House Bill Would Let States Limit Interstate Waste Imports
A Pennsylvania congressman has introduced legislation that would allow states to restrict interstate waste imports. The bill, H.R. 5656, would amend the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA) to allow states to require that interstate waste come only from states "with equivalent or higher standards of waste handling and reduction." States could also impose higher fees on interstate waste imports, regardless of waste handling and reduction standards and differentiate the fees depending on whether the waste is disposed of at a landfill, resource recovery facility, waste-to-energy facility or other facility. The bill, which was introduced by Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) on July 7, has four co-sponsors, all Democrats, and is a companion to legislation introduced by Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) last year. Pennsylvania is by far the largest importer of waste and has employed various tactics over many years to attempt to stem the flow...Read More »
San Francisco Enacts Broad Ban on Plastic Foam
The City of San Francisco, CA has enacted an ordinance that bans the sale of plastic foam, used primarily in food containers and disposable coolers. It is set to take effect next year and expands a 2006 ban on take-out food containers made of the "expanded polystyrene" foam, sometimes incorrectly referred to as Styrofoam. Opponents of the measure say it will do nothing to address foam-wrapped goods that are shipped into the city. Proponents argue that the foam products are difficult to recycle and can take hundreds of years to degrade. In California, more than 70 cities, including San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Monica, have restrictions on plastic foam container use. New York City tried to ban single-use plastic foam products last year, but that was overturned by a state judge who said the foam containers could be recycled...Read More »
Santa Barbara CA Approves $110 million Recycling Facility
Santa Barbara County, CA's Board of Supervisors has approved plans to build an ambitious $110.5 million multi-tiered recycling facility. The decision comes as the county is looking to save precious landfill space of which their own Tajiguas Landfill only has a remaining lifespan of 10 years. The sprawling facility will include a 73,600 ton-per-year anaerobic digestion (AD) facility, a 250,000 ton-per-year material recovery facility, a composting area and supporting facilities and infrastructure. The AD will convert organic waste into either "bio-gas," which would both drive on-site power generators for Tajiguas' use as well as be sent to the power grid, or "digestate," compost or soil amendments that can be sold for agricultural or landscaping use...Read More »
Harvest Power Buys Wood Processor near Vancouver
The organic waste company Harvest Power Inc. (Waltham, MA) announced that its Canadian subsidiary, Harvest Urban Wood Recycling, Ltd, has merged with Smithers Enterprises, Inc. (SEI), to broaden its wood recycling services in the Vancouver, BC region. Landfills in that region are not permitted to dispose clean wood waste. Harvest and SEI receive construction and demolition waste, extract the metals for recycling, and process the clean wood into biofuels for industrial customers. "Diverting clean wood from the landfill is one of the top sustainability priorities of the region," said Sam Monaco, Senior Vice President of Harvest. Harvest and SEI operate wood recycling facilities in both Vancouver and New Westminster...Read More »
Waste Connections to Report 2Q Results on Aug. 3
Waste Connections, Inc. (The Woodlands, TX) will report financial results for the second quarter after the close of the stock market on August 3. The company will host a conference call the following morning at 8:30 am Eastern...Read More »
Advanced Disposal to Report 2Q Results on Aug. 4
Advanced Disposal (Ponte Vedra, FL) plans to report second quarter results on August 4 after the market closes. The company will host a conference call the following morning at 10 am Eastern...Read More »
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