Where to grow: Asian and Latin American countries may increase recyclable import capacity

Following multiple years of commodity turmoil, panelists at last week's Paper and Plastics Recycling Conference in Chicago weighed the viability of expanding business in markets that are generating more buzz.

By Katie Pyzyk • Oct. 30, 2019

Beverage giants pledge $100M to capture more PET bottles with major recycling groups

Amid growing attention around single-use plastic waste, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper are funding a new voluntary effort. The Recycling Partnership and Closed Loop Partners will manage the initiative. 

By E.A. Crunden • Oct. 30, 2019

Waste Connections Q3: Acquisition offers worth $600M on the table

Recent M&A activity was quieter, but the company did close on a greenfield landfill project. Overall financial performance was strong, despite nagging headwinds from recycling and RIN credits.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 30, 2019

New York City Council advances commercial zone bill, opponents make final push

The successful vote came after 13 council members endorsed a letter requesting more time to consider a proposal that will dramatically reshape the city's open market system. A final vote is scheduled for Oct. 30.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 29, 2019

Faced with market turmoil, public sector leaders seek new approaches for waste and recycling

At this year's WASTECON, officials from around the country laid out their vision for working through market challenges, collaborating with others and addressing climate change.

By E.A. Crunden • Oct. 29, 2019

Republic's Vander Ark: Recycling challenges structural, not cyclical

The company's new president touched on Trump, trade flows, shareholder profits, disposal trends, municipal relations, climate policy and much more during his WASTECON keynote.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 28, 2019

What will it take to use more recycled content in plastic recycling carts?

The increasingly ubiquitous products still contain lots of virgin plastic. While one new company is advancing a bio-based replacement, others say their models can only handle so much recycled resin.

By Leslie Nemo • Updated Oct. 29, 2019

Increasingly popular single-use bans pose hurdle for plastics industry

Growing awareness about the potential environmental effects of plastics is powering state and local bans, to the consternation of companies who argue the trend is short-sighted. 

By E.A. Crunden • Oct. 25, 2019

GFL cancels IPO, vows to keep up M&A pace

Reports indicate the Canadian giant's debt load, and recent net losses amid a period of expansion, made some investors hesitant about the proposed share price. 

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 24, 2019

Waste Management Q3: Consumers driving landfill volumes, industrial activity less certain

The industry giant reported yet another profitable quarter for collection and disposal, warding off ongoing recession concerns and compensating for a bad stretch of recycling commodity prices.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 24, 2019

RTS acquires Recyclebank, plans to 'reinvigorate' rewards concept

Once a favorite of service providers and venture capital investors alike, the company has lost ground in recent years. Recycle Track Systems sees new potential for both commercial and municipal expansion.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 23, 2019

The Recycling Partnership calls for $500M circular economy investment by 2025

Describing the current U.S. recycling system as "insufficient," the national nonprofit has debuted an ambitious new roadmap to improve packaging design, material supply and long-term systems funding.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 22, 2019

APR: Chemical recycling is not 'silver bullet' for plastics challenges

CEO Steve Alexander's comments came during a weekend panel discussion about managing the effects of plastics production at the Society of Environmental Journalists conference in Colorado.

By Gloria Gonzalez • Oct. 16, 2019

SwagCycle aims to change sustainability narrative of promotional products

A recently launched venture from a Massachusetts-based marketing company aims to facilitate the donation or recycling of the ubiquitous branded T-shirts, water bottles, notebooks, battery packs and other free items in our lives.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 16, 2019

New York commercial waste zone bill finalized ahead of imminent vote

Aside from new language on labor retention, the version council members will be asked to vote on remains largely unchanged from a prior draft. A vote is expected Oct. 30.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Oct. 23, 2019

Burned by lithium battery surge, recyclers seek solutions

Lithium batteries are increasingly popular because of their powerful punch, but that also makes them a risk when mismanaged. Safety and recycling programs are on the rise to survive the trend.

By Katie Pyzyk • Oct. 9, 2019

Who comes out on top if New York passes commercial waste zones?

How many local haulers will be left to win franchise contracts, and whether any new entrants join the fray, all comes down to how legislative negotiations play out.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Oct. 9, 2019

Unilever pledges to halve use of virgin plastic by 2025

CEO Alan Jope said the effort will require "a fundamental rethink in our approach to our packaging and products." Greenpeace is unsure the impact will be quite so grand.

By Emma Cosgrove • Oct. 8, 2019

Closed Loop Partners becomes M&A player, starting with Texas recycler

Balcones Resources, a family-run company, is the first acquisition by the investment firm's new private equity fund. CEO Ron Gonen told Waste Dive there will be more to come.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Oct. 8, 2019

Senate passes 'Save Our Seas 2.0' bill focused on plastic waste

A bipartisan marine debris bill, with backing from the plastics industry and prior opposition from more than three dozen environmental groups, now moves to the House of Representatives.

By Katie Pyzyk , E.A. Crunden • Updated Jan. 13, 2020

Glass Packaging Institute's new president predicts 'rebound' from recycling challenges

Coming off a stint with the plastics industry, Scott DeFife has plenty of ideas about changing the narrative around glass recycling's value as others seek to downplay it.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 2, 2019

Massachusetts raises 2050 waste reduction target, may expand organics ban

The Department of Environmental Protection's new solid waste master plan draft indicates support for new packaging policies, additional waste bans and future infrastructure as disposal capacity shrinks.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 1, 2019

Industry's top trade groups sign first OSHA safety alliance

The NWRA and SWANA will collaborate with federal regulators to share information on a range of safety issues, with a focus on small- and medium-sized employers.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Oct. 2, 2019

Billionaire-backed foundation contributes $300M to new plastics initiative

Sea the Future aims to make recycled resins more competitive by adding a voluntary price to virgin plastics. Its goal is to raise $20 billion for global mitigation.

By Katie Pyzyk • Updated Oct. 1, 2019

Pennsylvania community first to take flexible packaging in curbside carts

The pilot program being run at J.P. Mascaro and Sons' MRF is expected to produce data for the industry on how to capture the material and identify end markets.

By Katie Pyzyk • Sept. 25, 2019