Q1 earnings results for major waste and recycling companies in 2025

Follow the latest results from WM, Republic Services and Waste Connections.

By Waste Dive Staff • April 29, 2025

WM says tariffs unlikely to affect RNG, MRF plans for 2025

CEO Jim Fish said the quarter exceeded expectations, despite severe weather. The company also reported ongoing progress as it integrates the Stericycle assets.

By Megan Quinn • April 29, 2025

WM opens $50M MRF in Maryland as part of regional upgrade plan

The new MRF, which can handle 250,000 tons per year, now has the largest capacity of all WM’s recycling centers. That capacity is necessary to serve major cities such as Baltimore and Washington, D.C. 

By Megan Quinn • April 28, 2025

Republic posts strong start to year amid ambiguity around credits, tariffs

The company reported financials for the first quarter of the year. Executives said their sustainability projects and underlying business were on solid financial footing in Q1 despite macroeconomic uncertainty.

By Jacob Wallace • April 25, 2025

Waste Connections highlights ‘better than expected’ Q1 amid tariff uncertainty

CEO Ron Mittelstaedt said strong pricing and “outsized” M&A activity continues. The company reiterated its Q2 outlook and said it’s planning to insulate from macroeconomic factors like tariffs.

By Megan Quinn • April 24, 2025

Washington EPR for packaging bill heads to governor’s desk

Bill sponsors see the packaging EPR program as a way to bring recycling services to more residents and raise recycling rates. Haulers in the state opposed the bill over cost concerns.

By Megan Quinn • April 24, 2025

Packaging groups support combo EPR, bottle bill legislation in Rhode Island

A commission on plastic bottle waste recommended combo legislation as one path forward. Some packaging and recycling group leaders said in an op-ed that the state “can learn from, and leapfrog, other states” with a new bill.

By Maria Rachal • April 23, 2025

Washington right-to-repair bills for electronics and wheelchairs head to governor’s desk

It will join five others with laws on consumer electronics and two others with wheelchair repair laws.

By Megan Quinn • April 23, 2025

Redwood Materials partners with Lime to recycle scooter batteries

The companies say the partnership will shore up domestic supply of critical materials and improve battery recycling supply chains. Recyclers hope such partnerships can prevent related fires.

By Megan Quinn • April 21, 2025

Healthcare packaging an untapped chemical recycling feedstock: report

The Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council says its multi-year research into chemical recycling for healthcare packaging shows the material is an untapped feedstock that could help overcome collection and processing hurdles.

By Megan Quinn • April 18, 2025

Massachusetts EPR commission starting with paint, mattresses, batteries

The MassDEP-led group launched this week with discussions about how to advance legislation in various categories, including packaging.

By Cole Rosengren • April 18, 2025

What the pandemic means for waste and recycling five years later

While the “essential worker” spotlight may have faded and business is largely back to normal, certain effects still linger when it comes to labor investments and recycling streams.

By Cole Rosengren , Megan Quinn , Jacob Wallace • April 17, 2025

Trump administration ordered to resume IRA funding

The decision, which stated federal agencies lacked authority to pause funding, follows the president’s executive order to freeze the money on his first day in office. 

By Kate Magill • April 16, 2025

Arcwood CEO HP Nanda talks rebrand, new incinerators and tariffs

One year after EQT Infrastructure acquired a majority stake in Heritage Environmental Services, the company has rebranded to Arcwood Environmental. It caps off a period of expansion with fresh leadership.

By Jacob Wallace • April 16, 2025

Inside The Recycling Partnership’s policy pivot

Founder Keefe Harrison said the organization’s shift toward recycling policy advocacy has helped spark improvements to recycling systems that can’t be accelerated with grant programs alone.

By Megan Quinn • April 16, 2025

Trump targets state climate laws, escalates deregulatory agenda

The White House is targeting state laws related to climate and environmental justice, which could ensnare waste laws covering organics or landfills. It also told federal agencies they can repeal certain rules without public comment.

By Jacob Wallace • April 14, 2025

EPA confirms SWIFR, REO grant funding disbursement on track

EPA will move forward with awarding the second round of solid waste and recycling grants. The news comes after uncertainty over the status of numerous federal funding opportunities for the waste and recycling sectors.

By Megan Quinn • April 14, 2025

4 ways tariffs could impact recycled plastic markets

Recycling industry analysts say high-level trends affecting markets and manufacturing will affect recyclers as trade war uncertainties continue.

By Megan Quinn • Updated April 10, 2025

Maryland EPR for packaging bill heads to governor’s desk

The bill calls for reimbursing key recycling collection, transportation and processing costs in the state, including for organics. Maryland would be the sixth state with packaging EPR if Gov. Wes Moore signs the bill. 

By Megan Quinn • April 8, 2025

Shareholder advocacy targets flexible packaging, reusables and recycling labels

Coca-Cola, Hyatt, Sealed Air, Starbucks and Wyndham recently reached agreements with shareholder advocates. Proposals remain pending at Amazon, Home Depot, Kraft Heinz, Mondelēz, PepsiCo and Wendy’s.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated April 7, 2025

American Battery reports production milestone, land sale

American Battery said it has reached key recycling milestones and plans to sell 12 acres of property for $6.75 million to help fund the next phase of producing battery-grade critical minerals. 

By Megan Quinn • April 7, 2025

Large plastic and battery recycling projects hit by DOE loan pause, tariffs

Li-Cycle, International Recycling Group and Redwood Materials all received commitments from the federal agency. But a changing financial landscape has led IRG to cancel its project while Li-Cycle struggles to access funds.

By Jacob Wallace • Updated April 7, 2025

Crate idea: Transport packaging made from recycled Tetra Pak cartons

The polymer and aluminum material, polyAl, that gets separated from fiber during carton recycling is a key material for the new transport crates made by Schoeller Allibert. 

By Katie Pyzyk • April 2, 2025

Ideas for easing recycled content woes through policy, packaging

Brand innovations, policy changes and better communication could help ease challenges associated with adding recycled content to packaging, said speakers at the Plastics Recycling Conference.

By Megan Quinn • April 2, 2025

Alberta launches EPR for packaging program

The first phase of the program places responsibility on producers to fully fund packaging recycling, a move government officials say will raise recycling rates and decrease costs.

By Megan Quinn • April 1, 2025