Compost/Organic Recycling — June 30, 2019Fairview, OR Moves Ahead on Food-Scrap Composting ProgramBy Wednesday, July 31, all cities within the Portland metro area are required to adopt ordinances that will require any business that generates more than 250 pounds of food waste to process the scraps separate from other waste. While the ordinances must be in place by the end of July, the food waste recycling program […] Compost/Organic Recycling — June 30, 2019
Government and Regulations — June 28, 2019California Inches Closer To Banning Sale And Manufacture Of Single-Use PlasticsCalifornia state lawmakers are pursuing phasing-out the sale and distribution of the most widely used, single-use plastic items. The lawmakers behind the California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act (SB 54 and AB 1080) plan to put the onus on manufacturers by having them greatly reduce production of these plastics by 2030. “We don’t think we […] Government and Regulations — June 28, 2019
Collection/Transfer — June 27, 2019SWANA Supports California Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Prevention ActThe Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) strongly supports legislation to create a recycling program for lithium-ion batteries in California under AB 1509, the Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Prevention Act. SWANA submitted a letter explaining the need for action to the State Senate Environmental Quality Committee ahead of its hearing on the proposed legislation on July […] Collection/Transfer — June 27, 2019
Government and Regulations — June 27, 2019Plastics Makers Welcome the Introduction of Save of Seas Act 2.0The American Chemistry Council (ACC) praised the Senate’s introduction of the Save Our Seas Act 2.0 and thanked Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) for continuing to lead a collaborative, bipartisan effort to address the problem of marine debris. “We are excited to work with Congress toward the passage of this important and […] Government and Regulations — June 27, 2019
Government and Regulations — June 25, 2019New Haven, CT’s Plastic Bag Ban Bounces ForwardAt New Haven’s regular monthly City Plan Commission meeting, commissioners voted four to one in favor of recommending the adoption of the proposed plastic bag ban amendment to the New Haven Code of Ordinances. Commissioner Leslie Radcliffe abstained from the vote. The proposed amendment, drafted and backed by the city’s Environmental Advisory Council, would prohibit […] Government and Regulations — June 25, 2019
Government and Regulations — June 24, 2019Rock Springs, WY City Council Approves Funding for Recycling CenterThe Ray Lovato Recycling Center will remain open through the 2019-20 fiscal year The $38.9 million budget approved by the city council includes $189,000 set aside for the center which announced back in April that the center would be forced to close its doors without immediate funding. After the announcement, several meetings took place which […] Government and Regulations — June 24, 2019
Compost/Organic Recycling — June 24, 2019Composting Vermont: One Year Until Food Scraps Aren’t Allowed in GarbageFood waste in Vermont will be banned from disposal starting July 1, 2020, the final step in an eight-year plan toward sending less waste into landfills. “Everyone, including businesses, homeowners and renters will be asked to keep food scraps out of their trash as part of the Universal Recycling Law,” said Agency of Natural Resources […] Compost/Organic Recycling — June 24, 2019
Government and Regulations — June 21, 2019G20 Agrees to Tackle Ocean Plastic WasteA group of 20 environment ministers have agreed to adopt a new implementation framework for actions to tackle the issue of marine plastic waste on a global scale, the Japanese government said after hosting the two-day ministerial meeting. Environment and energy ministers of the Group of 20 major economies met in Karuizawa, northwest of Tokyo, […] Government and Regulations — June 21, 2019
Collection/Transfer — June 20, 2019EPA Partnered with NDEQ, FEMA to Recover Potentially Hazardous ContainersThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality to recover containers with potentially hazardous materials. Operations began March 27, and the EPA has recovered over 2,200 containers, including drums, tanks and canisters, that were dislodged by floods. Containers and their contents were disposed […] Collection/Transfer — June 20, 2019
Government and Regulations — June 19, 2019New California Bill Could Revolutionize How the U.S. Tackles Plastic PollutionAt the end of May, the California Senate passed S.B. 54, the California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, introduced by Senator Ben Allen and modeled after the European effort. A day later, the state’s assembly passed identical legislation, A.B. 1080, introduced by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez. If the bills clear opposite houses and earn the […] Government and Regulations — June 19, 2019
Collection/Transfer — June 19, 2019Maine, Vermont Pass Plastic Bag Bans on Same DayGovernors in Maine and Vermont have signed bills into law that ban single-use plastic bags, making them the fourth and fifth states to pass such legislation. Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed a measure that says “a retail establishment may not provide a single-use carry-out bag to a customer at the point of sale or otherwise […] Collection/Transfer — June 19, 2019
Collection/Transfer — June 16, 2019Virginia Waste Management Board Approves Amendments to Hazardous Waste RegulationsAt its meeting in Richmond, the Virginia Waste Management Board (WMB) approved annual updates to the commonwealth’s regulations governing hazardous wastes, including the disposal of hazardous waste and the transportation of hazardous materials (9 VAC20-110 and 60). Today’s approvals make state regulations – implemented by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) – consistent with […] Collection/Transfer — June 16, 2019
