EPA Says Recycling is Up and Waste is Down
In what must strike industry professionals as contrary to empirical evidence, US EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson has recently announced that waste volumes are down by 2% from those in 2004. This despite a growing population and economy, and as far as most can tell, an ever more disposable consumer product marketplace. Never mind that most waste firms have reported both strong pricing and volume improvement as contributing to solid financial results. His speech seems to have been tailor made for its audience the National Recycling Coalition and the election season. Nevertheless, we can agree that diversion through materials recovery continues to make progress especially as higher disposal pricing and fuel costs drive the incentive to do so...Read More »
Scientists Say Animals That Searched World Trade Center Debris No Sicker Than Normal
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania who studied the health of the search-and-rescue dogs used at 9/11 sites found no statistical evidence that the dogs suffered ill-health effects...Read More »
Time Frame Too Short For New Study on Potential Rail Route To Yucca Mountain
The Energy Department opened a 45-day public comment period on Oct. 13 for a new environmental study on a potential rail route that would take loads of nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain in Nevada. Bob Loux, executive director of Nevada's Agency for Nuclear Projects, wants the department to extend the comment period to at least 90 days and to have detailed maps ready to show the public on the new route...Read More »
Jenkins Brick Has Built A $56 Million Plant Next To A Landfill To Use Its Gas As Fuel
For the first time, a major U.S. manufacturing facility has been sited and built next to a landfill specifically to use the landfill gas as fuel. The new Jenkins Brick Company's $56 million manufacturing plant in Moody, Ala., will use landfill gas to fuel its kilns, satisfying 40 percent of the plant's energy needs initially, with 100 percent projected in 10 years as the landfill grows...Read More »
Consortium of Coal-Powered Utilities Adopt Standards for Combustion
A consortium of coal-burning electric utilities, the Utility Solid Waste Activities Group (USWAG), has agreed to new voluntary standards aimed at reducing the environmental risk posed by fly ash, heavy metals and other combustion wastes sent to landfills and impoundment structures. By encouraging widespread implementation of voluntary standards, USWAG hopes to dissuade the EPA from implementing sweeping new regulations for coal combustion products (CCPs), possibly under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act or the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act...Read More »
SPSA Owes More than $250 Million and Has Just 11 Years to Pay it Off
The Southeastern Public Service Authority owes more than $250 million and has 11 years to pay it off. It will mean higher taxes and/or fees for the residents of South Hampton Roads and Western Tidewater. The agency was mismanaged, SPSA's executive director, John Hadfield, admits. The City of Chesapeake recently filed an unsuccessful lawsuit to escape its contract for which it too had played a role in the agency's current woes...Read More »
NSWMA Publishes White Paper on Bird Flu to Help Industry Prepare for Possible Outbreak
In its continuing efforts to inform and emphasize safety in the waste management work place, the NSWMA has published a white paper entitled "Avian Influenza: The Hunt and Peck for Answers." The paper is intended to provide industry professionals with basic information about the current scientific understanding of the disease as well as what experts believe to be the best practices in the management of carcasses and other contaminated materials in the event of an actual outbreak...Read More »
Waste Connections Reports Strong Third Quarter Albeit Slight Drop in Net
Waste Connections, Inc. (NYSE: WCN) released financial results for the third quarter (ended September 30, 2006) that show an increase in revenues by nearly 15% to 216.5 million from $188.7 a year ago. Much of the gain was attributed to a strong pricing environment. However, net income decreased slightly to $21.9 million ($0.47 per share) from $24.5 million ($0.51 per share) last year. The drop in net income was attributed to some unusual financing and compensation costs, insurance claims from prior years, and an increase in effective state tax rates...Read More »
Covanta Will Host Conference Call to Discuss Third Quarter Results
Covanta Holding Corp. (NYSE: CVA) will host a conference call on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 to discuss what investors hope will not be scary third quarter results, which are to be released the previous day...Read More »
BFI Canada Will Host Conference Call to Discuss Third Quarter on November 7
BFI Canada Income Fund (TSX: BFC.UN) will host a conference call on Tuesday November 7, 2006 to discuss the previous day's release of third quarter financial results...Read More »
Clean Harbors to Announce Third-Quarter 2006 Financial Results on November 8
Clean Harbors, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLHB) will host a conference call on Wednesday, November 8th, 2006 to discuss third quarter financial results...Read More »
Labrie Equipment Restructuring to Bolster Corporate Identity
Labrie Equipment is restructuring following its acquisition of various Leach Company assets from Federal Signal Corporation. The Labrie Environmental Group will include the Labrie, Leach, Wittke, Juggler and Industrial Lifters brands. The restructuring is meant to combine the talents and strengths of each of those brands with the equity of the Labrie industry name...Read More »
Waste Services Will Release Third Quarter Results on November 8
Waste Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: WSII) plans to release financial results for the third quarter, ended September 30, at the close of markets on Wednesday, November 8th, 2006 and host a conference call the next day to discuss those results. CEO David Sutherland-Yoest says that "we remain confident of our 2006 adjustment EBITDA guidance of $77 million to $80 million..."...Read More »
American Ecology Posts Solid Third Quarter Revenues But Profits Off
American Ecology Corp. (Nasdaq: ECOL) announced that despite an 11% rise in third quarter revenues to $27.5 million from $24.8 million last year, earnings for the period fell to $3 million ($0.16 per share) from $7.7 million ($0.43 per share) in the corresponding period last year. Evidently last year's profit included a gain of $0.18 per share from a favorable lawsuit settlement...Read More »
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