Here’s the Waste Robotics Market News including the 10 key news of this week in waste and recycling industries. This week, municipalities, cities, population and companies get involved in recycling and reducing waste.
EPA: US recycling rate was less than 26 percent in 2015
July 31, 2018 – The combined recycling and composting rate for municipal solid waste (MSW) in the United States in 2015 remained on par with the rate seen in 2014, according to figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released in July. The EPA’s “Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2015 Fact Sheet” assesses trends in material generation, recycling, composting, combustion with energy recovery and landfilling in the U.S. According to the report, only 25.8 percent of the nearly 262 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in the U.S. in 2015 were recovered for recycling. When composting is considered in combination with recycling, the diversion rate increases to 34.7 percent. That figure was 34.6 percent in 2014.
Read more on Waste Today
Global Waste Recycling Market Outlook 2018 report reveals only 20 to 25 percent e-waste documented as collected and recycled
July 30, 2018 – Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, Global Waste Recycling Market Outlook, 2018, reveals close to 48.2 million tonnes of eWaste was generated in 2017, of which only 20 to 25 percent was documented to be collected and recycled. The remaining waste was either landfilled or disposed of unsafely or illegally in lesser developed countries. This scenario is likely to persist in the absence of stringent regulations, closed-loop supply chains, and greater producer responsibility. China made a market-altering decision when it announced a ban on the import of 24 categories of recyclables and solid waste by the end of 2017. This decision will force the world’s biggest waste importers, which include the UK, the US, Europe, and Japan, to build new recycling infrastructure in their own facilities or look to other Southeast Asian countries for waste management.
Read more on Recycling Products News
Recycling Partnership and PepsiCo Foundation launch largest-ever industry challenge to boost U.S. residential recycling
July 31, 2018 – The PepsiCo Foundation and national non-profit The Recycling Partnership, have announced the launch of “All In On Recycling” — the largest ever industry-wide residential recycling challenge to make recycling easier for 25 million families across the U.S. The PepsiCo Foundation is providing $10 million in funding to jumpstart the challenge, which is one of the largest-ever public gifts of its kind. The goal of the challenge is to raise $25 million in total donations from leading businesses, companies, and organizations. In addition to contributions from other corporations, the more than 2,800 communities that participate in the initiative are expected to triple the collective investment, catalyzing roughly $75 million in municipal funding, and bringing the total amount of support to $100 million.
Read more on Recycling Products News
Three in four people confused about how to reduce single-use plastics
August 2, 2018 – New research released by North London Waste Authority (NWLA) has found 3 in 4 residents are confused about how to reduce their single-use plastics. Half of the 2,020 UK adults surveyed by Censuswide thought that recycling as much as possible rather than not using plastic bottles was the best way to reduce the impact on the environment. NWLA has therefore issued a reminder to encourage switching to reusable bottles under its Wise Up To Waste campaign.
Read more on Recycling Waste World
Kraft Heinz expands environmental commitments to include sustainable packaging
August 2, 2018 – The Kraft Heinz Company, Chicago, announced July 31 that it is expanding its environmental stewardship strategy to include time-bound targets for achieving greater packaging sustainability. Specifically, Kraft Heinz announced it supports the move toward a circular economy and aims to make 100 percent of its packaging globally recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. This announcement, a complement to its “Growing a Better World” strategy released in last year’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report, supports the company’s broader efforts to improve the sustainability of its supply chain.
Read more on Waste Today
Better Quality Recycling Key to Protecting Recovered Material Markets
August 3, 2018 – The Recycling Association, which represents 80 UK organisations producing more than 5 million tonnes of recyclate each year, has called for an increase in the quality of the materials being produced but noted that producers have been able to adapt quickly following China’s Sword policy. The organisation encouraged visitors to RWM 2018 to visit its stand to ensure they have a true understanding of the steps they can take to improve material quality. Simon Ellin, CEO of The Recycling Association, said that doing so will protect material markets both at home and abroad in what continues to be turbulent times: “We have spent the last two years very vociferously campaigning for quality recycling,” said Simon Ellin.
Read more on Waste Management World
King County Executive proposes discount for low-income solid waste customers
August 2, 2018 – King County Executive Dow Constantine has proposed a discounted fee for qualifying low-income customers at County solid waste disposal facilities. This discount is meant to help low-income customers better afford the basic costs of living, including essential county services. Qualifying customers visiting King County solid waste recycling and transfer stations would be eligible to receive a discounted solid waste disposal fee if legislation proposed by King County Executive Dow Constantine is approved by the King County Council.
Read more on King County’s Website
Bukkawaste Launches UK First In Waste Management
August 2, 2018 – Astley-based Bukkawaste has launched the UK’s first ever online waste collection service. Following 12 months of in-depth research and development, Bukkawaste has launched the online service and app in response to the trend of reduced waste collection services across Greater Manchester and the increased demand by consumers. With mountains of filthy rubbish being left spilling out of bins around Manchester and the North West showing a decrease in recycling of waste over the past 12 months* it is clear that there is a real problem.
Read more on Business Up North
Separate and don’t contaminate, says Essex Windsor recycling plant
August 2, 2018 – ‘Our plant wasn’t designed to manage pots and pans and high chairs and propane tanks,’ says waste authority. Soon if you don’t recycle correctly, the blue box will be left behind — full. Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority is auditing recycling trucks throughout the month of August to see what items people are not recycling properly. The push for stricter rules came from China and it trickled down to Canadian markets, said Anne-Marie Albidone, manager of environmental services with the City of Windsor. During August there will be visual audits of what people are recycling incorrectly.
Read more on CBC News
Councils call for ban on low-grade plastics
August 6, 2018 – The Local Government Association (LGA) has called for governments to introduce a ban on low-grade plastic packaging. New LGA analysis found just one third of plastic in packaging pots and trays is currently able to be recycled. Although 525,000 tonnes of plastic pots, tubs and trays are used by households every year, analysis found just 169,145 tonnes of this waste is able to be recycled. The LGA has criticised manfucaturers for creating a ‘smorgasboard’ of unrecyclable and damaging plastic flow into the environment. It blames poorly designed every day food packaging such as black plastic microwave meals which cannot be easily detected and margarine and ice cream tubs made out of hard to recycle polypropylene.
Read more on Recycling Waste World
