The Latest

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  Tracking the waste and recycling industry’s M&A boom

  Catch up on the latest deals by Capital Waste Services in South Carolina, GFL Environmental in Wisconsin and WM in Minnesota. Plus, follow numerous other recent transactions.

  Updated March 17, 2023

  Mergers and Acquisitions

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  SWANA to hire new CEO, citing ‘changing vision,’ as Biderman departs

  David Biderman joined the group in 2015 and helped grow its focus on safety, among other issues. SWANA has begun its search for a replacement.

  Updated March 15, 2023

  Workforce

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  Tracking PFAS developments in 2023 and beyond

  Discussions about how to safely manage PFAS, as well as how it should be disposed of or regulated, have gotten more complex in recent years.

  Updated March 14, 2023

  Recycling

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  Innovation takes center stage at Sustainability in Packaging conference

  Speakers came at sustainability from all angles, including equipment digitization and debating the nagging question of whether consumers will pay more for products containing PCR.

  Recycling

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  Waste and recycling companies seemingly unscathed by SVB collapse but continue to monitor fallout

  Initial reports indicate the industry’s largest companies, as well as tech-focused startups with a history of venture funding, aren’t directly affected. Questions remain around what implications the incident will have on access to capital.

  Collections & Transfer

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  Q&A // Environmental justice conversations

  How environmental justice efforts could bolster New York City’s organics program expansion

  Lonnie Portis, an environmental policy and advocacy coordinator with WE ACT for Environmental Justice, discusses what it will take for the city’s zero waste efforts to reach their full potential in all types of neighborhoods.

  Organics

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  WM acquires large Minnesota composting company as part of Midwest organics recycling growth

  WM says its purchase of Specialized Environmental Technologies positions the company to meet rising demand in the Twin Cities area, where local policies are requiring diversion.

  Mergers and Acquisitions

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  Washington’s WRAP Act, including EPR and bottle bill plans, won’t move forward this year

  The legislation gained attention as a significant overhaul to Washington’s recycling system, but waste industry opposition contributed to it failing to receive a House vote before a key deadline.

  Updated March 13, 2023

  Recycling

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  Lawmakers press for answers on hazardous waste facilities involved in Norfolk Southern derailment cleanup

  During a Thursday Senate committee hearing, lawmakers said they want timelines and locations for sites that are handling material from East Palestine, Ohio. Shipments to a Republic Services site remain paused.

  Landfill

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  Daylight saving time: What HR should keep in mind

  Changing the clocks is more than just a frustration or a boon; it can cause problems with payroll and workplace safety.

  Workforce

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  Rubicon doubles down on higher-margin software business in ongoing push to boost profitability

  After weathering challenges and executive changes, the tech-focused waste broker projects a turnaround. In addition to noting price increases on waste accounts, Rubicon touted a software expansion for commercial fleets.

  Collections & Transfer

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  Plastics recyclers examine influence of secondary sortation, legislation and flexible packaging on PCR markets

  Speakers from Republic Services, AMP Robotics, IHS Markit, NOVA Chemicals, Eunomia and others discussed how to advance their efforts at this week’s Plastics Recycling Conference.

  Recycling

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  Major solid waste and recycling companies spent nearly $6.3B on acquisitions in 2022

  The multiyear trend of heightened deal spending continues. Catch up on financial details and 2023 M&A outlooks from WM, Republic Services, Waste Connections, GFL Environmental and Casella Waste Systems.

  Mergers and Acquisitions

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  WIN Waste partnering with Baltimore organics recycler on food waste collection pilot

  WIN Waste Innovations, through its predecessor company Wheelabrator, has long operated the WTE facility in Baltimore. The new partnership comes as non-governmental entities fill a void in addressing the city’s waste issues.

  Updated March 10, 2023

  Organics

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  Powell says Fed may hike rates more than forecast

  Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told a Senate committee on Tuesday that reducing inflation to the central bank’s 2% target may not lead to widespread layoffs.

  Workforce

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  4 ways the waste and recycling industry can build relationships with lawmakers

  A range of industry professionals with legislative backgrounds shared advice at this week’s Plastics Recycling Conference about how to help the sector’s issues get attention.

  Recycling

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  RoadRunner Recycling lays off 10% of its workforce

  The Pittsburgh-based waste and recycling technology company, which raised $90 million and acquired Compology last year, is scaling down to weather a more challenging business environment, it said.

  Workforce

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  Colorado’s lead composter imposes stricter accepted materials rules to curb contamination

  A1 Organics says contamination rates are growing as curbside composting programs expand. Even items labeled "compostable" no longer will be accepted.

  Organics

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  Deep well disposal for PFAS attracts heightened interest as new regulations loom

  Prior U.S. EPA guidance identified deep wells as a possible alternative to landfilling or incineration for these “forever chemicals,” and multiple facilities are touting their technologies as a solution.

  Landfill

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  EPR ‘crucial’ to hitting resource recovery goal, GFL exec says

  Packaging and waste management stakeholders, including GFL Environmental’s vice president of resource recovery, discussed emerging policy battlegrounds at a Product Stewardship Institute webinar.

  Environmental, Social and Governance

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  Afresh Technologies moves beyond fruits and vegetables in food waste reduction plans

  The San Francisco-based startup has started offering its reduction technology to grocers for use in their meat, seafood, deli and foodservice sections.

  Organics

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  Clean Harbors identifies incinerator, PFAS and new service sector opportunities for 2023

  Clean Harbors anticipates new business opportunities in 2023 and beyond, possibly with companies following the reshoring trend. The company’s first major leadership change in 40 years is also in the works.

  Landfill

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  EPA announces $250M for curbing climate pollution, advancing environmental justice

  Each of the 67 most-populated U.S. metropolitan areas is eligible for $1 million in planning grants, which the agency will follow with $4.6 billion to help cities and states implement their plans later this year.

  Energy

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  Waste companies shake off lackluster Q4 commodity prices with recycling investment plans for 2023

  While companies such as WM, Republic Services and Waste Connections saw an annual decline in overall recycling revenues, updated contract structures and ongoing MRF investments are helping their profitability.

  Recycling

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  Divert teams with Enbridge for $1B plan to scale anaerobic digesters and RNG volumes

  The organics recycling company, which has private equity backing, aims to reach “every major geographic region” of the U.S. with this deal. Canada-based Enbridge will get a 10% stake as part of its investment.

  Organics

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