Progress report: State waste and recycling policies gain notable traction this year

State lawmakers have made significant headway on laws about EPR, recycled content mandates and plastic products. Other bills are still in play, and experts anticipate even more possible changes in 2022.

By Megan Quinn • July 19, 2021

Top stories from 2021's WasteExpo

Catch up on event coverage and interviews about the labor shortage, emerging ESG pressures, fleet technology, organics recycling, PFAS and more.

By Waste Dive Team • Updated Sept. 17, 2021

What the industry is saying about 5 key topics in waste and recycling

At WasteExpo, executives, vendors and regulators were vocal on everything from policy to PFAS and plastics, to the problem of not being able to hire enough workers.

By Waste Dive Team • July 7, 2021

Maine governor signs nation's first EPR law for consumer packaging

Along with a pending Oregon bill, this shows growing momentum for EPR policies. The programs target most types of consumer packaging and require producers to pay into state-regulated stewardship organizations.

By Megan Quinn • Updated July 13, 2021

Shifts in attitudes on EPR could mean quicker policy change: Circularity 21

Conference speakers pointed to the U.S. Plastics Pact road map and Ellen MacArthur Foundation's recent endorsements as signs that EPR is coming into its own — as long as state and federal policy can catch up.

By Megan Quinn • June 23, 2021

Nearly 50 companies, including Waste Management, pursuing New York commercial waste contracts

The city aims to release the next part of a waste and recycling zone RFP within two months. Waste Connections, Interstate Waste Services, Winters Bros. Waste Systems and other local companies are among the high-profile bidders.

By Cole Rosengren • June 23, 2021

Atlanta and San Francisco's food waste wisdom; how the pandemic affected recycling education

SWANA's Sustainable Materials Management Summit and the NYC Food Waste Fair brought together local leaders from Florida to Maryland and Georgia to California. Catch up in this week's municipal news roundup.

By Maria Rachal , Cole Rosengren • June 17, 2021

2021 state waste and recycling policy highlights

Catch up on legislative coverage of EPR, recycled content mandates, product bans and market development plans from California to Maine.

By Waste Dive Team • Updated Dec. 21, 2021

Colorado governor signs bill banning plastic bags and foam containers, repealing preemption

Plastic bags and foam containers will be banned from most establishments by 2024. It also allows municipalities to pass stricter ordinances. Colorado is the first state to roll back a preemption policy.

By Megan Quinn • Updated July 7, 2021

City budget season brings new waste initiatives in DC, Baltimore, elsewhere

Also in this week's municipal news roundup: a major recycling facility fire in Phoenix, additional reports of service disruptions stemming from worker shortages, and more updates from around the country.

By Maria Rachal • June 10, 2021

What role should waste and recycling play in sustainability?

From the plastics crisis and packaging innovation, it's time to discuss how the industry can work both internally and externally to help build a sustainable future.

By Liz Bothwell, Waste360 • June 1, 2021

Leading plastics reduction lawyer sees single-use policies as 'gateway' to bigger change

Jennie Romer – a key player in creating plastics policies from coast to coast – talks about her new book "Can I Recycle This?" and why she's now looking to take on the whole recycling system.

By Cole Rosengren • May 19, 2021

Florida recyclers take a 'back to basics' approach to public education

To achieve Florida's 75% recycling rate goal, clear, consistent messaging to residents must be part of the effort, speakers at a Florida Recycling Partnership Foundation event said.

By Megan Quinn • May 19, 2021

Roundup: New York City clears legislative hurdle on plastics reduction

The city council passed a bill meant to limit use of straws, a potential sign of growing acceptance for plastics reduction policies. Elsewhere, an American Biogas Council event spurred discussion of codigestion.

By Cole Rosengren , Maria Rachal • May 14, 2021

Boston expanding textile and organics recycling as it ramps up zero waste plan

Efforts to hit an 80% recycling rate by 2035 were delayed in part by the pandemic, but moves to expand drop-off programs show new momentum. Curbside organics collection remains an unresolved priority.

By Cole Rosengren • May 13, 2021

Roundup: Food waste back in the spotlight

This year’s Stop Food Waste Day drew attention from national and local leaders fighting hunger and climate change. Plus, new data on waste diversion in Colorado, and recycling initiatives launching in Houston and Milwaukee.

By Maria Rachal • April 30, 2021

Roundup: Stimulus funding for city waste initiatives, DC and NY inch toward zero waste goals

The week of Earth Day saw news on zero waste plan reassessments, organics program expansions, reuse pilots and more. Catch up on updates from New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Boston and other cities around the country.

By Maria Rachal , Cole Rosengren • April 23, 2021

New York to revive curbside organics service amid criticism of lagging zero waste progress

The Department of Sanitation announced the return of multiple programs affected by pandemic budget cuts, following a council hearing about codifying the city's 2030 goal, but critics say more action is needed.

By Cole Rosengren • April 22, 2021

Washington governor signs minimum recycled content bill

Washington will become the second state to set requirements for the makeup of plastic beverage containers and trash bags. It will also become the latest state to pass a ban on expanded polystyrene containers this year.

By Megan Quinn • Updated May 18, 2021

Roundup: Recology corruption charges mount in SF, NYC's waste neighbors propose a change

A second former Recology employee is charged in the ongoing corruption investigation, communities receiving New York City's waste push back, certification organizations seek additional city partners, and more local news.

By Cole Rosengren , Maria Rachal • April 16, 2021

New York City's waste future could be shaped by the closure of an island jail

Closing Rikers Island as a jail offers an opportunity to change aspects of New York's waste management infrastructure and potentially rethink expanding the city's role in overseeing it, former DSNY official Robert Lange writes.

By Robert Lange • April 15, 2021

Maryland governor allows organics diversion mandate to become law

The policy is set to take effect for large generators in 2023, after years of attempts. Proponents hope it will spur development of new regional composting and anaerobic digestion infrastructure.

By Cole Rosengren • Updated June 1, 2021

Plastics Recycling Conference debates aspirational recycling goals as deadlines approach

Numerous organizations, companies and governments have pledged to meet recycling-related goals by as early as 2025. Panelists discussed what could help achieve these targets, despite skepticism.

By Megan Quinn • April 14, 2021

Maine legislature passes landmark packaging EPR bill

The northern state could be the first to enact some form of product stewardship for packaging, pending final steps and approval by the governor. This comes after a high-profile New York proposal failed to gain traction.

By Megan Quinn • Updated June 18, 2021

Roundup: Local governments continue to fight illegal dumping, adapt curbside recycling

Catch up on the latest local waste and recycling headlines from New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and numerous other municipalities around the country.

By Maria Rachal , Cole Rosengren • April 9, 2021