Weekly News Bulletin: Jan. 29-Feb. 4, 2021
EPR Bill Could be Model for Other States
Two new recently drafted New York State recycling bills, if enacted, could set a conspicuous precedent for other states. State Senator Todd Kaminsky and Assemblyman Steve Englebright from Long Island said the bills would set up a "polluter pays" model that would require producers of plastic, cardboard and paper packaging to help cover the costs of municipal recycling programs. Both bills State Senate Bill S7718, and Assembly Bill A09790 would also mandate post-consumer content in new packaging...Read More »
Focus on ESG Likely to Drive Development of Green Tech
Large inflows into environmental, social and governance (ESG) funds will drive development of green technologies, all electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, and advances in renewable energy systems-- solar, wind, and batteries. Publicly-traded green company stocks have recently risen in value as institutional investors poured $80 billion into sustainable or ESG funds world-wide in the third quarter of last year, up fivefold from the quarterly rate in 2018, according to Morningstar. This could give technologies not currently economically feasible time and capital needed to do so. For example, between 2009 and 2019, the cost of photovoltaic solar power fell by 89 percent and that of onshore wind by 70 percent...Read More »
Biden EPA to Review Landfill Emissions
In a recent executive order, President Biden called for a review of the EPA's Emissions Guidelines for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (EG). The regulation, first put forth in 2016, finalized new source performance standards (NSPS) to reduce emissions of methane-rich landfill gas from new, modified, and reconstructed municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills but has been stalled in court ever since. In a separate action, the agency issued revised guidelines for reducing emissions from existing MSW landfills. The new regulations updated standards and guidelines put into place in 1996. Both rules consider a well-designed and well-operated landfill gas collection-and-control system as the best system of emission reduction for controlling landfill gas...Read More »
Hellman's Superbowl Ad to Spread Message About Food Waste
Hellman's joins several other brands in becoming first time advertisers in the Super Bowl. Hellman's has enlisted Amy Schumer to help deliver a message about eliminating food waste, which has been an area of focus for the company since CEO Alan Jope directed the brands under Unilever to find a purpose outside the one stated on the product...Read More »
GM Sets 2035 Emissions Reduction Target
General Motors, the largest US automaker by sales, has set 2035 as a target for phasing out gas- and diesel-powered vehicles it produces. Currently, 98 percent of the vehicles GM manufactures are powered by fossil fuels. The company aims to replace these models with electric counterparts by 2035 and go fully carbon neutral by 2040...Read More »
Boeing Commits to 100% Renewable Fuel Powered Jets by 2030
Boeing is targeting 2030 as the year when the entirety of the commercial jets it manufactures will be built to fly entirely on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). SAF is a fuel almost chemically identical to standard petroleum jet fuel, however it is derived from a variety of sources. Among the most common are used cooking oil and animal byproducts. According to studies done by the US Department of Energy, SAF can currently reduce carbon emissions of jets by up to 80 percent over the course of its lifecycle...Read More »
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