Organics
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photovs via Getty Images
Deep DiveBy the numbers: 2024 waste and recycling trends
Reflect on the year through key data points about labor, the economy, M&A, federal and state policy, recycling trends and more.
By Megan Quinn , Cole Rosengren , Jacob Wallace • Dec. 20, 2024 -
Courtesy of Rhode Island Food Policy Council
EPA to grant millions to local waste resilience projects
The U.S. EPA announced recipients of a fresh wave of funding through the Community Change Grants Program, several of which plan to expand compost and recycling services.
By Jacob Wallace • Dec. 18, 2024 -
Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
Federal budget proposal with $136M in recycling and composting bills stalls
The Recycling and Composting Accountability Act and Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act were initially part of a deal to fund the federal government, but that plan has been scrapped.
By Cole Rosengren • Updated Dec. 20, 2024 -
Courtesy of Vanguard Renewables
Vanguard Renewables names new CEO as owner BlackRock looks for growth
The anaerobic digestion company’s former CEO, who held the role since before Vanguard was purchased by a division of BlackRock Real Assets, has departed, the company confirmed.
By Jacob Wallace • Dec. 17, 2024 -
Courtesy of Denver International Airport
Denver airport’s diversion pilot program tackles waste through ‘valet’ service
The Zero Waste Valet program, run by compost company Scraps, aims to raise the airport's diversion rate. It diverted more than 69 tons of material in the first six months.
By Megan Quinn • Dec. 17, 2024 -
berkah jaya via Getty Images
US Composting Council executive director to step down
Frank Franciosi announced he will leave his position next year, and will be succeeded by the organization’s deputy director, Linda Norris-Waldt.
By Jacob Wallace • Dec. 16, 2024 -
Courtesy of Fulcrum Bioenergy
WM buys Fulcrum BioEnergy site in Nevada via bankruptcy process
A judge recently approved WM’s purchase of a feedstock processing facility adjacent to one of the company’s landfills. Fulcrum’s biorefinery, which sought to convert waste to fuel, went to a different company.
By Jacob Wallace • Dec. 12, 2024 -
Permission granted by Nexus W2V
Nexus W2V receives backing to begin first RNG facility outside Chicago
The company first announced plans for growth after an outside investment last year. Now, it hopes its Kingsbury Bioenergy Complex can be the first in a series of “waste-to-value” facilities.
By Jacob Wallace • Dec. 10, 2024 -
Permission granted by DTE Vantage
BP CEO bullish on record RNG pace, plus news from DTE and Waste Connections
Major developers of renewable natural gas projects provided updates on their facility construction progress during last month’s earnings calls. Others, like DTE Vantage, announced project completions.
By Jacob Wallace • Dec. 2, 2024 -
Jacob Wallace/Waste Dive
Organics haulers and recyclers look to standardize as they eye growth
With private capital flowing to organics management, more companies seek to standardize and repeat their success across markets, executives from Agromin, Divert and more said at the Corporate Growth Conference.
By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 27, 2024 -
Sean Gallup/Getty Images via Getty Images
US joins international agreement at COP29 to lower methane from organic waste
A new declaration signed by 30 countries builds on existing global methane commitments. They pledged to develop measures to address organic waste as part of their climate action plans, which they will update next year.
By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 26, 2024 -
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images via Getty Images
Trade groups urge US House to pass recycling infrastructure, data bills
A broad coalition of organizations are giving a final push to the bills as one of the lead co-sponsors, Sen. Tom Carper, prepares to retire. Both bills have already passed the Senate.
By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 20, 2024 -
California opts to preserve credits for anaerobic digesters in major regulatory update
A state regulator voted to amend the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, injecting new life into a lucrative biofuels credit market that is used by waste projects throughout the U.S.
By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 19, 2024 -
Permission granted by Anaergia
Anaergia to continue operating Rialto Bioenergy Facility as it reports finances stabilizing
The facility in California was sold at bankruptcy auction earlier this year. The company also confirmed its top executives going forward as it works to turn the page on a turbulent year.
By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 18, 2024 -
Cole Rosengren/Waste Dive
Boston requests new waste and recycling ideas ahead of 2027 contract expirations
Collection and disposal, waste prevention and recycling, data and analytics, and policy and behavior change are among the topics for which the city wants input. It reupped many existing contracts to buy more time to craft RFPs.
By Cole Rosengren • Nov. 13, 2024 -
Permission granted by Veolia North America
Veolia takes over operation of Toronto’s organics processing with second digester contract
The Dufferin Organics Processing Facility was launched more than 20 years ago to handle collected materials from Toronto’s green bin organics program. Today it’s one of two facilities serving the city.
By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 11, 2024 -
Jacob Wallace/Waste Dive
New York City official backs composting over codigestion, citing environmental justice concerns
A report from Brooklyn’s borough president argues the city should expand composting capacity instead of relying on codigestion to process residential organic material.
By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 6, 2024 -
Permission granted by Ameresco
Republic, Ameresco partner on California RNG; plus news from Vision RNG and Vanguard
The project partners tout California’s largest facility for converting landfill gas to renewable natural gas. Meanwhile, RNG groups like Vision RNG and Opal Fuels continue to gain ground in the space.
By Jacob Wallace • Updated Nov. 6, 2024 -
Deep DiveBiosolids and PFAS questions are rippling to other states after Maine’s land application ban
The U.S. EPA has yet to offer guidance on how to address forever chemicals in the organic material from wastewater treatment facilities. States around the country are implementing their own policies to fill the gap.
By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 4, 2024 -
USDA convenes stakeholders to tackle PFAS contamination from biosolids
Suggested long-term solutions include finding new ways to detect contamination and developing tools to stop "forever chemicals" before they cause harm to soil.
By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 29, 2024 -
Alex Wong via Getty Images
How the 2024 election could affect waste and recycling policy
The presidential nominees have different takes on environmental and regulatory policies that could affect the industry, including those addressing emissions, recycling, PFAS, labor and environmental justice.
By Megan Quinn , Jacob Wallace , Cole Rosengren • Oct. 22, 2024 -
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. (2008). [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
Food waste responsible for 14% of US methane emissions: ReFED
A report issued by ReFED with the support of the Global Methane Hub outlines where food waste spurs methane emissions and how solutions like composting could help.
By Jacob Wallace • Oct. 18, 2024 -
Thomas Demarczyk via Getty Images
State resources boost zero waste efforts in Massachusetts and Colorado
Speakers at the National Zero Waste Conference discussed how strong state and local partnerships can help leverage funding and technical assistance that may not often be accessible to smaller communities.
By Megan Quinn • Oct. 11, 2024 -
Courtesy of NatureWorks
Deep DiveInside the debate over PLA, the packaging industry’s favorite bioplastic
Polylactic acid has been around for decades, but it only became popular as an option for compostable packaging more recently. While some environmental groups question its credentials, the packaging sector expects demand to grow.
By Mary Catherine O'Connor • Oct. 9, 2024 -
The image by Tdorante10 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Nation’s largest curbside organics collection program rolls out across New York City
The New York City Sanitation Department will now collect food waste from residents in Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island after previously rolling out the service to Brooklyn and Queens.
By Jacob Wallace • Oct. 7, 2024
