Latest UN climate change report highlights urban mitigation strategies, circular materials management

Reducing food waste and increasing plastics recycling and materials reuse all came up as potential strategies, as the world must implement changes more rapidly to alter the course of global warming.

By Maria Rachal • April 5, 2022

City Haul: Inside top issues facing municipal waste leaders

How are waste agencies dealing with labor constraints? What do leaders tell residents who doubt the recycling system? Who are some of the new faces steering local U.S. operations? Catch up on past editions of City Haul.

By Maria Rachal • Updated Feb. 6, 2023

Washington governor signs bill calling for 75% reduction of organic waste disposal by 2030

The law is seen as a natural evolution from the state’s recent work on recycling and climate change. Organics recyclers are especially focused on new compost procurement rules and first-in-the-nation compostable product guidelines.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated March 25, 2022

Waste Dive Live: What’s next for waste and recycling in 2022?

Watch the videos from our Feb. 10 virtual event to hear perspectives from the Waste Dive team, The Recycling Partnership and Reloop.

By The Waste Dive Team • March 9, 2022

Los Angeles City Council moves toward phasing out single-use plastics, including bags and EPS foam

The second-largest U.S. city tapped LA Sanitation & Environment for more details on how to actually make the transition as the county and state also pursue related policies.

By Maria Rachal • Feb. 28, 2022

WM drops ‘waste’ from its name, frames ESG approach at annual sustainability forum

The newly rebranded industry giant described itself as a “circular logistics operator” that is part of a “renewable energy revolution.” Plus, panelists spoke on economics, circularity, climate justice, diversity, leadership and more.

By Cole Rosengren • Feb. 16, 2022

EPR remains top item in state recycling policy debate, but bottle bills and plastic bans also in play

After a “breakthrough” in 2021, legislators and supporters aim to pass more laws in 2022 they say will improve recycling systems and curb litter. Competing stakeholder perspectives could complicate the finish line for many bills.

By Megan Quinn • Updated Feb. 10, 2022

The Waste Dive Outlook on 2022

Get up to speed on what may be coming next around M&A, labor solutions, ESG investment trends, federal regulation, state policy, environmental justice, local programs and more.

By The Waste Dive Team • Feb. 9, 2022

Federal bills advance to improve rural recycling, explore national composting strategy

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works reported both bills favorably on Thursday. Supporters see the bipartisan legislation as a medium-term step to diverting more waste in the U.S.

By Megan Quinn • Updated April 7, 2022

What’s on the Biden administration’s waste and recycling to-do list in 2022

One year in, the administration has started work on a range of climate and environmental justice initiatives. Catch up on what’s next from the EPA and others on the circular economy, PFAS, grant funding and more.

By Megan Quinn • Jan. 24, 2022

8 questions about the top trends shaping waste and recycling in 2022

Waste Dive is watching how much longer heightened M&A activity lasts, what it will take to maintain the workforce in a tough market, where organics infrastructure is growing, what’s next for recycling and more.

By Cole Rosengren , Megan Quinn , Maria Rachal • Jan. 13, 2022

RTS acquires Elytus, making it one of the industry’s largest waste brokers

The New York-based company has picked up an estimated 12,000 service locations and is going national with its biggest transaction to date. CEO Greg Lettieri shares how this fits into its growth plans for 2022.

By Cole Rosengren • Jan. 10, 2022

EPA action and US recycling policy during Biden’s 1st year in office

2021 brought a new EPA administrator, a nominee to lead the agency’s waste efforts that is vocal on PFAS and environmental justice, the long-anticipated National Recycling Strategy and recycling funds in the infrastructure package.

Dec. 23, 2021

By the numbers: 2021’s waste and recycling trends

Take a look back through the key data points that shaped the conversations around some of the top issues — M&A, ESG, policy and workforce challenges — in an eventful year.

By Cole Rosengren , Megan Quinn , Maria Rachal • Dec. 23, 2021

Roundup: Waste Dive’s 2021 Q&A’s with waste and recycling leaders

From Waste Management’s first chief sustainability officer to the Biden administration’s pick to lead U.S. EPA waste policy, look back on the year’s conversations with execs, authors, investors, entrepreneurs and regulators.

Dec. 22, 2021

Reuse rebounds: National Zero Waste Conference highlights policy potential in 2022

After early coronavirus fears halted many reuse efforts, year two of the pandemic saw new investments in reuse systems and a desire to circumvent supply chain disruptions in disposable packaging.

By Megan Quinn , Maria Rachal • Dec. 13, 2021

New York sanitation experts urge incoming mayor to rethink, modernize collection system

The city’s sidewalks are infamous for their mountains of garbage bags and rodents. A new “Put Waste to Work” campaign says containerization, route optimization and organics collection should be top priorities.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Dec. 6, 2021

As circular economy momentum builds, Rheaply seeks to grow reuse connections

With new funding and award recognition, the Chicago-based startup’s goals include quantifying the savings from reuse and having more large enterprises adopt its platform.

By Maria Rachal • Nov. 29, 2021

New York aims to launch commercial waste zones in 2022, sector’s largest change in decades

A long-anticipated RFP kicks off a process that could see coveted 10-year contracts awarded by next summer. Fifty companies have qualified to bid, including Waste Management, Waste Connections and Action Environmental.

By Cole Rosengren • Nov. 17, 2021

EPA’s 2030 recycling strategy turns focus to circular economy and environmental justice

The long-awaited master plan focuses on steps to achieve a 50% recycling rate by 2030, but regulators promise it’s just “part one” of a larger effort to tackle climate change on a higher level, and more details will follow.

By Megan Quinn • Updated Nov. 16, 2021

How US recycling programs make it work from coast to coast

Professionals working in multifamily city buildings, drop-off sites in tribal nations and programs in more isolated island areas weigh in on what’s working, and what’s still challenging, when it comes to recycling in 2021.

By Maria Rachal , Cole Rosengren , Megan Quinn • Nov. 15, 2021

The imperative for a reuse economy and culture

Linda Pouliot, CEO of reusable dishware delivery service Dishcraft, shares lessons learned from the early stages of California’s shift toward reuse systems for food service packaging.

By Linda Pouliot • Nov. 10, 2021

Massachusetts banning disposal of textiles, mattresses and more organics in 2022

The state’s Department of Environmental Protection has finalized a plan that calls for a 30% reduction in disposal volumes by 2030. Even if it hits that target, local disposal capacity will still be very constrained.

By Cole Rosengren • Nov. 3, 2021

Tracking the industry: US waste and recycling info hub

Follow some of the most essential developments around M&A, ESG pledges, federal and state policy, PFAS regulations, quarterly earnings results and more with Waste Dive’s unique trackers and ongoing in-depth coverage.

By Waste Dive Team • Updated Nov. 23, 2021

Canadian organics programs share lessons learned on policy, plastics and public engagement

The majority of Canadians now have curbside organics recycling. Toronto, Vancouver and Halifax program managers weigh in on their experiences and the insights they’ve gained over the years.

By Danielle Beurteaux • Oct. 18, 2021