In the history of Waste Dive, 2018 will surely go down as our busiest and best year yet. We covered the ongoing paradigm shift in recycling, major corporate consolidation, emerging environmental issues and a long list of other topics that will be key to the industry's future.

Here are 10 of our top picks, based on traffic and impact, but the list of stories we enjoyed working on is far longer. See a favorite story of yours missing from this list? We always enjoy hearing from you at waste.dive.editors@industrydive.com. 

1. How recycling is changing in all 50 states

   Our state-level tracker remains highly popular after more than a year in action. In 2018, we sifted through hundreds upon hundreds of links and tips to provide the most comprehensive picture you'll find anywhere. Read More »

2. GFL Environmental closes Waste Industries deal, now in 20 states

   GFL's acquisition will go down as the biggest deal of the year. Soon after, we broke the story on a second deal that puts it in 20 states. Read More »

3. Republic CEO on tax 'windfall' plans: New trucks and locker rooms, not bonuses

   Out of all our post-tax cut earnings coverage, this resonated the most on our site as well as our Facebook audience. Read More »

4. With China's 'nearly impossible' contamination standard, where are MRFs looking now?

   As the 0.5% enforcement date approached in March, we took a look at how MRFs were adapting in multiple states. Read More »

5. Waste Management's Bell on the tough job of MRF sorters and life after China

   Waste Dive interviewed plenty of Waste Management executives this year, including CEO Jim Fish and outgoing COO Jim Trevathan, but a SWANApalooza sit-down with the company's head of recycling captured the most attention. Read More »

6. Mittelstaedt: 'There's a reckoning coming' for recycling

   In his first interview with Waste Dive, the Waste Connections CEO talked tax cuts, immigration reform, organics, the future of landfills and, of course, recycling.  Read More »

7. Is recycling only a Band-Aid? The TerraCycle CEO thinks so — and has plans to change the equation

   Tom Szaky has a reputation for creative thinking, and this interview about ambitious expansion plans didn't disappoint. Read More »

8. Inside Rubicon's voluminous ambitions

   This exclusive interview with Rubicon Global's leadership team dissected how three new acquisitions fit into their master plan. Read More »

9. PFAS: Putting the genie back in the bottle

   The inaugural story from our columnist Rich Thompson touched a nerve on the latest acronym of concern for landfill operators. Read More »

10. Next up for the RecycLA experiment — optimization

    After months of media silence, we checked in with the key players behind this high-profile franchise system to learn how it had evolved and later cover the approval of an ambitious facility certification plan. Read More »