California Assembly Passes Landmark E-Waste Law
California's state Assembly has advanced landmark legislation designed to recycle e-waste. Under the law, which would create the first state e-waste program in the nation, consumers would pay an up-front fee of $6 to $10 at retail stores to cover the costs of recycling electronic waste. The bill also bans the export of e-waste to underdeveloped countries. California Gov. Gray Davis vetoed a similar measure last year because it would have created a new bureaucracy to handle the e-waste, but has indicated he will sign a bill this year if it is approved by the full Legislature...Read More »
Republic Reduces Guidance For 2003 Earnings
Republic Services Inc. (NYSE: RSG) has lowered both the high and low ends of its 2003 guidance by 14 cents to $1.32 to $1.34 a share. In a statement, the company said that its previous targets for 2003 earnings were $1.46 to $1.48 a share. Nine cents of the reduction were attributed to an additional self-insurance requirement, while the remaining five cents were related to higher fuel costs and other components of the weak economy. Last year, the company earned $239.6 million, or $1.44 a share (including a one-time gain) on $2.37 billion in revenue. Excluding the $3.5 million gain from an asset sale, the company earned $236.1 million, or $1.42 a share...Read More »
Court Rules Against Grace In Asbestos Case
A federal court has ruled against W.R. Grace & Co. (NYSE: GRA) in a dispute over asbestos cleanup costs at a mining site near Libby, Mont. The court has ordered the company to pay $54.5 million, the largest fine ever in a Superfund lawsuit. The money will be used to help with cleanup costs at Grace's former vermiculite mining and processing activities. The court also held Grace responsible for paying the EPA's future costs to clean up hundreds of properties contaminated by the company's operations and screen the health of residents. EPA officials have said Grace's bill could eventually reach $110 million...Read More »
Santa Clarita Could Close The Door On Diaper Recycling
Santa Clarita officials are recommending that their first-in-the-nation recycling program for disposable diapers be brought to a close because of its extreme cost. After the 10-month pilot program concluded, city officials found that although the program was popular, the technology used to recycle the diapers was simply too expensive and not effective enough. About 43 tons of disposable diapers were hauled from 400 homes, but only 3.6 tons were turned into pulp and plastic, and nearly 7 tons were not fit for sale. The diaper processor from Knowaste had problems throughout the pilot program, city officials said, and including utility costs, resulted in costs of $1,846 per ton to recycle the diapers...Read More »
Casella Waste Wins Pennsylvania County Landfill Contract
Casella Waste Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CWST) has been selected to operate the McKean County, Penn. landfill for more than 20 years. The McKean County Solid Waste Authority will now negotiate the 22-year service agreement with Casella to operate the 1,000-ton per day landfill. Casella Waste Systems, based in Rutland, VT., is a regional, integrated non-hazardous solid waste services company...Read More »
Waste Management Names New VP of Price Management
Waste Management Inc. (NYSE: WMI) has announced the appointment of Jim Fish as vice president of Price Management. Fish will lead the company's pricing activities, working in conjunction with Waste Management's pricing team to implement pricing strategies across the company. Prior to joining Waste Management, Fish served as vice president of finance for WestEx...Read More »
Peterson Attorneys Look To San Francisco Landfill For Clues
Defense attorneys for accused killer Scott Peterson have floated a theory that the body of Peterson's pregnant wife Laci could have been dumped at the Albany Bulb landfill near San Francisco, according to the Modesto Bee. Attorneys have also aired the idea that the paintings made by artists at the landfill could portray satanic rituals. The landfill is located not far from the San Francisco Bay location where Laci Peterson's body washed ashore. Critics have charged that the attorneys are simply trying to plant seeds of doubt and are trying to taint the jury pool...Read More »
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