EPA’s ‘supercharged’ pollution prevention grants aim to bolster zero waste initiatives

EPA official Jennie Romer discussed the chemicals office’s efforts to boost local zero waste programs during a webinar at the National Zero Waste Conference.

By Jacob Wallace • Oct. 30, 2023

Plan for these upcoming waste and recycling conferences

The National Zero Waste Conference is one of the next events on the calendar. Other upcoming events in 2024 will cover recycling, e-waste, MRF innovations, biogas, thermal conversion and more.

By Megan Quinn • Updated Sept. 18, 2024

Massachusetts awards $5M for recycling programs, with environmental justice focus

Priorities included pay-as-you-throw, curbside organics, textiles, mattresses and more. The annual grants come as MassDEP’s commissioner previewed plans to hire new staff through an “unprecedented” level of state funding.

By Cole Rosengren • Oct. 2, 2023

With a $4M EPA grant, Baltimore looks to chart a fresh course on organics

The city's organics infrastructure is getting a jolt from the new funding. Composting advocates hope broader changes laid out in the city’s draft waste plan will follow.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 26, 2023

Local governments share lessons on new curbside organics collection programs

Local governments that have recently launched curbside organics collection programs in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. say communication with residents and vendors can help smooth out early-stage kinks.

By Megan Quinn • Sept. 25, 2023

Waste reduction projects could tap into $4.6B in EPA, USDA climate grants

The EPA’s massive Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program is making funding available for waste-related projects. The USDA also announced that new money is available for food waste reduction.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 22, 2023

New Austin Resource Recovery director named as city implements $4M EPA reuse grant

Richard McHale has more than 30 years of experience with the agency. He has also led the Texas SWANA chapter and the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Municipal Waste Management Association.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 20, 2023

Divert breaks ground on anaerobic digestion facility driven by Washington’s organics management law

The Longview facility is one of the first projects to address the law, which set organics diversion and collection requirements when it passed last year.

By Jacob Wallace • Sept. 7, 2023

D.C. set to launch curbside composting pilot program in September

The pilot program aims to make composting more convenient for Washington, D.C., residents and help the city meet its 80% by 2032 diversion goal.

By Megan Quinn • Aug. 31, 2023

Survey finds more composters are accepting food waste, but challenges remain

While the number of composters accepting food waste continues to grow, more than a third have a zero tolerance policy for contamination. Compostable packaging, meanwhile, is becoming more commonly accepted.

By Jacob Wallace • Aug. 7, 2023

Wastequip touts recycled Toter cart, safety and diversity in first ESG report

The company has been working to align its goals through a corporate responsibility program since 2020. The report reveals the carbon intensity of certain products and progress in using recycled resins in Toter products.

By Jacob Wallace • July 20, 2023

Minnesota looks to reduce Twin Cities’ waste fast as disposal capacity tightens

A proposed 20-year plan for the metro area places an emphasis on strategies to reduce waste at its source and would require local governments to make numerous changes in collection programs and other policies.

By Jacob Wallace • July 13, 2023

‘Waste-to-value’ development firm Nexus PMG targets biochar, energy following $50M infusion

Nexus PMG has raised its first major growth equity round from institutional backers. The funding will help grow its advisory business as well as subsidiaries Nexus W2V and Pathway Energy. 

By Jacob Wallace • July 11, 2023

New York City zero waste package, including mandatory residential organics program, becomes law

The city’s Department of Sanitation, which was already ramping up a voluntary curbside organics program, must now enforce participation in 2024 after Mayor Eric Adams allowed a bill to become law without his signature.

By Jacob Wallace • Updated July 11, 2023

ReFED leader calls for food waste reduction pilots to be scaled up to meet ambitious 2030 goals

Executive Director Dana Gunders said during the nonprofit’s recent conference that stakeholders in the public and private sector need to move beyond pilots and begin scaling up solutions to address food waste and loss.

By Jacob Wallace • June 29, 2023

Fast fashion waste problem needs better solutions, lawmakers say

Two lawmakers are requesting that the federal government look into what can be done to reduce waste from textiles.

By Jacob Wallace • June 28, 2023

New York City Council passes major zero waste package, including mandatory organics program

The five-bill package passed with high levels of support and is expected to become law. The bills also include requirements around recycling drop-off centers and waste diversion reporting.

By Cole Rosengren • June 9, 2023

Candidate who pledged to restore Philadelphia’s Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet wins mayoral primary

Cherelle Parker, a former city council member and state representative, is considered the likely favorite to become the city’s 100th mayor. Her campaign included a focus on street cleanliness and litter issues.

By Cole Rosengren • May 17, 2023

How a pivotal Philadelphia election could shape the city’s future waste policy

Tuesday’s Democratic mayoral primary features a tight race among multiple candidates. The Waste Free Philly coalition has asked them to go big and rethink local services.

By Will Peischel • May 16, 2023

Amazon, Yum Brands, Kroger face upcoming shareholder votes on circular packaging

Shareholder advocacy nonprofit As You Sow, which negotiated a recent agreement with McDonald’s, has filed numerous proposals seeking to curb plastic usage and prompt major brands to consider reusable packaging.

By Maria Rachal • May 10, 2023

WM CEO Jim Fish discusses the economy, labor automation and sustainability investments

The industry’s most high-profile executive weighed in about what will and won’t be changing when it comes to WM’s strategy on temporary labor, secondary processing for recyclables, anaerobic digestion and more.

By Cole Rosengren • May 10, 2023

Rep. Chellie Pingree discusses federal food waste proposals ahead of farm bill debate

The co-founder of the Bipartisan Food Recovery Caucus, who has been one of the more active members of Congress on this issue, hopes that funding increases for the U.S. EPA and USDA could grow momentum.

By Jacob Wallace • May 9, 2023

The next frontier in California organics recycling: edible food recovery

Even Bay Area cities with organics programs are new to working with food donation organizations. Now, local waste professionals are learning additional skills to help meet a 20% edible food waste reduction goal by 2030.

By Mary Catherine O'Connor • May 8, 2023

Boston plans to triple the size of its curbside organics program this summer

The city had already planned to reach 20,000 households this year but will now scale that even more. In the meantime, a USDA grant will help fund efforts to assess the potential for a new organics recycling site within the city.

By Cole Rosengren • April 25, 2023

Have we reached peak food waste? New data shows changing patterns

New data from ReFED and the U.S. EPA show that wasted food per person increased before the pandemic but may be beginning to decline.

By Jacob Wallace • April 24, 2023