Local governments share lessons on new curbside organics collection programs

Local governments that have recently launched curbside organics collection programs in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. say communication with residents and vendors can help smooth out early-stage kinks.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 25, 2023

Federal lawmakers introduce bipartisan legislation to cut food waste, expand USDA programs

The bill, which comes as farm bill negotiations ramp up, would establish an Office of Food Loss and Waste at the agency. A coalition of groups advocating for federal food waste legislation had proposed the idea.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 22, 2023

New Austin Resource Recovery director named as city implements $4M EPA reuse grant

Richard McHale has more than 30 years of experience with the agency. He has also led the Texas SWANA chapter and the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Municipal Waste Management Association.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 20, 2023

Connecticut city enacts permanent organics co-collection program with unit-based pricing

Middletown’s program was implemented after the success of a pilot sponsored by the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 14, 2023

EPA announces recipients of $105M in grants for recycling infrastructure

The long-awaited recycling infrastructure grants are going to 25 communities, including the Baltimore and Minneapolis metro areas as well as recipients in Puerto Rico, Hawai’i, Montana and Ohio.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 13, 2023

Veransa, private equity-backed Florida composter, hires new CEO

Dave Vaughn is expected to focus on integrating recently acquired assets and greenfield sites, along with growing the development of compost products. He previously worked at Denali Water Solutions.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Sept. 12, 2023

BPI seeks to change USDA’s ‘out-of-date’ definition for compost

Composters worry the decades-old definition leaves modern facilities and compostable products out of compliance.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 12, 2023

Divert breaks ground on anaerobic digestion facility driven by Washington’s organics management law

The Longview facility is one of the first projects to address the law, which set organics diversion and collection requirements when it passed last year.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 7, 2023

Former Miami-Dade waste head on county’s capacity challenges, disaster response and more

Mike Fernandez says the county must be creative in meeting its capacity needs as it considers long-term disposal options. He also shares his severe weather experience as Florida faces another hurricane.

By Jacob Wallace • Aug. 29, 2023

Miami-Dade County proposes new, more remote site for WTE facility

The location is more remote following concerns from residents near the Florida county’s former incinerator. But permitting and building the facility would take nearly a decade, leaving the county with interim capacity concerns.

By Jacob Wallace • Aug. 22, 2023

Synthica, with Goldman Sachs investment, plans to break ground on multiple AD sites in 2024

The company plans to accelerate the expansion of its waste-to-RNG facilities into Southern markets. Financial terms were not disclosed for the transaction. 

By Jacob Wallace • Aug. 21, 2023

Minnesota, a birthplace of PFAS, tackles contaminated waste sites on multiple fronts

The state has funding from settlements with companies such as 3M, but the costs ahead are daunting. A recent report estimates it could take at least $105 million to manage the “forever chemicals” at certain landfills and compost sites.

By April Reese • Aug. 17, 2023

Anaergia executives disclose ‘substantial doubt’ about finances but still see future opportunities

The company's second-quarter earnings gave new CEO Brett Hodson a chance to reset expectations amid a wave of challenges.

By Jacob Wallace • Aug. 15, 2023

How the New York City Housing Authority is rethinking waste

Hoist-collected containers, electric trucks, pneumatic tubes, on-site composting and more upgrades are underway as part of an investment in waste systems at the nation’s largest public housing authority.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Aug. 14, 2023

Survey finds more composters are accepting food waste, but challenges remain

While the number of composters accepting food waste continues to grow, more than a third have a zero tolerance policy for contamination. Compostable packaging, meanwhile, is becoming more commonly accepted.

By Jacob Wallace • Aug. 7, 2023

New York expands commercial containerization requirements as part of anti-rat push

The city’s Department of Sanitation enacted its latest rule this week requiring commercial food establishments to handle waste differently. The move may have operational benefits for haulers, but it poses logistical questions.

By Cole Rosengren • Aug. 1, 2023

Republic expects higher revenues amid plans for polymer centers, environmental solutions growth

Republic Services’ leaders shared new details about its polymer centers and continued integration of US Ecology, but noted it may have found the ceiling for price increases in certain markets.

By Jacob Wallace • Aug. 1, 2023

Minnesota looks to reduce Twin Cities’ waste fast as disposal capacity tightens

A proposed 20-year plan for the metro area places an emphasis on strategies to reduce waste at its source and would require local governments to make numerous changes in collection programs and other policies.

By Jacob Wallace • July 13, 2023

Denali gets $18M contract renewal to operate 3 New York composting facilities

An affiliate company owned by Denali has been operating facilities for the city’s Department of Sanitation since at least 2015. The largest, in Staten Island, is expected to complete major upgrades soon.

By Jacob Wallace • July 12, 2023

Consumers don’t understand ‘compostable’ messaging on packaging, survey finds

Lack of consumer clarity with terms like “biodegradable” and “made from plants” can result in materials entering the wrong disposal stream, according to a report from BPI and Closed Loop Partners’ Composting Consortium.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 12, 2023

‘Waste-to-value’ development firm Nexus PMG targets biochar, energy following $50M infusion

Nexus PMG has raised its first major growth equity round from institutional backers. The funding will help grow its advisory business as well as subsidiaries Nexus W2V and Pathway Energy. 

By Jacob Wallace • July 11, 2023

New York City zero waste package, including mandatory residential organics program, becomes law

The city’s Department of Sanitation, which was already ramping up a voluntary curbside organics program, must now enforce participation in 2024 after Mayor Eric Adams allowed a bill to become law without his signature.

By Jacob Wallace • Updated July 11, 2023

Former Fiberight facility in Maine to restart in deal with private equity-backed group

Innovative Resource Recovery would jointly own and operate the closed mixed-waste facility with a group of 115 communities.

By Jacob Wallace • July 7, 2023

How the waste industry prepared for and reacted to the EPA’s 2023 Renewable Fuel Standard update

The agency’s final rules to generate renewable energy credits from certain systems are seen as a benefit for anaerobic digesters and certain landfill projects. Catch up on coverage of key developments.

June 29, 2023

ReFED leader calls for food waste reduction pilots to be scaled up to meet ambitious 2030 goals

Executive Director Dana Gunders said during the nonprofit’s recent conference that stakeholders in the public and private sector need to move beyond pilots and begin scaling up solutions to address food waste and loss.

By Jacob Wallace • June 29, 2023