Americans Recycle 28.5 Percent Of Their Trash… But Still Throw Most Away
BioCycle magazine's 15th Nationwide Survey, the 2006 "State of Garbage In America," reports that while Americans recycled 28.5 percent of their waste, or 110.4 million tons, still greater amounts (248.6 million tons or 64 percent) are heading for landfills. The remaining 7.4 percent or 28.9 million tons are burned in mostly waste-to-energy plants. The report released appropriately on Earth Day, is conducted by BioCycle, Journal of Composting & Organics Recycling, in conjunction with the Earth Engineering Center of Columbia University and includes help from Waste Business Journal.
Highlights of the study include:
-- The national recycling rate increased from 26.7% in 2002 to 28.5 percent in 2004.
The nation produced 387.9 million tons of garbage in 2004.
Americans generate 1.3 tons/person/year of municipal solid waste.
States with the highest recycling rates (>40%) include: Oregon: 45.8%; Minnesota: 43.2%; New York: 43.0%; Tennessee: 42.2%; Washington: 40.5%.
Regionally, the West leads in recycling - 38% - followed by the Mid-Atlantic (33%), and Great Lakes (31%).
Texas leads the nation in remaining landfill space - 1.1 billion tons of capacity. Massachusetts is running out, with 2.3 million tons of capacity left.
Thirty-nine states indicated that landfill capacity is being added in their state; nine said it was not.
There are close to 3,500 facilities in the U.S. composting leaves, grass clippings, and/or tree trimmings...Read More »
Waste Connections Reports First Quarter 2006 Results
Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE: WCN) announced financial results for the first quarter 2006. Revenue totaled $190.2 million, a 15.6% increase over revenue of $164.4 million in the year ago period. Operating income was $39.2 million versus operating income of $38.7 million in the first quarter of 2005. Net income in the quarter was $15.7 million, or $0.33 per share on a diluted basis of 47.6 million shares.
Waste Connections will be hosting a conference call related to first quarter earnings and second quarter outlook on April 25th at 8:30 A.M. EDT...Read More »
Bedford, VA Girds for Eminent Domain Battle Over Old Landfill
A landowner in Bedford Virginia claims that the city is using the threat of eminent domain to force him to drop his $2.5 million lawsuit against the city. In that lawsuit, landowner Mike Schrock claims that the city's now closed landfill, that operated from 1960 to 1994, has damaged his 44-acre property and business operations. Shrock believes that the city's initial offer of $300,000 did not constitute a bona fide offer that is a prerequisite to the exercise of eminent domain or condemnation. The city believes that it must acquire the property to insure adequate environmental protection...Read More »
National Solid Wastes Management Association Issues White Paper on Greenhouse Gases
The National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) announced that its white paper, "Municipal Solid Waste Industry Reduces Greenhouse Gases through Technical Innovation and Operational Improvements," is now available. The paper makes the case that the municipal solid waste (MSW) industry has made great strides in reducing its impacts on the environment by reducing the release of greenhouse gases (GHG) that cause global warming. The paper documents progress made since 1970 and describes future initiatives that hold promise...Read More »
Rail-Haul Plan to Convert Old Mine into a Destination for East Coast Waste
A New York rail company, Chartwell International, proposes to excavate limestone and coal from a closed southeastern Ohio mine in order to make room for waste hauled by rail from the east coast. The Lawrence Economic Development Corp. that represents the host community expects the project to provide much needed jobs and revenue. Chartwell based in Syosset, N.Y., bought Belville Mining, owner of the mine, and its corporate parent, E-Rail Logistics, for $9.2 million in September 2005. Ohio is among the top five importers of waste at 3.1 million tons in 2004 up from 2.5 million tons a year earlier...Read More »
Gundle/SLT Environmental, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2006 Conference Call
Gundle/SLT Environmental, Inc. (GSE), will release its first quarter 2006 financial and operating results on Tuesday, May 2, 2006. The company will host a conference call May 4, 2006, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). This call will discuss results of operations for the first three months of 2006 and answer questions from participants.
One can join the conference call by dialing 800.967.7184 or, if calling from outside the United States 719.457.2633, and enter conference ID#7365416. The conference call will also be broadcast live over the Internet. To access the webcast, visit www.gseworld.com and select "Events and Webcasts" in the "Investor Relations" section...Read More »
Industrial Services of America, Inc. Reports Preliminary First Quarter Results
Industrial Services of America, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDSA), a provider of logistics management services, waste equipment, recyclable commodities and other materials, announced un-audited financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, 2006. Revenues for the quarter were $14.5 million compared with $29.7 million in 2005 due to a reduction in management fee revenues. Net income for the first quarter of 2006 was $416,526 ($.12/share) compared with net income of $149,088 ($.04/share) for the first quarter of 2005...Read More »
Apple Extends US Computer Recycling Program
Computer company Apple has extended its computer recycling program in the US and is offering free computer take-back and recycling upon the purchase of a new Macintosh system, starting from June 2006.
Apple said that US customers purchasing a new Mac through the company's online or retail stores will receive free shipping and environmentally friendly disposal of their old computer as part of the recycling program...Read More »
Circuit City and RBRC Team for Recycling Program
Circuit City Stores and the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a nonprofit, public service organization dedicated to recycling used rechargeable batteries and old cell phones, announced a new relationship that integrates RBRC's recycling program, Call2Recycle, into Circuit City stores throughout the U.S...Read More »
Cascades Acquires Caraustar's Sprague Board Mill
Cascades Inc. announces that it has entered into an agreement with Caraustar Industries, Inc. ( "Caraustar") to acquire the assets of Caraustar's coated recycled board mill located in Sprague, Connecticut for a total purchase price of US$ 14.5 million. Closure of this transaction is subject to the approval of the environmental authorities of the State of Connecticut. The parties anticipate these formalities will be completed within a month. The Sprague mill is a state of the art manufacturing facility with an annual production capacity of close to 180 000 short tons which represents an estimated 7% of the North-American coated recycled boxboard manufacturing capacity...Read More »
Ashland and Engelhard Team to Reduce Waste Going to Texas Landfills
Ashland Environmental Services (www.ashchem.com/adc/enviro), a division of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) has teamed up with its client Engelhard Corporation (www.engelhard.com) to divert more than 29.2 million pounds of Titanium Dioxide Slurry, a Class Two Non-Hazardous Waste from going into Texas landfills. Engineers working for the companies discovered that the material used as mineral filler improves road paving material. The mineral filler is not directly taken to a construction site, but is reprocessed into flexible road base material and then sent to construction sites...Read More »
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