Corporate

Noble Environmental acquires GFL landfills, collection assets in Pennsylvania region

The deal is a major expansion for Noble, one of the state's largest private haulers. GFL acquired the sites as part of the Waste Management-Advanced Disposal divestiture package last year.

By Cole Rosengren • July 22, 2021

City hiring woes and solutions; New $16B pitch for recycling infrastructure

In this week’s municipal news roundup: Denver and St. Louis feel the effects of labor shortages, and leaders in Portland, Oregon, seek to widen their worker candidate pools.

By Maria Rachal • July 16, 2021

Explore the Trendline➔

Trendline

The Waste Dive Outlook on 2021

Entering a second year of operating during a pandemic, the waste and recycling industry is poised to see further corporate traction on ESG goals, tech upgrades and M&A activity, as well as key policy developments from the Biden administration.

By Waste Dive staff

Covanta going private in $5.3B deal

Covanta CEO Michael Ranger said the pending sale to Swedish firm EQT Infrastructure "represents an excellent outcome of our strategic review."

By Cole Rosengren • July 14, 2021

Too few companies advocate for climate-friendly policies despite lofty goals: report

Only around 40% of the country's top 100 firms lobby for green legislation. We have "run out of time to waste," said sustainability nonprofit Ceres.

By Chris Teale • July 13, 2021

Biden antitrust push faces steep road

Although the president and congressional majority are aligned on increasing competition in certain sectors, it's not clear agencies will bring much firepower to the effort.

By Robert Freedman • July 12, 2021

'The strongest have survived': Anaerobic digestion companies see clear path to scaling up

Anaergia, BDC, Generate Capital and Vanguard Renewables believe they're poised to expand food waste recycling around the country. ESG trends, rising disposal tip fees and state or local policies are all key drivers.

By Cole Rosengren • July 12, 2021

Top stories from 2021's WasteExpo

Catch up on event coverage and interviews about the labor shortage, emerging ESG pressures, fleet technology, organics recycling, PFAS and more.

By Waste Dive Team • UPDATED: July 19, 2021 at 11:29 a.m.

What the industry is saying about 5 key topics in waste and recycling

At WasteExpo, executives, vendors and regulators were vocal on everything from policy to PFAS and plastics, to the problem of not being able to hire enough workers.

By Waste Dive Team • July 07, 2021

Waste CEOs emphasize labor, ESG and M&A as top priorities after pandemic

Leaders from Waste Management, Republic Services, Waste Connections, GFL Environmental and other groups weighed in on labor solutions, fleet technology and the economy at last week's WasteExpo.

By Cole Rosengren • July 06, 2021

'Electric is not easy': LA, NYC look to build capacity for more battery EVs in refuse fleets

"If I ordered a truck and I got it in nine months, it may sit for 14 months waiting for the ability to plug it in," one Los Angeles sanitation official said, highlighting the need to focus on the electricity poised to power upgraded fleets.

By Maria Rachal • July 02, 2021

Employers convey hiring difficulties at WasteExpo, while others encourage considering less 'traditional' talent pools

As many employers across the industry say it’s harder to fill open positions now than it was before the pandemic, some conference speakers sought to spotlight the potential in currently and formerly incarcerated individuals.

By Maria Rachal • June 30, 2021

Deep Dive

From green to gold: 5 ways CFOs can gain from climate risk disclosure

CFOs confronting growing pressure to disclose climate change risks can find in their analysis opportunities to improve capital allocation and risk management.

By Jim Tyson • June 29, 2021

Deep Dive

Amid rising interest in packaging policy, bottle bill changes still struggle to break through

Multiple states introduce bills each year to update their container deposit laws, but few pass. Experts say balancing competing interests and tough compromises may be the only way for them to make it to the finish line.

By Megan Quinn • June 23, 2021

Nearly 50 companies, including Waste Management, pursuing New York commercial waste contracts

The city aims to release the next part of a waste and recycling zone RFP within two months. Waste Connections, Interstate Waste Services, Winters Bros. Waste Systems and other local companies are among the high-profile bidders.

By Cole Rosengren • June 23, 2021

GE announces European partnerships to advance full wind turbine recycling

"Europe may be ahead of the U.S. in requiring recyclable systems, but all will soon follow," said Paul Veers, chief engineer at NREL's National Wind Technology Center.

By Iulia Gheorghiu • June 16, 2021

2021 state waste and recycling policy highlights

Catch up on legislative coverage of EPR, recycled content mandates, product bans and market development plans from California to Maine.

By Waste Dive Team • UPDATED: July 19, 2021 at 11:28 a.m.

Waste Management looks to surpass 80% CNG collection fleet

With 70% of its routed fleet already there, that goal is for the next five to seven years. “We're going to continue to buy predominantly CNG where the opportunity exists," said COO John Morris, following a new fleets report.

By Maria Rachal • June 02, 2021

Moving from value to values: an ESG assessment

CFOs should create a new agenda around "the three R's": risk, regulation and returns, in an effort to better understand the trade-offs between economic outcomes and broader value outcomes, panelists said at Gartner's CFO & Finance Executive Conference.

By Jane Thier • May 28, 2021

Roundup: Boston mayoral candidates talk up curbside organics, litter differs in bottle bill states

Plus: recycling updates in Atlanta, Milwaukee and Louisville, Kentucky, and tips on building community support for waste reduction initiatives from Texas.

By Cole Rosengren , Maria Rachal • May 27, 2021

Republic shareholders reject ESG-linked pay proposal while industry sees another year of rising CEO compensation

A recent Teamsters-backed effort to tie executive compensation to environmental performance was unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the pay gap between solid waste CEOs and median employees continues to widen.

By Cole Rosengren • May 25, 2021

With landfill emissions regulation, EPA enforces once-delayed methane pollution rule

The EPA's final rule on municipal solid waste landfill emissions starts the clock for operators to comply with federal requirements as the Biden administration and activists urge swifter climate action.

By Megan Quinn • May 24, 2021

Roundup: Driver shortages hamper local waste collection, US recycling infrastructure begs $17B expansion

Plus: California's budget surplus yields $130 million proposal for recycling infrastructure, New York City progresses on solutions for its curbside trash problem, and more municipal news from around the U.S.

By Maria Rachal , Cole Rosengren • May 20, 2021

Waste Management offering no-cost education for employees' dependents to improve retention

The program will expand in 2022 to include employees' nearly 34,000 benefits-eligible dependents, and will be a "key differentiator" for the company, said Chief People Officer Tamla Oates-Forney.

By Emilie Shumway • May 20, 2021

Florida recyclers take a 'back to basics' approach to public education

To achieve Florida's 75% recycling rate goal, clear, consistent messaging to residents must be part of the effort, speakers at a Florida Recycling Partnership Foundation event said.

By Megan Quinn • May 19, 2021

Waste companies putting pandemic behind them, anticipate more economic rebound coming

Outside of Canada, the majority of local economies have reopened and volumes are bouncing back. Catch up on results and takeaways on the first quarter of 2021 from the industry's largest solid waste operators.

By Waste Dive Team • May 10, 2021