tracking the waste and recycling industry’s M&A activity

    Long Island Waste Services is merging with National Waste Services. Interstate Waste recently acquired multiple New York City companies. Denali, Reconomy, Circular Services and Waste Connections also completed deals.

    Updated Nov. 18, 2025
  • Flames from a fire seen behind a Sunset Blvd. street sign.
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    Apu Gomes via Getty Images
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    Federal appeals court halts implementation of California’s climate law SB 261

    The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily stopped enforcement of a law that requires large businesses operating in California to publicly disclose their climate-related financial risks.

  • Exterior view of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) East Building at 1201 Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., showing the main entrance with decorative black and gold wall lanterns, large windows, and a central glass door with building reflections.
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    Alamy
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    EPA announces changes to ‘waters of the United States’ rule

    Trump’s EPA says the proposed WOTUS update better defines key terms and should lead to less permitting confusion. The draft will soon be available for a 45-day public comment period.

  • A low-slung concrete building with a smokestack in the back pictured from across a pond. Palm trees line the front of the building.
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    Permission granted by Win Waste Innovations
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    FCC looks to build on US incinerator presence

    The North American branch of Spanish waste company FCC has made strides this year to bring its waste-to-energy expertise to Florida. Its new WTE lead told Waste Dive the company is eager to expand further.

  • People hold up bags of recycled aluminum cans
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    Courtesy of Can'd Aid
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    Local grants and recognitions boost America Recycles Day 2025

    American Beverage and Can’d Aid announced grant funding for local and municipal recycling projects, while Wisconsin recognized key recycling programs that helped drive diversion in the state. 

  • Three people sit at a long dais with the Benton County, Oregon, seal and the slogan "At your service, every day," behind them.
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    Benton County, Oregon. (2025). "Land Use Appeal Hearing for LU-24-027, Day 3: Deliberations" [Video]. Retrieved from Youtube.
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    Republic Services, Win Waste win approvals at 2 landfills

    Benton County, Oregon, voted to approve the expansion of the Coffin Butte Landfill despite some commissioners' concerns. A state review panel in Ohio also sided with Win Waste over permit conditions.

  • A hand holding a coffee cup
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    Getty Images
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    WM now accepting polypropylene plastic and paper cups curbside

    WM says recent automation upgrades and changes to bale specifications helped spur the change, along with market demand for the materials. WM is asking customers to also add the materials to their lists. 

  • A pile of mixed recyclables of different materials, including bottles and containers
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    Getty Images
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    How packaging producers and CPGs stacked up in EMF’s 2025 progress report

    As the Ellen MacArthur Foundation engages businesses on an updated 2030 agenda, its 2024 data tracks how companies fared on integrating recycled content, increasing packaging recyclability and other metrics.

  • A side-loading garbage truck with a visible Hyzon-branded fuel cell sits in a parking lot.
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    Courtesy of Recology
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    Recology drives ahead with fleet transition despite deregulation

    The hauler worked with a consultant to develop a transition plan for its San Francisco fleet. Recology's head of sustainability said they can use the blueprint for a zero-emission transition across its entire fleet.

  • Human workers next to a conveyor line sort plastic packaging such as bottles.
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    Getty Images
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    By the numbers: How America recycles in 2025

    As public and private entities continue efforts to boost recycling rates, there are numerous infrastructure investments, curbside programs and new state laws that have also played a role this year.

  • A closeup of beverage cans and bottles for recycling
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    Getty Images
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    Aluminum beverage can recycling rate hit 75% globally: report

    The update at COP30 comes two years after the industry pledged to recycle at least 80% of these containers worldwide by 2030 and nearly all by 2050. The picture is weaker in the U.S. and North America.

  • United States map with recycling arrows superimposed on top
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    Photo Illustration: Shaun Lucas/Industry Dive; Getty Images

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    Tracker

    Tracking recycling laws by state

    California’s governor approving a glass recycling market payment update, while Connecticut’s governor signed an EPR for batteries law. Florida’s governor vetoed a bill creating a state recycling plan.

    Updated Nov. 10, 2025
  • A bin full of organic food scraps
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    The image by Foerster is licensed under CC BY 1.0
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    Quest looks to shift business amid industrial slump

    The waste broker continues to drive its internal process improvements, which have boosted operations and helped bring in new business amid a difficult macroeconomic environment.

  • The exterior of a garbage truck with the GFL Environmental logo
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    Jacob Wallace/Waste Dive
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    Major waste companies spent more than $545M on M&A in Q3

    GFL and its subsidiaries acquired companies in Illinois, Oklahoma and Georgia, while Waste Connections focused on Florida-based deals and Republic bought haulers in Kentucky and Montana. WM and Casella focused on tuck-ins.

  • Harsco employee
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    Permission granted by Clean Earth/Harsco Corporation
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    Enviri’s potential sale of Clean Earth moves forward

    The environmental services company is seeing strong interest in its hazardous waste business as it looks to unlock value from the high-performing segment.

  • The exterior of a rear-loading garbage truck with the New York City Sanitation Department's logo emblazoned on the side.
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    Jacob Wallace/Waste Dive
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    New York City’s plan for the next decade of waste looks to boost diversion

    The city supports practices such as extended producer responsibility and codigestion of organic waste to reduce the amount of material sent to disposal.

  • PFAS treatment equipment inside a facility
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    Courtesy of Montrose Environmental
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    Montrose Environmental again raises guidance, noting strong PFAS, water treatment demand

    Executives said Montrose is still seeing steady demand for services, particularly from the waste and energy industries, as state regulations drive air and water treatment management. 

  • A demonstration hauler with GFL's logo outside a conference center
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    Jacob Wallace/Waste Dive
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    Early EPR tailwinds propel GFL to highest-ever margin

    GFL Environmental reported its highest-ever margin for adjusted EBITDA. In addition to volume growth related to EPR, the company is retooling its pricing strategy to better reflect internal inflation.

  • A trash truck on display at a convention
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    Megan Quinn/Waste Dive
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    Q3 earnings results for major waste and recycling companies in 2025

    Follow the latest results from Casella Waste Systems, Republic Services, WM, Waste Connections, Clean Harbors, GFL, Montrose Environmental and Enviri.

    Updated Nov. 10, 2025