Waste Age

Los Angeles City Council approves plan to double trash fees 

Last week, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a plan submitted by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to gradually raise residential trash fees to fund a major expansion of the Los Angeles Police Department. ...

NSWMA testifies before U.S. House on unregulated railroad waste facilities 

The National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) has submitted comments before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Railroads, which is examining unregulated waste management facilities on railroad properties....

Pennsylvania announces $20 million in recycling grants 

On Thursday, Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell announced that the state had issued 116 new grants totaling $20 million to support municipal recycling programs....

Plastic bag recycling bill passes California State Assembly 

Yesterday, the California State Assembly approved a measure requiring grocery stores and supermarkets to provide for the recycling of plastic shopping bags....

Cost to close Fresh Kills, N.Y. landfill dwarfs previous estimates 

New York City sanitation commissioner John J. Doherty said yesterday that closing Staten Island’s Fresh Kills landfill could cost more than $1.4. billion over 30 years and require an additional five years of work. ...

U.S. Justice Department to probe prison computer recycling operations 

This week, the Inspector General for the U.S. Justice Department announced an investigation into the computer recycling enterprises operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons....

EPA and Best Buy continue New Orleans e-waste cleanup 

In partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington, Best Buy, Richfield, Minn., has eliminated 100,000 pounds of damaged electronics from New Orleans. ...

NSWMA issues report on greenhouse gas reduction in solid waste operations 

The National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA), Washington, has issued a new white paper addressing the efforts of the solid waste industry to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. ...

Waste Industries USA reports first-quarter earnings 

Raleigh, N.C.-based Waste Industries USA has released its first-quarter (1Q) 2006 earnings, reporting revenues of $79.2 million with a net income of $3.4 million for the period. ...

Allied Waste reports first-quarter growth 

In first-quarter results released today, Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Allied Waste reported net income of $41 million, or 8 cents per share, a 64 percent increase over the $25 million, or 5 cents per share, it earned during the same period a year ago. ...

EPA tightens emission standards for large MWCs 

On Monday the Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule tightening emissions limits for large municipal waste combustors (MWC), or trash incinerators that burn more than 250 tons a day of solid waste....

United Haulers Association appeals flow control case to Supreme Court 

The United Haulers Association (UHA) has filed a Petition for Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court in an 11-year-long flow control case in upstate New York....

Study reveals Philadelphia’s flagging interest in recycling 

A study released Friday by the non-profit Greater Philadelphia Commercial Recycling Council (GPCRC) warns that, despite the establishment of comprehensive recycling programs, the region’s trash output is growing....

Metal Management and Southern Holdings divest Southern Recycling 

Scrap metal recycler Metal Management Inc. and Southern Holdings LLC today announced the sale of Southern Recycling LLC to European Metal Recycling Ltd. for $161.4 million in cash. ...

Waste Management announces first-quarter results 

According to results released today, Waste Management’s profits rose to $186 million, or 34 cents per share, from $150 million, or 26 cents a share, a year ago....

Steel industry announces record recycling rate 

According to new figures released by the Steel Recycling Institute, the recycling rate for U.S. steel rose to a record 75.7 percent in 2005. ...

Ohio DNR awards nearly $1.5 million for tire recycling 

Last week, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) announced $1.5 million in grants to businesses, schools and communities that submitted plans to collect, repurpose and recycle scrap tires. ...

New report slams Michigan recycling 

A study released last week by the Michigan Recycling Partnership reveals that the state recycles less than the national average and significantly less than some of its neighbors....

Apple expands free computer recycling program 

Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple Computer announced today that it would expand its free recycling program beginning in June....

Survey forecasts strong U.S. participation in Earth Day 

Based on the results of a survey released today by the nonprofit Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), 42 percent of Americans plan on personally doing something to demonstrate their support for Earth Day this year....

EPA adds six Superfund sites to National Priorities List and proposes four more 

Six new hazardous waste sites were named National Priorities on the Environmental Protection Agency’s list of Superfund sites....

Keith Foster Passes Away 

On April 15, Keith Foster, the founder of KEITH Mfg. Co. and its related companies, passed away after a brief battle with cancer. ...

Tentative agreement averts Seattle garbage strike 

According to an article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle garbage truck drivers over the weekend reached a tentative agreement for five-year contracts with Allied Waste Industries and Waste Management. ...

N.O. storm debris landfill given green light 

Despite protests from area residents and environmentalists, the Louisiana State Department of Environmental Quality approved the creation of a new construction landfill in eastern New Orleans....

EPA report indicates a decrease in release of toxic chemicals 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxin Release Inventory (TRI), released yesterday, the amount of toxic chemicals entering the environment in 2004 was 4 percent less than the amount measured in 2003....