The Latest

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

  GreenWaste completed its first deal since selling to Macquarie, GFL Environmental purchased a used motor oil refinery from Vertex Energy and Northstar Recycling purchased Sonoco Sustainability Solutions, among others.

  Updated Feb. 3, 2023

  Mergers and Acquisitions

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  WM 2022 earnings

  WM boosts planned MRF and RNG spending by $590M, sees signs of inflation easing

  Volumes may be flat, and recycling values are down, but executives hope cost control measures and long-term investments will offset headwinds. They said federal regulations are driving an attractive environment for RNG projects.

  Mergers and Acquisitions

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  New York Mayor Adams signs ‘skip the stuff’ bill for foodware items

  The law to prohibit foodservice establishments from automatically including plastic cutlery and other items is meant to cut down on waste. It’s the latest in the city’s recent laws banning certain single-use foodware.

  Updated Feb. 2, 2023

  Zero Waste

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  Opinion

  AI is a reason for optimism in recycling in 2023 and beyond

  Claims that recycling can’t ever work fail to account for the high degree of innovation making recycling processes more efficient and cost effective, writes AMP Robotics CEO Matanya Horowitz.

  Recycling

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  Q&A

  Oregon’s bottle bill system CEO talks tech improvements, refillables and the prospects for a national system

  Oregon aims to attain its highest return rates yet with a range of modern updates. Jules Bailey, new CEO of the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative, talks through what’s working and what’s next.

  Recycling

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  Northstar Recycling acquires Sonoco’s ‘asset-light’ waste services business

  The private equity-backed company has purchased a business that focuses on providing third-party service and consulting to large manufacturing clients from the major packaging company.

  Mergers and Acquisitions

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  WTE trade group reemerges with backing from Covanta, WIN Waste and local governments

  The sector’s two largest companies, plus notable public sector facility owners such as Florida’s Miami-Dade County, hope the Waste-to-Energy Association can help them reframe environmental discussions.

  Energy

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  Battery electric could be 63% of refuse truck sales come 2030: report

  Electrification incentives like those in the Inflation Reduction Act may accelerate fleet conversions in the waste industry, a new analysis shows. Mack Trucks and Casella are among the companies working toward that this year.

  Environmental, Social and Governance

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  2023 outlook

  EPR still top recycling issue for state policymakers, but plastics and repair laws also on the horizon

  While federal action is uncertain, multiple state governors and policy advocates aim to build on the momentum of producer responsibility laws for packaging this year. Numerous other bills are also expected to get consideration.

  Recycling

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  Q&A

  Waste Pro sees workforce gains through safety awards, creative scheduling and emphasis on women

  Vice President of HR Shannon Early discusses how safety awards fit into a broader range of creative recruitment and retention efforts. Plus, she highlights four-day workweeks and high percentages of women drivers in select markets.

  Workforce

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  The Waste Dive Outlook on 2023

  What you need to know on industry trends to watch, the hiring landscape, fleet maintenance and more to come as the new year gets underway.

  Updated Jan. 30, 2023

  Mergers and Acquisitions

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  New York to have citywide curbside composting by end of 2024, mayor says

  The timeline gives the city less than two years to bring curbside composting to all five boroughs, a long-held goal that has eluded city officials through administration changes and budget cuts.

  Organics

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  Vermont mulls EPR, bottle bill improvements to catch up on recycling goals

  A report from the Department of Environmental Conservation recommends adopting EPR for hazardous waste, reducing PFAS and updating the state’s bottle bill to help reach its waste reduction, recycling and composting goals.

  Recycling

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  Q&A

  Covanta CEO promises ‘vastly different’ approach for the company

  Azeez Mohammed, who joined the company as part of its 2021 sale to EQT Infrastructure, talks through a wave of strategic changes in his first extended interview on the job. 

  Mergers and Acquisitions

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  Analysis of local climate action plans and solid waste planning shows overlapping opportunities

  Environmental services firm HDR examined hundreds of solid waste-related actions across city and county climate action plans, noting a common interest around action on organics, among a range of other ideas.

  Recycling

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  Los Angeles launches citywide organics service, awards compost contracts worth up to $1.67B

  Commingled green and food waste collection is now available to an estimated 740,000 residential accounts. WM, Recology and Athens Services are composting the material, with the potential for Anaergia to get a future contract.

  Organics

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  Connecticut governor backing EPR for packaging and other policies to increase state’s ‘self-sufficiency’

  Gov. Ned Lamont said a combination of EPR, waste diversion and improved organics management will help Connecticut reduce a growing amount of waste exported to other states in the wake of a major WTE facility closing.

  Recycling

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  Carlton Waterhouse, EPA’s solid waste office nominee, to leave agency in February

  Waterhouse’s nomination by President Biden for an EPA assistant administrator role has been stuck for a year and a half.

  Updated Jan. 25, 2023

  Recycling

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  EPA proposes further leachate regulations after study finds PFAS at 95% of surveyed landfills

  The agency is assessing new effluent limitation guidelines and pretreatment standards, but their effect on daily operations is not clear. WM, Republic Services and waste trade groups have weighed in on the potential changes.

  Landfill

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  NRDC is seeking new cities to join its food waste reduction program

  The Food Matters initiative, first launched in 2015, can provide technical assistance and small amounts of funding for a range of local efforts. Previous participants include Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville and Phoenix.

  Organics

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  Clean Harbors says it can destroy more than 99% of PFAS at incinerator facility

  A third-party study commissioned by Clean Harbors said the company’s incineration process can destroy 99.99% of PFAS compounds. The U.S. EPA says research on using incineration for PFAS management is still limited.

  Landfill

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  2023 outlook

  Lag times, labor shortfalls and leasing: What’s affecting waste fleet management in 2023

  Some supply chain issues that have made it harder to procure trucks and parts could ease, but skilled maintenance workers are still in high demand. Leasing is looking more attractive to some customers.

  Workforce

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  2023 outlook

  As some labor strains ease, the waste and recycling industry has further opportunity to grow its ranks

  Pandemic-era labor challenges for the waste industry are persisting three years later. Read what experts from Stifel, SWANA, the Teamsters and the Women in Trucking Association think could help.

  Workforce

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  Virginia state task force calls for more recycling business opportunities, possible EPR policies

  A group with recycling industry representation offered recommendations to divert more waste from landfills, but stopped short of recommending EPR for packaging or reaching consensus on a possible bottle bill.

  Recycling

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  Q&A

  VLS Environmental sees hazardous waste and PFAS opportunities after latest acquisition

  VLS, a private equity-backed company, intends to keep growing in the hazardous and non-hazardous waste sectors. Its latest purchase of Texas Molecular may also open up new opportunities for PFAS disposal.

  Mergers and Acquisitions

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