RecycleNet Acquires RecycleXchange
RecycleNet Corporation (OTC: GARM) is pleased to announce the acquisition of RecycleXchange (www.recyclexchange.com), an Internet portal focused on waste exchanges and the trade of used materials. RecycleXchange will add to the web traffic generated at Recycler's World (www.recycle.net). Currently, RecycleNet Corporation's web sites generate over 1.4 million unique web site visitors per month, company officials said...Read More »
Court Strikes Down Class-Action Suit Against Wood Preservers
The American Wood Preservers Institute, based in Reston, Va., has announced that the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida has denied class action status to a lawsuit challenging the safety of CCA-treated wood and its warnings. Among other reasons, the Court stated that the establishment of a class is unwarranted given the relatively small number of claims related to CCA-treated wood: "For instance, even in spite of the seventy year history of treated wood's use in this country, there is no track record of cases in which plaintiffs were alleging property damage as a result of treated wood. And there is no indication that a sea of litigation over treated wood is imminent." The plaintiffs conceded that there have only been a handful of personal injury cases filed involving these products...Read More »
Washington Group Rolls Out New Hazardous Waste Management System
Washington Group International, Inc. (OTCBB: WGII) has introduced a new system that secures, monitors, and tracks transportation containers used in the shipment and storage of hazardous waste and other highly sensitive material. The new Washington Smart Secure Drum was introduced at the Waste Management trade show in Tucson, Arizona. Utilizing a tamper-proof stainless-steel electronic locking device, customizable sensor arrays, a global-positioning system, and secure wireless communications for remote detection, the system is designed to safeguard and monitor standard 55-gallon drums used to ship hazardous waste and other sensitive materials...Read More »
Jury Awards $17 Million To Family Affected By Landfill
A jury has awarded a San Antonio family $17 million after the panel concluded that a now 8-year-old girl developed leukemia due to toxic chemicals from a city landfill. According to the lawsuit, toxic chemicals escaped from the West Avenue Landfill and poisoned Sarah Pollock. The landfill was located behind the Pollock's backyard. The jury found that the city failed to replace an often-broken gas collection system at the landfill. An attorney for the Pollocks presented evidence that the highest concentrations of toxic gas, including benzene, were found directly behind the Pollock home. But city attorneys argued that nothing from the landfill, which has since been capped, caused the leukemia...Read More »
Toronto, Michigan Discuss Trash Management Issues
The city of Toronto has sent officials to discuss trash issues with Michigan as the Canadian city tries to calm the furor that has arisen over imported international waste. Last December, Toronto began sending all its waste to Michigan when an Ontario landfill closed. The sudden surge in waste, coupled with a new governor and legislature in Michigan, has put a new spotlight on Toronto. Toronto accounts for a quarter of the approximately 4 million tons of external waste shipped to Michigan each year. Michigan is the third-largest U.S. importer of waste, after Pennsylvania and Virginia. But Toronto officials note that Michigan has a deal with Ontario to ship hazardous waste to Canada for disposal. Two years ago, Toronto killed plans to send its waste to an abandoned mine in northern Ontario. At the time, the city unveiled an ambitious 10-year plan to divert all its waste from landfills to recycling programs by 2010. Until then, Michigan was to have been a stopgap measure...Read More »
State of Michigan Threatens Suit of Macomb Landfill Authority
The Michigan Attorney General's office has given the South Macomb Disposal Authority until April to reach a settlement on the cleanup of the contaminated site, or face a lawsuit in Macomb Circuit Court. The state will proceed with its $1.4 million lawsuit to force a cleanup of the former landfill unless a settlement can be reached. Sterling Heights officials said they plan to work with the state to ensure that city property and waterways surrounding the landfill remain protected during the eventual cleanup...Read More »
Waste Connections Announces Acquisitions, Revenue Expectations
Waste Connections Inc. has agreed to purchase three franchise collection companies with about $32 million in annualized revenue. Waste Connections reported 2002 revenue of $498.7 million. The company plans to acquire Green Team of San Jose, Green Waste of Tehema, Calif., and an unnamed company in Oregon. With these transactions, Waste Connections signed agreements for more than half its 2003 annualized acquisition target of $60 million. They may close during the second quarter or later. Waste Connections expects 2003 revenue between $585 million and $595 million, below an average Wall Street projection of $602.4 million. Wall Street has since lowered its mean 2003 revenue forecast to $595.1 million...Read More »
Sapphos Environmental Forms New Land Use Planning Services Group
Sapphos Environmental, Inc. has announced the formation of its new Land Use Planning Services Group. The Land Use Planning Services Group will augment and complement Sapphos Environmental, Inc.'s existing environmental compliance and resource management services. Sapphos Environmental, Inc.'s new group formalizes the firm's planning function, and expands previous experience in land use planning, redevelopment, urban design, and parks, recreation, and open space planning...Read More »
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