Recycling
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Permission granted by Kristina Benoist/Product Stewardship Institute
The state packaging EPR leaders swap stories as implementation advances
Lawmakers and regulators from California, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon and Tennessee shared insights on scaling up at a Product Stewardship Institute event last week.
By Maria Rachal • June 12, 2025 -
Courtesy of Cyclic Materials
Cyclic Materials to open $25M rare earth recycling facility in Canada
The recycling and R&D facility is meant to process 500 metric tons of magnets a year. The resulting material would supply companies with feedstock for new components for EVs, wind turbines and electronics.
By Megan Quinn • June 12, 2025 -
[Screenshot]. Retrieved from Senate Environment and Public Works committee.
Senate committee moves Busterud nomination forward for EPA waste office
The full Senate will next consider the nomination. Committee Chair Shelley Moore Capito commended John Busterud's qualifications, though some Democrats criticized the U.S. EPA’s recent policies related to pollution.
By Megan Quinn • June 11, 2025 -
The image by Jimmy Emerson, DVM is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Where 3 key waste and recycling bills stand in California
Bills managing marine flares, establishing a tax exemption for certain Chiquita Canyon compensation payments and expanding composting regulations for certain farmers are still in play after a legislative deadline.
By Megan Quinn • June 9, 2025 -
The image by Jimmy Emerson, DVM is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
‘A wild ride’: California EPR regulatory revision process advances
After reviewing new comments on SB 54, “while I can see we did some things well, there's some components of our regulations that are still going to need work” prior to formal rulemaking, said CalRecycle Director Zoe Heller.
By Maria Rachal • June 6, 2025 -
Shunyu Fan via Getty Images
Oregon governor signs bottle bill update for ‘alternative’ redemption centers
The law aims to offer more redemption points in an effort to reduce the strain on Portland-area retailers and support canners who make an income from collecting containers.
By Megan Quinn • June 5, 2025 -
Megan Quinn/Waste Dive
Trump’s EPA budget would cut funds appropriated for waste offices
The budget would cut certain waste and recycling grant programs and enforcement related activities. It would also transition Superfund remediation work to a revenue source boosted in recent years through legislation.
By Jacob Wallace • June 5, 2025 -
demerzel21 via Getty Images
Déjà vu? New York EPR bill unpopular with packaging groups awaits fate in Assembly
The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act has again passed the Senate. A host of trade groups that dislike the bill’s material restrictions and recycled content requirements have voiced support for an alternate bill.
By Maria Rachal • June 4, 2025 -
Courtesy of Empire Green Generation
Planned West Virginia pyrolysis plant misses payments on $44M in bonds
The plant, commissioned by a subsidiary of Empire Diversified Energy, was set to convert waste plastic to electricity. Its future is unclear.
By Jacob Wallace • June 4, 2025 -
(2025). Retrieved from Flickr.
Hawai’i governor signs packaging EPR study bill
Lawmakers in Hawai’i have been introducing EPR proposals for years. The study funded by the newly signed law is due to the state legislature by the end of 2027.
By Maria Rachal • June 2, 2025 -
Courtesy of City of Seattle
Waste industry calls on manufacturers, policymakers to help prevent facility fires
Speakers at a recent webinar hosted by the Solid Waste Association of North America and the National Stewardship Action Council offered tips on coordinating programs and policy to deal with this issue.
By Megan Quinn • May 30, 2025 -
Courtesy of AMP
Amp grows focus on custom MSW sortation offerings
The company, known for AI-enabled robotics tech, is ramping up its MSW-focused services meant to help extract recyclables and organics to divert material from disposal in landfills-constrained areas.
By Megan Quinn • May 29, 2025 -
spwidoff via Getty Images
Will 2025 EPR laws pave the way for more packaging policy?
After Maryland and Washington recently adopted packaging EPR laws, leaders from Ameripen and the National Stewardship Action Council expect to see more policy action, including on bottle bills, in 2026.
By Maria Rachal • May 28, 2025 -
Courtesy of City of Phoenix
NERC notes slight commodity value improvements, while MRFs announce significant upgrades
Northeast MRFs reported blended commodity prices rose up to 9% in Q1. Meanwhile, Casella, Eureka and the City of Phoenix announced MRF upgrades in part to help fetch higher commodity prices.
By Megan Quinn • May 28, 2025 -
Courtesy of Nova Chemicals
Nova Chemicals, Novolex open mechanical recycling facility for PE film
The Connersville, Indiana, facility will process up to 145,000 bales of postconsumer plastic film a year to produce recycled LLDPE for use in food-safe applications.
By Megan Quinn • May 27, 2025 -
Stock Photo via Getty Images
CalRecycle unveils new SB 54 text; Wagoner out as CAA’s California lead
The agency will host a public meeting May 27 to take feedback. Circular Action Alliance, the packaging EPR program’s PRO, plans to hire a new state lead as former CalRecycle director Rachel Wagoner steps aside.
By Maria Rachal • May 22, 2025 -
Ian Waldie/Getty Images via Getty Images
Plastics reduction advocate and former EPA administrator joins Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Jennie Romer, known for plastics pollution work at Surfrider and at the EPA's pollution prevention office, will address e-waste, textiles and circular economy policy in her new role at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
By Megan Quinn • May 22, 2025 -
Chris Jackson via Getty Images
Indigenous-led efforts bolster EPR collection in remote parts of Canada
A new partnership between the Stewardship Agencies of BC and the Indigenous Zero Waste Technical Advisory Group helps improve recycling programs and training.
By Megan Quinn • May 21, 2025 -
Megan Quinn/Waste Dive
Federal grantees reckon with loss of ‘generational’ recycling funding under Trump
The administration has canceled or limited grant awardees’ ability to access federal funding, changing how plastics and organics recyclers view the federal government.
By Jacob Wallace • May 21, 2025 -
Cole Rosengren/Waste Dive, data from TVW
Washington governor signs laws regulating landfills, expanding organics service and more
Gov. Bob Ferguson signed five laws, including ones that affected renewable natural gas, PFAS in biosolids and plastic bags.
By Cole Rosengren , Jacob Wallace • May 19, 2025 -
Megan Quinn/Waste Dive
Q&AWM President John Morris on AI, autonomous equipment and tech investments
John Morris, who is also the company’s chief operating officer, said AI and tech upgrades for fleets, new route optimization software and autonomous vehicle pilots are helping with labor retention and cost savings.
By Megan Quinn • May 19, 2025 -
halbergman via Getty Images
Washington Gov. Ferguson signs packaging EPR law
Ferguson called it the "biggest overhaul of our recycling system in decades.” Washington’s law, the seventh in the U.S., drew opposition from the waste and recycling industry.
By Megan Quinn • May 17, 2025 -
Jacob Wallace/Waste Dive
How states are thinking about organic waste policy
Panelists from Divert, CalRecycle and NRDC discussed lessons that can be learned from a rising number of state organic waste policies in California and elsewhere.
By Jacob Wallace • May 15, 2025 -
viavado via Getty Images
3 tips for selling waste businesses in 2025: WasteExpo
Keeping up with maintenance and finances long before deal discussions begin can lead to more successful outcomes, said WasteExpo speakers from Kinderhook, WM, Wastequip and others.
By Megan Quinn • May 15, 2025 -
Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
Maryland Gov. Moore signs packaging EPR into law
Maryland becomes the sixth state with an EPR for packaging law. It ramps up reimbursement between 2028 and 2030.
By Megan Quinn , Maria Rachal • May 13, 2025
