Amped-up ‘Break Free from Plastic’ legislation reintroduced in Congress

The Democrat-sponsored bill includes implications for packaging, such as federally established EPR and deposit return systems, bans on black plastic and polystyrene foam food service ware and support for reuse/refill.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 26, 2023

Waste Connections reports Q3 growth despite costs from landfill and employee safety incidents

An ongoing odor issue at a California landfill and a slope failure in Texas could cost about $20M in Q4. Meanwhile, the company is planning employee training to reduce safety incident rates.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 26, 2023

Waste Connections sets more ambitious GHG reduction target, reports lower emissions in 2022

The company says it has nearly reached a 2033 scope 1 and 2 reduction target. It’s now doubling the goal to a 30% reduction and is seeking approval from the Science Based Targets initiative.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 25, 2023

EPA pours $128M into environmental justice projects, including waste and recycling efforts

The EPA chose 186 projects led by community groups and local governments and counts several waste and recycling initiatives among its recipients, including anti-dumping, community recycling and organics diversion efforts.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 24, 2023

Circular Action Alliance named sole PRO on Maryland’s EPR advisory council

Maryland hasn’t adopted an EPR law for packaging, but CAA’s appointment to the council has set it up to potentially be the top choice for producer responsibility organization if the state eventually adopts one.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 23, 2023

Tracking GHG emissions of US waste management companies

GreenWaste and VLS released new sustainability reports featuring data from last year. 

By Megan Quinn , Jacob Wallace , Cole Rosengren • Updated April 29, 2025

Casella to scale up syringe recycling pilot after touting early success

Casella already worked with medical manufacturer BD to recycle materials from its own facilities, but this pilot program expands their partnership to recycle syringes at dozens of health care facilities.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 19, 2023

How recyclers and packaging companies are trying to find common ground

Sessions at SPC Advance and WASTECON featured numerous signs of companies from the two sectors trying to better understand each other. 

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 18, 2023

American Battery Technology Co. opens battery recycling plant

The Nevada plant will process up to 20,000 tons of battery feedstock annually into materials like copper, aluminum and steel.

By Joelle Anselmo • Oct. 18, 2023

Coastal Waste expands in Florida with multiple waste, recycling acquisitions

The Macquarie-backed company’s acquisition of S&S Waste, In & Out Portables and AFS Recycling broadens its services and allows it to increase the amount of waste it processes internally.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 18, 2023

Gov. Newsom signs law to expand California’s bottle bill program

Supporters say the new payment structure will better reflect short-term commodity market fluctuations. The law also expands coverage to millions of 100% fruit and vegetable juice containers.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 16, 2023

CalRecycle seeks PRO applicants for California packaging EPR law

The organization will play a key role as the state seeks to make all packaging recyclable or compostable, cut single-use plastic packaging by 25% and recycle 65% of it by 2032.

By Maria Rachal • Oct. 13, 2023

New York City seeks vendor to supply nearly 3.2M bins for residential container initiative

An upcoming rule, set to be phased in next fall, will lead to a new era of plastic bins for buildings with up to nine units. The city’s Department of Sanitation plans to bear no cost or responsibility for distribution.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Oct. 16, 2023

Chemical recycling company Revalyu breaks ground on $200M facility in Georgia

The site in Statesboro, Georgia, aims to recycle 200 million pounds of PET a year, mainly for textile uses. Revalyu expects to have it running in 2025.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 13, 2023

Maine offers last chance to comment on draft EPR plans ahead of formal rulemaking

The state’s DEP published most of the draft documents for its EPR for packaging law. The deadline to submit final comment was pushed back to Oct. 31.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 11, 2023

California Gov. Newsom signs consumer electronics right-to-repair law

The new law for consumer electronics is among the strongest in the country, advocates say. Newsom vetoed a separate right-to-repair bill for powered wheelchairs, citing healthcare complexities.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 11, 2023

California Gov. Newsom vetoes bills on franchise agreements, SB 54 updates

Newsom also vetoed a plastic gift card ban and several bills related to packaging. He has yet to take action on a bottle bill update.

By Megan Quinn • Updated Oct. 11, 2023

Chemical recycling aims to scale fast in effort to manage plastic waste, even as questions remain

Chemical recycling proponents are investing in major projects to scale up the technology. Yet lingering policy, permitting and business factors will affect the trajectory of this fast-developing recycling sector.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 9, 2023

SWANA names Amy Lestition Burke as next CEO

SWANA says Lestition Burke “will usher in a new vision of innovation at SWANA” with strong association experience and an understanding of how to build partnerships and advance sustainability initiatives.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 5, 2023

GreenDot expands to North America with EPR and plastic recycling plans

The group aims to expand on its well-known presence in Europe by offering consulting services and potentially launching plastic recycling facilities in the U.S.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 4, 2023

New Orleans to expand curbside recycling, set solid waste master plan, with $5.48M in funding

Funding from the U.S. EPA and The Recycling Partnership will help New Orleans expand service to an additional 73,000 households and start making progress on a 25% recycling rate goal.

By Megan Quinn • Oct. 3, 2023

Plan for these upcoming waste and recycling conferences

The National Zero Waste Conference is one of the next events on the calendar. Other upcoming events in 2024 will cover recycling, e-waste, MRF innovations, biogas, thermal conversion and more.

By Megan Quinn • Updated Sept. 18, 2024

Massachusetts awards $5M for recycling programs, with environmental justice focus

Priorities included pay-as-you-throw, curbside organics, textiles, mattresses and more. The annual grants come as MassDEP’s commissioner previewed plans to hire new staff through an “unprecedented” level of state funding.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 2, 2023

National bottle bill complexities take center stage at Senate hearing

The Container Recycling Institute, the Association of Plastic Recyclers and the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative offered perspectives on how a national bottle bill could coexist or clash with existing state programs.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 29, 2023

Packaging experts talk gaps in state, federal policy

Speakers from Ameripen, the Flexible Packaging Association, General Mills and the Plastics Industry Association weighed in on the policy landscape with emerging material bans, extended producer responsibility laws and more.

By Katie Pyzyk • Sept. 27, 2023