6 key questions for the waste and recycling industry in 2019

We'll be keeping an eye on recycling, climate change, landfills, alternative technologies, corporate consolidation, labor issues and much more in the year ahead.

By Cole Rosengren • Jan. 9, 2019

Scrap Collector: Washington state to consider composting the dead, 40-year-old plastic Doritos bag found on beach

Plus: a recycling opportunity that'll thrill the goats in your life, and South Korea's plastic bag ban.

By Rina Li • Jan. 4, 2019

Waste Management's 20-year path to 'moonshot' climate goal: cleaner fleet, more recycling

The company's 2018 Sustainability Report offers the most detailed plans yet on offsetting four times the amount of GHG emissions it produces.

By Cole Rosengren • Jan. 1, 2019

Our 10 best stories of 2018

Catch up on some of our biggest stories involving Waste Management, Republic Services, Waste Connections, GFL Environmental, Rubicon Global, TerraCycle and, of course, China.

By Cole Rosengren • Dec. 21, 2018

UK waste strategy calls for packaging EPR, widespread organics collection

The lengthy plan, billed as a path toward a more circular economy, includes a variety of strategies to reduce waste and improve recycling.

By Katie Pyzyk • Dec. 19, 2018

New food date labels provide the clarity consumers need, survey says

Since the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute launched the campaign in 2017, 87% of products have carried "Best If Used By" and "Use By" labels.

By Cathy Siegner • Dec. 19, 2018

Boston inches toward final 'zero waste' plan, eyes curbside organics pilot

While enthusiastic about the expansive scope of a new report, many advocates remain unhappy with the lack of specific "living wage" contract language for recycling workers.

By Cole Rosengren • Dec. 17, 2018

SWEEP standard — LEED for waste and recycling — releases ambitious proposal

After more than two years of work by many of the industry's biggest corporate and government players, the Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Protocol now has draft language ready for comments.

By Cole Rosengren • Dec. 17, 2018

Scrap Collector: Virginia's landfill solar aspirations, garbage arsonist(s) terrorizing Orlando

Plus: a new online waste sorting game, NASA's plans for astronaut trash and China's new food waste solution (hint: it's cockroaches).

By Rina Li • Dec. 14, 2018

Whole Foods stops using compostable containers with PFAS

A study on food packaging in five major grocery companies found that more than two-thirds may have been treated with PFAS. Advocates are now calling for commercial composters to stop accepting the material.

By Kristine Sherred • Dec. 12, 2018

Trump signs Farm Bill with unprecedented level of food waste action

The bill includes $125 million for local reduction and composting pilots, plans for a new USDA food waste study, multiple provisions to boost biogas and a variety of other details to enhance food recovery.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Dec. 21, 2018

Gold Medal pursues new type of vertical integration with Apple Valley deal

This recent acquisition gives the New Jersey company a stake in the soon-to-open Entsorga West Virginia MBT project, plus access to new markets such as Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

By Cole Rosengren • Dec. 11, 2018

E360S CEO Ardellini ready to make acquisitions "right across North America"

The brand new Canadian company is starting out with $100 million in private equity backing, a big name hockey legend and a recently acquired Alberta hauler.

By Cole Rosengren • Dec. 6, 2018

Company of the Year: GFL Environmental

GFL's rapid U.S. expansion this year has made it the largest private waste and recycling company in North America.

By Cole Rosengren • Dec. 3, 2018

Minnesota county mandates commercial and residential organics recycling

A new ordinance in Hennepin County will phase in requirements for different-sized generators as well as update other recycling requirements.

By Katie Pyzyk • Nov. 29, 2018

Food waste reduction is a high priority for U.S. diners, study shows

Seventy-two percent of American consumers care about how businesses handle food waste, and nearly half would pay more for restaurants with food recovery plans. 

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 26, 2018

Less to gobble: Tiny turkeys are showing up on Thanksgiving tables

As consumers become more aware of the problem of food waste, and more interested in small snacks replacing meals, they're looking for less to include with their meal. 

By Jessi Devenyns • Nov. 21, 2018

A Thanksgiving food waste experiment for every supply chain

Just because an unsold item won't rot, doesn't mean it isn't waste. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Nov. 19, 2018

Colorado produces record amount of trash as recycling stagnates

Two of the top three cities' recycling rates dipped from last year, according to a new report by Eco-Cycle and the Colorado Public Interest Research Group.

By Katie Pyzyk • Nov. 15, 2018

Oregon Metro awards Waste Management $110M disposal contract

Waste will be transported to Columbia Ridge Landfill under a separate trucking contract, amounting to a combined $220 million, for the next 10 years.

By Rina Li • Nov. 14, 2018

7 key questions about New York's unique franchise plan

Now that the proposal is out, debate over ending the largest commercial open market system in the country will only heat up heading into 2019. Waste Dive read through all 100-plus pages to suss out what comes next.

By Cole Rosengren • Nov. 13, 2018

Official NYC franchise plan: 20 nonexclusive zones, 68 potential contracts

The highly anticipated final proposal is expected to accelerate consolidation of the local industry and ramp up an already contentious political fight to achieve city council passage.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated Nov. 8, 2018

How Scotland's unique Carbon Metric could redefine government recycling targets

As weight-based goals lose favor in the U.S. and the urgency for climate action increases, this recently adopted system could help influence policy for multiple levels of government.

By Maxine Perella • Oct. 30, 2018

Los Angeles BPW approves RecycLA facility plan, plus $6M for consultant

The city gains unprecedented oversight at any facility taking franchise material, and requires many to be fully enclosed. Waste Management is among the operators with concerns about potential costs.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 30, 2018

Charlotte, North Carolina launches circular economy plan

Modeled after programs in cities around the world, the plan aims to reduce both waste and create economic opportunities for local residents.

By Katie Pyzyk • Oct. 26, 2018