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

Can manufacturers fund MRF robot in profit-sharing model

The Can Manufacturers Institute, with Ardagh and Crown, funded a lease for an aluminum can-seeking robot in a California MRF. It’s the first lease partnership for the companies, meant to split revenue from the cans collected.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 27, 2023

Recology meets cleaner fleet goal, announces new 5-year targets

The West Coast waste hauler and processor fuels 90% of its vehicle fleet via renewable or alternative fuels. It set new goals on landfill emissions and facility power.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 27, 2023

LRS CEO Spencer talks 100-day plan for leading fast-growing Midwestern company

Matt Spencer says he’ll draw from previous industry experience, including time in the field, and a relationship with Macquarie to help cement a vision for the company’s M&A, infrastructure and safety investments.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 21, 2023

Inside 4 MRF projects getting a boost from EPA grants

EPA grants for MRF projects in Colorado, Kentucky, New Jersey and Ohio aim to bolster recycling in underserved areas, battle contamination and boost the capture of valuable materials like PP or aluminum. 

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 20, 2023

BASF, Nanotech Energy team up to produce lithium-ion batteries with recycled metals

The companies will also work with American Battery Technology Co. and Toda Advanced Materials to build a North America-based battery value chain.

By Sara Samora • Sept. 19, 2023

Plastic industry’s $1M ‘Recycling is Real’ campaign designed to reclaim the narrative

The Plastics Industry Association says its campaign is meant to overcome “anti-recycling” rhetoric by educating lawmakers and brands. Some advocacy groups say the effort ignores plastic recycling’s challenges.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 19, 2023

WM opens $30M MRF in Cleveland as part of larger regional and national recycling plans

The nearly 100,000-square-foot MRF is meant to be WM’s processing hub in Ohio. It’s part of a plan to invest $1 billion in recycling infrastructure by 2026 to raise recycling rates and collect more valuable materials.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 18, 2023

California bills on right-to-repair, bottle deposits, labor and plastic reduction headed to governor

Advocates expect the governor to sign a long-awaited right-to-repair bill. The state is also poised to add juice to the bottle bill and establish laws related to an upcoming extended producer responsibility program for packaging.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 15, 2023

ERI building 3 ITAD and electronics recycling facilities to ‘recalibrate’ for new demand

ERI CEO John Shegerian says demand for services is increasing across the country, and the Southwest has shown “particularly strong and robust growth.”

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 13, 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