Recycling facility projects get a boost from local partnerships

Recent recycling infrastructure improvements in Missouri, Ohio and Ontario aim to streamline operations and enhance sorting for plastics and other items.

Clean Harbors faces $600K fine for workplace death

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration found Clean Harbors committed three “willful” workplace safety violations in an investigation. 

Teamsters OK new Republic Services contracts in 2 West Coast markets

Washington workers voted to approve a contract on Tuesday, a few days after California workers did the same. Strikes continue in other parts of the country.

Updated July 23, 2025

EPA pulls chemical recycling proposal addressing PFAS and other contaminants

The rule would have further monitored PFAS and other chemicals from plastics used in chemical recycling. The plastic industry applauded the move as removing roadblocks to chemical recycling investments.

USDA program funding on-farm digesters delays application window

The program got a boost from the Inflation Reduction Act, but the Trump administration is remaking the program with its own priorities. The USDA cited an application backlog as a reason for the delay.

Inside the CIRCLE Act’s bipartisan recycling balancing act

The bill creates an investment tax credit for eligible recycling infrastructure and aims to complement state EPR policies, boost job growth and support domestic manufacturing.

Miami-Dade County, Florida, votes to advance plans for new WTE facility

The county is expected to negotiate with companies like FCC Environmental Services and Reworld that expressed interest in building a new facility.

Congressional hearing aims to leverage chemical recycling for economic value

Speakers from the American Chemistry Council, The Recycling Partnership and the Flexible Packaging Association previewed legislation and called for Congress to prioritize recycling efforts through economic policy.

Gasification proponents see opportunity in Canada’s climate targets

Federal greenhouse gas emissions targets, as well as new carbon capture tax credits, are seen as promising for at least one company pitching its gasification technology.

3 lessons from bottle bill advocates in 2025

Passing bottle bill legislation can be tough. Here’s how advocates in Texas, Maryland and Rhode Island made progress using a range of strategies and compromises.

Republic, Teamsters fail to reach labor agreement as officials push for resolution

Three municipalities have notified the hauler it’s not meeting its contract, while the Massachusetts secretary of state questioned private companies’ ability to perform sanitation services. 

Updated July 16, 2025

Massachusetts’ organic waste ban is good for business, state finds

The state found that headcounts across the organics recycling supply chain have increased both at individual companies and across the sector since 2016.

Casella Waste acquiring Mountain State Waste in West Virginia

The acquisition, representing about $30 million in annualized revenue, opens the door for Casella to operate in new regions of West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky while expanding its Pennsylvania footprint. 

Re:Circle Solutions revamps organics recycling facility in California

The company, which recently overhauled its systems, is producing animal feed from depackaged organic waste at its Ontario, California, facility.

FCC Environmental completes acquisition of Win Waste WTE facility in Florida

The Broward County site is the company’s first such U.S. facility, though it operates a dozen WTE sites internationally. FCC also has a large presence in Florida via services for commercial and residential customers.

Updated July 14, 2025

Oregon governor signs law targeting Republic landfill as expansion advances

The state joins Hawai’i and Ohio in setting new restrictions on landfills in recent weeks. Elsewhere, WM took a step toward expanding a Pennsylvania landfill and a publicly owned Montana site broke ground on new capacity.

Updated July 14, 2025

Toyota subsidiary closes deal to acquire Radius Recycling for $907M

The deal expands Toyota’s closed loop system for materials like steel, precious metals and batteries used by automotive manufacturers. 

Updated July 11, 2025

Tracking recycling laws by state

Maine’s governor approved an EPR for packaging update while Rhode Island’s governor approved an EPR study bill. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott approved a right-to-repair law.

Updated July 11, 2025

Teamsters declare ‘war’ with Republic Services, escalating strikes

The union says more than 2,000 Republic Services workers are striking or honoring picket lines nationwide. The escalation comes a week after Local 25 went on strike against the company in the Boston area. 

ZWIA updates zero waste hierarchy to account for chemical recycling concerns

The Zero Waste International Alliance’s recent update adds new details to its “do no harm” and “do not export harm” principles, driven in part by member input about plastics processing facilities.

Chemical recycling sector renews push for manufacturing status amid EPA rule changes

The plastics industry renewed calls for the U.S. EPA to formally acknowledge chemical recycling as a manufacturing process after the agency declined to consider certain pyrolysis facilities in recent air emissions rules.

Food waste device maker Mill is hungry to expand beyond home kitchens

The company revealed new data from its partnership with Phoenix area compost hauler R.City as it explores additional markets.

Philadelphia sanitation strike ends with tentative pay agreement

AFSCME and Philadelphia officials confirmed the strike has ended, though the union must still ratify the terms of the deal before it becomes official. Between 1,200 and 1,300 sanitation workers were part of the strike.

Updated July 9, 2025

The LCFS faces a new political reality, plus RNG news from Viridi, Opal Fuels

Amendments to California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard took effect July 1, but new legislation may threaten the credit program’s status quo. In other states, some legislation advanced while a few projects saw setbacks.

Plastics, biofuels groups praise signing of Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act

The newly signed bill includes favorable provisions for alternative fuels and manufacturers broadly. It’s been criticized by environmental groups for cuts to other key programs.