Clean Harbors completes purchase of Safety-Kleen

All-cash transaction is valued at $1.25 billion.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121228/NEWS01/121229960

Redhook Brewery lets Poly Recovery do its dumpster diving

New Hampshire's Poly Recycling now recycling more than 10,000 pounds of Redhook's waste a month

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121228/NEWS03/121229961

Parma, Ohio, votes to switch to automated collection

Move will save hundreds of thousands of dollars, say city officials

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121228/NEWS01/121229962

On the streets roundup: 2 workers killed on job

A hit-and-run in New York and a fatal accident in Minnesota tooks lives of workers earlier this month.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121228/NEWS06/121229964

Stories of the year

WRN reporters and editors pick the top stories of the year.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121228/NEWS01/121229966

Wichita's Allmetal Recycling buys Kamen Recycling

Scrap companies' offices will be merged into one operation

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121227/NEWS02/121229968

A deposit on cigarette butts? NY lawmaker proposes bottle-bill-style law

Program would call for a 1-cent deposit on cigarette butts

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121227/NEWS02/121229971

EPA boss Lisa Jackson says she's leaving agency

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced she is leaving the nation's top environmental post after four years on the job.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121227/NEWS08/121229969

62% of households hoarding, not recycling, old cell phones

Survey reveals that Americans unsure what to do with old phones; 1 in 9 are stashing four or more.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121227/NEWS02/121229970

More than 100 bid for Maui waste-to-energy project

Covanta Energy is among the 111 prospective bidders for a waste-to-energy facility in Maui County, Hawaii, the Maui News reported.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121227/NEWS01/121229972

Texas city files federal suit against landfill

Lewisville claims Camelot Landfill is an 'open dump' and is contaminating a nearby river

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121227/NEWS01/121229973

Missouri bill would alter grant program

A bill in Missouri would dissolve solid waste districts, which are responsible for nominating recycling and reuse projects to receive grant money from the state, the News Leader reported.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121226/NEWS08/121229978

Pennsylvania county to convert waste fleet to CNG

Lancaster County OK's plan to buy, convert vehicles and build fueling station.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121226/NEWS01/121229977

Gas collection system in the works at Florida landfill

Santa Rosa County officials submit plans for $1 million system.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121226/NEWS01/121229976

Thieves steal collection workers' tips in New York

Cash and gift card stolen in separate incidents on Long Island; suspects nabbed.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121226/NEWS06/121229979

Electronics recycler found guilty in exporting case

An electronics recycler and its two top executives were convicted of lying to customers, saying they were recycling hazardous components responsibly while they sent items to developing countries.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121226/NEWS02/121229980

Capital Briefs: Solid waste districts could be eliminated

Missouri: Senate Bill 13 would eliminate solid waste management districts and reduce landfill tipping fees by the amount previously used by the district for overhead and administration. Prefiled Dec. 1.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121226/NEWS08/121229982

Business Notes: Mack Trucks donates for Hurricane Sandy cleanup

Mack Trucks presented a $25,000 check to New York City Commissioner of Sanitation John J. Doherty to support relief efforts following Hurricane Sandy.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121226/NEWS01/121229981

E-Scrap News Magazine: E-scrap processor found guilty of illegal exporting

## E-scrap processor found guilty of illegal exporting

_By Jake Thomas, Resource Recycling_

Electronics recycling company Executive Recycling and two of its top executives have been convicted of multiple federal counts of mail and wire fraud and illegally exporting hazardous material.

The convictions for the Colorado-based company, along with its CEO, Brandon Richter, and Tor Olson, its former vice president of operations, comes after [an 11-day trial](http://resource-recycling.com/node/3327) that began on Dec. 3, followed by two and a half days for jury deliberations.

The executives and the company were [indicted](http://resource-recycling.com/node/2103) in September of last year as a result of an investigation by environmental justice group the Basel Action Network (BAN) that also brought more scrutiny to the issue of illicit exports of used electronics from the media and the federal government.

Executive Recycling, which also has in Nebraska and Utah, presented itself as a responsible electronics recycling company that didn't export the material it collected from private households, businesses and government entities overseas for processing.

The jury found that the company and the two executives defrauded government agencies and private businesses by offering to recycle their used electronics in compliance with all relevant laws, but instead illegally shipped the material overseas. Specifically, the jury found that the company and its executives sent cathode ray tubes (CRTs) to China.

"This criminal conviction demonstrates that there are no shortcuts to following U.S. export laws," said Kumar Kibble, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Denver, in a prepared statement. "For years this company also deceived the public by falsely advertising an environmentally friendly U.S. recycling business plan. Instead, it regularly exported obsolete and discarded electronic equipment with toxic materials to third-world countries, and took actions to illegally hide these practices from government officials."

According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Executive Recycling appeared as the exporter of record in over 300 shipments from the U.S. between 2005 and 2008. About 160 of the exported cargo containers contained a total of more than 100,000 CRTs.

Court records state that the jury did not convict the company nor its executives on all counts of fraud. Records also show that while Executive Recycling was found guilty on two counts of illegally exporting e-scrap, Richter and Olson were each found guilty on only one count. Additionally, Richter was found guilty of altering documents, while Olson was found not guilty of the same charge. Sentencing for Richter and Olson will take place in April.

Executive Recycling Inc. as a corporation faces a $500,000 fine for each of the seven wire fraud counts, or twice the gross gain or loss. The company also faces a fine of $50,000 for each day it did not file the proper notification to export hazardous waste, or twice the gross gain or loss. The company was also slapped with a fine of $500,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, for illegally exporting CRTs.

In a statement, BAN cheered the convictions, but argued that the case highlights that more need to be done to halt the shipment of e-scrap to the developing world.

"Executive Recycling was caught this time," Jim Puckett, the organization's executive director, said in a prepared statement. "But it has been almost impossible for the government to prosecute this kind of very common activity due to a lack of appropriate legislation."

The statement claimed that federal laws on exporting hazardous material are vague and ineffective, making this case difficult to prosecute. BAN also argues that the case highlights why Congress needs to pass legislation that would ban the export of used electronics to developing countries.

[ ](http://www.resource-recycling.com/images/recycledproducts/RecycledProducts1212.pdf)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3356

Ohio EPA takes over solid waste regulations for Wood County, Ohio

The Ohio EPA has taken over the authority to regulate solid waste, and construction and demolition debris in Wood County, the agency said.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121221/NEWS01/121229987

Rumpke Recycling gains unique financing to rebuild recycling center destoyed by fire

Work is slated to begin "any day now" on replacement of Rumpke Consolidated Companies' recycling facility near Cincinnati that was destroyed by fire in April.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121221/NEWS02/121229986

Fresno, California officials vote to outsource collection

Mid Valley Disposal will take over residential waste collection in Fresno, after officials voted to outsource the service, the Fresno Bee reported.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121221/NEWS01/121229990

Residents file suit over landfill odors in California

Republic Services' Sunshine Canyon site near Los Angeles is target of class action suit.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121221/NEWS01/121229988

Another possible dock from Japanese tsunami arrives on West Coast

Another dock likely washed into the Pacific Ocean following a devastating tsunami that hit Japan in 2011 has shown up on the West Coast.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121221/NEWS01/121229991

A giant puzzle with billions of pieces

Scientists have deciphered genetic information on microbes in biogas plants. Day after day, legions of microorganisms work to produce energy from waste in biogas plants.

URL: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/earth_climate/recycling_and_waste/~3/SEHOaKZ74iU/121221081613.htm

Permit expires for coal-fired ship in Lake Michigan

As expected, the permit to allow the SS Badger to continue to dump coal ash into Lake Michigan has expired.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121220/NEWS01/121229996

Vintage Tech Recyclers considers new facility with Finnish partner

Plainfield, Illinois, officials approve tax break to entice Vintage Tech to move headquarters to the city.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121220/NEWS02/121229994

Glass now being landfilled in Rhode Island

A quirk in a law passed earlier this year prohibits glass from being used as landfill cover

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121220/NEWS02/121229993

Waste worker in Japan finds $120,000 in cash

10,000-yen bills spotted on the conveyer belt of a waste pulverizing machine.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121220/NEWS06/121229992

Valet Waste makes changes at the top

Valet Waste is getting a new chairman and a new CEO in the new year.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121220/NEWS01/121229998

Plastics recycling jumps 24% in Canada

Addition of thermoformed polystyrene and other plastics in collection programs helps boost recycling.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121220/NEWS02/121229995

Plastics recycler, film extruder plans $16M expansion

Petoskey Plastics plans to expand all three of its facilities, located in Hartford City, Indiana; Morristown, Tennessee; and Petoskey, Michigan.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121220/NEWS02/121229997

Full-time garbage man, part-time lawmaker

Brett Harrell's official profile on the Georgia House of Representatives lists his occupation as garbage man.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121220/NEWS08/121229999

E-Scrap News Magazine: Ontario residents can expect higher fees for electronics

## Ontario residents can expect higher fees for electronics


_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

Ontario residents will be paying significantly higher environmental handling and recycling fees on purchases of new electronics after the first of the new year.

Waste Diversion Ontario has approved new interim fees proposed by Ontario Electronic Stewardship, which will remain in place until final revisions to the program are implemented in the first quarter of 2013.

While the new fees show little to no change for some items (such as telephones, home theater boxes and some sizes of display devices), fees for other items will see a [substantial increase](http://www.ontarioelectronicstewardship.ca/sites/all/files/pdf/fees/approved_revised_steward_fees_january_1_2013-rev-nov28.pdf). The fee for portable computers is increasing from 70 cents to $2.30 ($ CN), for instance, home A/V devices increase from $1.45 to $5.15, and floor-standing printers and multi-function devices increase from $32.50 to $341.20.

[ ](http://Ousei.jp)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3347

Resource Recycling Magazine: Time to send in your Recycling Innovators Forum abstracts

## Time to send in your Recycling Innovators Forum abstracts

With less than three weeks to go until 3-4 page abstracts of proposals are due, the response to the first-annual Recycling Innovators Forum has been outstanding. Forum organizers have already begun to receive submissions, with many more in the works for the **Jan. 7 deadline**.

The Recycling Innovators Forum is designed to seek out new ideas to move recycling forward. Forum organizers have identified a dozen topics innovators can focus their efforts on, covering everything from recycling markets, to engineering improvements, to innovative collection ideas, and more. The top 7-10 proposals will be asked to participate in the forum and competition for a chance to win a $20,000 grand prize and the opportunity to pitch their idea to investors.

Backed by Alcoa, The American Chemistry Council's Plastics Division, Coca-Cola Recycling, eCullet, Resource Recycling, Inc. and Waste Management, Inc., the Recycling Innovators Forum will be held August 26 in Louisville, Kentucky.

**The 3-4 page abstracts of proposals are due Jan. 7**. For more information, including official rules and guidelines, visit [recyclinginnovators.com](http://recyclinginnovators.com/), or click the banner below.

[ ](http://www.recyclinginnovators.com/)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3342

Resource Recycling Magazine: Recycling Resources

## Recycling Resources

The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (**CalRecycle**) recently released a number of greenhouse gas emission evaluations that could be of use to _Resource Recycling_ readers.

[_Evaluation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Recycled-Content Products: California Purchasing Guidelines for Plastic Products_](http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Detail.aspx?PublicationID=1432)

[_Evaluation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Recycled-Content Products: California Purchasing Guidelines for Carpet, Single-Use Alkaline Batteries, Monitors, Televisions, Laptops, and Tablet Computers_](http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Detail.aspx?PublicationID=1429)

[_Plastic Clamshell Container Case Study: The Potential Impacts of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in California on Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions_](http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Detail.aspx?PublicationID=1431)

[_Mattress and Box Spring Case Study: The Potential Impacts of Extended Producer Responsibility in California on Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions_](http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Detail.aspx?PublicationID=1430)

[_Single-Use Alkaline Battery Case Study: The Potential Impacts of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in California on Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions_](http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Detail.aspx?PublicationID=1433)

[_Residential and Commercial Carpet Case Study: The Potential Impacts of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in California on Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions_](http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Detail.aspx?PublicationID=1434)

[ ](http://www.resource-recycling.com/images/recycledproducts/RecycledProducts1212.pdf)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3335

Plastics Recycling Update Magazine: PSI offers different takes on plastic bags

## PSI offers different takes on plastic bags

_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

A recent webinar hosted by the Product Stewardship Institute offered information for multiple options to manage plastic bags and film.

Included was a presentation by Walter Willis of the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, Illinois, which successfully piloted a producer responsibility system for plastic bags and film in the county. The system eventually became the model for Illinois Senate Bill 102 in 2011 and later SB 3442 in 2012, which passed the legislature but was ultimately [vetoed by the governor](http://resource-recycling.com/node/3055) over concerns it would pre-empt more aggressive local action. That struggle between state and local control was cited specifically as a challenge that would need to be addressed if a statewide EPR program for plastic bags and film was to be revisited.

Offering different takes were Dick Lilly of Seattle Public Utilities and Jeffrey Seltzer of the Washington D.C. Department of the Environment, who briefed participants on bag bans and bag taxes, respectively. Seattle's bag ban specifically prevents retail stores from distributing single-use plastic bags to customers, and requires a five-cent fee for paper bags. The result has been the elimination of nearly all single-use plastic bags from Seattle stores. Fees of five-cents per single-use bag have produced similar results in Washington D.C. While bags are not banned in the District, the fees have reduced orders for bags by affected businesses by an estimated 50-70 percent. Additionally, revenue from the fees is being put toward litter prevention and cleanup, ecological restoration and other community improvements.

For an industry perspective, Brian Houghton of the Massachusetts Food Association presented information on a collaboration between the MFA and the state Department of Environmental Protection. The result was a coordinated, voluntary effort among grocers to reduce the number of plastic and paper bags, encourage recycling and provide incentives for the use of reusable bags. The result was a 25-percent reduction in the annual use of paper and plastic bags in 2010 (versus 2007) and a 33-percent reduction in the use of paper and plastic bags in 2011 – two years ahead of the predetermined goal.

"The bags themselves are not the problem, but rather what consumers do with them after they are finished using them for carrying their grocery items home," concluded Houghton. "Plastic bags are useful for the transportation of frozen products, raw meat, poultry and fish and other items that may tend to leak or create moisture. Although plastic bags can be harmful to the environment, the reason they become a problem is because of the improper disposal of them."

[ ](http://www.recyclinginnovators.com/)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3352

Resource Recycling Magazine: BMW, Boeing partner on carbon fiber recycling project

## BMW, Boeing partner on carbon fiber recycling project

_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

The BMW Group and Boeing have signed an agreement to begin collaborating on research for carbon fiber recycling.

The companies use the space-age material to manufacture automobiles and airplanes respectively. Next year, BMW will launch two vehicles with a carbon passenger cell and half of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner will be made of the material. The companies see recycling of the carbon fiber used in products that have reached their end of life as "essential."

As part of the collaboration agreement, Boeing and the BMW Group will share carbon fiber manufacturing process simulations and ideas for manufacturing automation. The collaboration agreement between the two companies is the first in the history of either company.

BMW has built a new state-of-the-art carbon fiber plant in Moses Lake, Washington under a joint venture with the SGL Group. The plant is an important component in each company's strategy to automate production of ultra-light carbon fiber reinforced plastics for use in future vehicle concepts. The carbon fibers produced in Moses Lake will be used exclusively for the BMW Group's BMW i3 and BMW i8 automobiles.

[ ](http://www.resource-recycling.com/images/recycledproducts/RecycledProducts1212.pdf)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3340

E-Scrap News Magazine: HP opens recycling facility in Africa

## HP opens recycling facility in Africa


_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

Hewlett-Packard has opened up the first advanced e-scrap processing plant in East Africa to deal with the increasing volume of discarded mobile phones, computers and other electronic devices generated in the region, reports [_The Star_](http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-99356/hp-developes-first-e-waste-recyling-plant-east-africa), which has an interview piece with Herve Guilcher, the company's director of environment.

According to the interview, HP launched East Africa Compliant Recycling last year, the region's first e-scrap recycling facility. The facility was also part of a pilot project in Mombasa to produce a scalable model for e-scrap recycling, while also getting a better sense what was needed to better collect and recycle old electronics.

"Since beginning official operations, the EACR remains the only recycling facility in Kenya to accept, dismantle and separate all e-waste components, not just the valuable resources," Guilcher told the paper. "Plastics, glass, batteries -- everything -- are all disposed in accordance with the highest international criteria while generating local income and employment opportunities."

As a result of the center, HP has expanded its free hardware recycling services for enterprise and commercial customers, according to Guilcher. The facility, which meets international environmental and health standards, will also begin accepting appliances in addition to computers.

[ ](http://www.sdslogistics.com/quick-quote?src=drayescrap)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3348

E-Scrap News Magazine: Certification scorecard

## Certification scorecard


With the roster of companies attaining third-party certifications or audits continuing to grow, _E-Scrap News_ has compiled a round-up of the firms announcing certification this past week.

* **ACE Recycling, Inc.'s** Fort Wayne, Indiana facility, and J.D. Beavers Co. of Brighton, Michigan are now both R2 certified.
* **Monmouth Wire & Computer Recycling** of Tinton Falls, New Jersey is certified to ISO 14001 and R2.
* **A1 Shredding and Recycling** in Powder Springs, Georgia; **American Data Guard** in Seattle; **Shred-N-Go, Inc.** in Plymouth, Minnesota and **ShredX** in Evansville, Indiana; have either achieved or renewed their NAID Certification for Physical Destruction of Hard Drives.

Has your firm recently completed a CHWMEG audit or an ISO 9001, ISO 14001, R2, RIOS or e-Stewards certification? Email [henry@resource-recycling.com](mailto:henry@resource-recycling.com) to be included in this section and in _E-Scrap News_' quarterly directory.

[ ](http://mrpcompany.com/)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3345

E-Scrap News Magazine: More twists in Executive Recycling trial

## More twists in Executive Recycling trial


_By Jake Thomas, Resource Recycling_

A federal judge had denied a request from attorneys representing Brandon Richter, CEO of Executive Recycling, that they withdraw from the case. The same judge has also denied a separate request from the defense that the joint trial for Richter and Tor Olson, a vice president at the company, be split into separate trials.

The trial for Richter and Olson [began Dec. 3](http://resource-recycling.com/node/3327). The two face a host of charges including wire and mail fraud, failure to file proper notifications on intent to export hazardous waste, smuggling and destruction and falsification of records.

The trial is the result of an investigation by the environmental justice group Basel Action Network, which prompted the television news program "60 Minutes," as well as the U.S. Government Accountability Office, to look into the issue of illicit shipments of e-scrap to developing countries.

On Dec. 7, the defense requested that the cases for Olson and Richter be tried separately, according to court documents filed by the defense, which are scant on details. Lawyers for the defense argued that evidence was introduced during the trial that created a situation where the acquittal of one co-defendant would mean the conviction of the other. Unable to adequately defend both Olson and Richter, lawyers for the defense made a motion to have their cases tried separately.

The motion was opposed by the prosecution and, on Dec. 10, the judge denied the motion to have the cases tried separately.

The next day, the judge denied a separate motion from Pamela Mackey and Cleo Rauchway, attorneys representing Richter and Executive Recycling, that they withdraw from the case. The attorneys were working with William Leone, who is representing Olson, on a joint defense. According to court documents, Mackey and Rauchway learned confidential information that would prevent them from providing an adequate defense for Richter and Executive Recycling.

Although documents filed by the defense have been light on details, the judge's Dec. 11 ruling denying their request sheds more light on the situation. According to the ruling, on the fourth day of trial the prosecution introduced a series of invoices created by Executive Recycling's accounting program as evidence. The invoices were being used by the prosecution to support charges that the company illegally exported CRTs to China. An employee of Executive Recycling testified that it appeared that a portion of the document had been altered, as the invoice number was out of sequence, the ruling states.

According to the judge's ruling, the defense sought to have the trials for Olson and Richter separated because if the prosecution was going to pursue a theory that the invoices had been altered or manipulated, it would place Richter and Olson "at odds with each other because only a limited number of employees at Executive Recycling had access to the company's accounting software."

It also cites an argument from Olson's lawyer that this scenario would force both defendants into a position "where they have no choice but to claim that neither of them altered the accounting record in question, and to cross examine the other, if he testifies, about that defendant's motive and opportunity to have performed the action in question."

No verdict has been reached yet.

[ ](http://e-stewards.org/)

[ ](http://transparentplanetllc.com/us-crt-glass-management/)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3350

E-Scrap News Magazine: ISRI looks back at 2012

## ISRI looks back at 2012


_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries has released its _Scrap Yearbook_ for the year 2012, which provides a comprehensive overview of the recycling industry in the U.S. The yearbook includes information about the economic and environmental benefits associated with scrap recycling, as well as commodity-specific overviews of how scrap is generated, processed, traded and used. Also included is a section on electronics recycling.

The yearbook, citing numbers from a recent International Data Corporation study, states that the U.S. electronics recycling industry generates annual revenues of approximately $5 billion (up from $1 billion in 2002) and employs more than 30,000 full-time workers. The industry processed 3 to 4 million tons of used and end-of-life electronic equipment last year, according to the yearbook. More than 70 percent of collected equipment is manufactured into specification-grade commodities including scrap steel, aluminum, copper, lead, circuit boards, plastics and glass. The commodities are then sold to basic material manufacturers in the U.S. and abroad.

According to the report, the industry is driven by collection from businesses and commercial interests, making up to 75 percent of the market on a volume basis.

"The electronics recycling industry is poised to meet the anticipated increased demand for more used products and specification-grade commodities, with companies currently operating at about 50 percent of their operational capabilities," the yearbook reads.

The yearbook also states that the electronics recycling industry is seeing an increase in the use of third-party certification, citing the R2 certification, but completely leaving out any mention of e-Stewards certification.

In addition to electronics, the report also covers plastics, ferrous and non-ferrous scrap. It is available for download [here](http://www.isri.org/ISRI/_Program_and_Services/Commodities/ISRI/_Program_and_Services/Commodities.aspx?hkey=a2839681-dbee-4240-baa4-0f6e67cfe329).

[ ](http://www.smarteeconsulting.com/r2help/)

[ ](http://www.t3toner.com/Escrap.cfm)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3349

Resource Recycling Magazine: The wide world of recycling

## The wide world of recycling

_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

A large electronics manufacturer is stepping up its efforts to recycle more electronics in East Africa, and an official in Britain has presented a growth forecast for the country's recycling industry.

Hewlett-Packard has opened the first advanced e-scrap processing plant in **East Africa** to better deal with the increase of discarded mobile phones, computers and other electronic devices generated in the region, reports [_The Star_](http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-99356/hp-developes-first-e-waste-recyling-plant-east-africa), which has an interview piece with Herve Guilcher, the company's director of environment.

According to the interview, HP launched East Africa Compliant Recycling last year, the region's first e-scrap recycling facility. The facility was also part of a pilot project in Mombasa to produce a scalable model for e-scrap recycling, while also getting a better sense what was needed to better collect and recycle old electronics.

"Since beginning official operations, the EACR remains the only recycling facility in Kenya to accept, dismantle and separate all e-waste components, not just the valuable resources," Guilcher told the paper. "Plastics, glass, batteries -- everything -- are all disposed in accordance with the highest international criteria while generating local income and employment opportunities."

As a result of the center, HP has expanded its free hardware recycling services for enterprise and commercial customers, according to Guilcher. The facility, which meets international environmental and health standards, will also begin accepting appliances in addition to computers.

**Great Britain**'s recovery and recycling sector is expected to grow by 3.9 percent in the next year, according to figures revealed by Richard Benyon, environment minister, in [Parliament](http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm121211/text/121211w0004.htm). He also predicted a 3 percent growth in the waste management sector.

"The 2011 Review of Waste Policy in England sets us on the path towards a zero-waste economy where materials are valued and nothing of value is discarded," said Benyon in response to a question from the opposition. "It will support the sector's transition from focusing on disposal to landfill to greater reuse, recycling and recovery of waste material."

He also valued Britain's waste and recycling sector at over 12 billion GBP ($7.42 billion) in 2010-2011, employing between 104,000 to 150,000 people.

[ ](http://compostingcouncil.org/conference/)

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Plastics Recycling Update Magazine: Plastic export volume up in October

## Plastic export volume up in October


_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

The volume of plastic scrap exported in October, at 401.36 million pounds, rose by 8.8 percent from its September figure. When matched against its October 2011 position, however, the volume of exports was down by 2.8 percent.

The weighted price of recovered plastic exports in October, at 20 cents per pound, was down 8.6 percent from its September 2012 standing. And when compared to its year-over-year (YOY) level the price was down sharply by 11.2 percent.

Through October, at 3.69 billion pounds, the volume of recovered plastics exported was down 7.3 percent through the same period in 2011. At 21.29 cents per pound, the average price through October 2012 was down, as well, by 7.3 percent from its 2011 year-to-date (YTD) standing.


[ ](http://www.plasticsrecycling.com/)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3353

Resource Recycling Magazine: _Plastics Recycling 2013_: Exploring the export market

## _Plastics Recycling 2013_: Exploring the export market

We all wish we had a crystal ball which could predict the future, but lacking that magical technology we must look to industry experts to help guide our business and policy decisions. Hamilton Wen is one of these experts, so don't miss what he has to say in New Orleans this March. As the director of the plastics division at one of the top five shippers from North America by volume, Newport CH International, Wen has a solid finger on the pulse of the export market. In this compelling presentation he will explore key trending issues pertaining to the offshore market for recyclable plastics and how it may affect pricing and demand moving forward.

Don't be left behind -- get your facts straight from the source at the 2013 Plastics Recycling Conference, which will be held **March 19-20 in New Orleans**. For more information, visit [www.plasticsrecycling.com](http://www.plasticsrecycling.com/).

And, after the conference, stick around for the **Global Plastics Environmental Conference's (GPEC)** "The Latest Need to Know: From Recycling to Sustainability of Plastics." GPEC's conference will be held right after the Plastics Recycling Conference, March 20-22 at the same great location, the Sheraton New Orleans, right next to the Crescent City's famed French Quarter. Don't miss out on these two terrific events.

[ ](http://www.plasticsrecycling.com/)

[ ](http://www.sperecycling.org/)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3337

Plastics Recycling Update Magazine: PetroChem Wire: Recycled polyethylene pricing mixed in November

## _PetroChem Wire_: Recycled polyethylene pricing mixed in November


_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

Prices for various grades of polyethylene slipped in November on weak demand and lower bale prices.

HDPE bales were sold at 28-30 cents per pound in late November on the East Coast, down 2 cents from October. HMW film grade pellets dropped 1-2 cents, with mixed color material selling for 48 cents per pound in late November. Frac melt dairy natural pellets consolidated slightly lower from mid-November to 58-62 cents per pound. HDPE fractional melt pipe flake material, mixed color, sold at 35 cents per pound near the end of November, down a penny from earlier in the month. Some grades of recycled polyethylene firmed slightly toward the end of the month though. HMW mixed color HDPE sold in late November for 43-45 cents per pound, up a penny from mid-November. Virgin HDPE HMW prices were down in November, with railcars selling at end-November in the US Gulf down 2-4 cents per pound from October.

For more information about _PetroChem Wire's Repro/Regrind Resin Report_ and daily prime grade polymers and monomers report, or to arrange a free trial subscription, contact Cindy Bryan at [cindy@petrochemwire.com](mailto:cindy@petrochemwire.com) or (713) 385-1407. To see sample issues of PCW publications, click [here](http://www.petrochemwire.com/Sample_Issues/Our_Publications.html).

[ ](http://www.sdslogistics.com/quick-quote?src=droptrailersplastics)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3354

Resource Recycling Magazine: NewsBits

## NewsBits

_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

Even if you're not planning a trip to the Ocean State any time soon, you can still take a tour of the state's materials recovery facility. The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, the entity that operates the state's MRF, is offering a **"virtual tour"** of the facility that can be found at [www.recycletogetherri.org](http://www.recycletogetherri.org/).

**Converted Organics, Inc., a publicly-traded composting company** whose stock is currently worth less than a penny, has sold its subsidiary company, **TerraSphere Inc.**, to **RI Vertical Farm Partners LLC**, according to [filings](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1366340/000129993312002773/0001299933-12-002773-index.htm) with the Securities Exchange Commission. The purchase price was **$5**.

**Tennessee** Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau have awarded approximately **$1.7 million in Recycling Equipment and Hub / Spoke Grants** for projects aimed at increasing recycling. For a complete list of who got the monies, visit [here](https://news.tn.gov/node/10044).

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is now accepting applications for **Green Schools Solid Waste Management Grants** that can be used toward implementing recycling projects in **Kansas schools**. Funds from these grants, ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, will be used to reduce waste in school buildings and grounds through education, composting and recycling projects. To find out more, visit the [department's website](http://www.kdheks.gov/waste/about_grants.html).

The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission last week voted unanimously to adopt [_Materials Management in Oregon: 2050 Vision and Framework for Action_](http://www.deq.state.or.us/lq/sw/materialsmgmtplan.htm), which, according to the Beaver State's Department of Environmental Quality "**updates Oregon's solid waste management plan**, taking a more holistic, sustainable approach to managing materials humans consume, recycle and discard."

[ ](http://www.ousei.jp/)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3336

E-Scrap News Magazine: Call2Recycle urges recycling with holiday shopping

## Call2Recycle urges recycling with holiday shopping

_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

With consumer electronics expected to account for a third of all holiday spending, Call2Recycle is urging consumers to recycle their obsolete devices and used batteries responsibly.

Specifically, the organization is urging consumers to participate in "Drop and Shop" collection programs, where used batteries and electronics can be deposited at collection sites located at retail stores. Call2Recycle recently conducted a survey of consumers in North America and found that 54 percent of those surveyed in the U.S. – and 45 percent in Canada – view retailers as a key source of recycling information. The organization hopes to use the holiday shopping season as a way to promote recycling.

Call2Recycle maintains a network of 30,000 collection sites, many of which are located with retail partners such as Radio Shack, Home Depot, Staples, Best Buy, and others.

The organization is also offering some [tips](http://www.call2recycle.org/check-recycling-off-your-holiday-to-do-list/) to help consumers remember to recycle this holiday season, including creating a separate bin in your kitchen or garage for electronics, setting a digital alarm or reminder to bring your material to a collection site, regularly cleaning old items out of drawers and closets, and replacing rechargeable batteries in bulk after recycling.

[ ](http://www.clovertech.com)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3346

Plastics Recycling Update Magazine: NewsBits

## NewsBits

Teijin Ltd. has [announced](http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/business/AJ201212030095) it has developed a **new polyester-fiber recycling technology** that it will utilize in a plant in China. The plant will begin operations at the end of 2013 and will eventually process an estimated 20,000 tons of polyester fiber annually.

Minneapolis-based HDI Plastics has signed an agreement with the Eastland Economic Development Corp. to begin construction on a **75,000-square-foot plastics recycling facility in Eastland, Texas** next year that will employ 75 people in the first phase and eventually 200 people, reports the [_Reporter-News_](http://www.reporternews.com/news/2012/dec/12/minneapolis-plastic-recycling-company-to-build/). An estimated $4 million will be initially invested.

The **California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery** has [published a case study](http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Detail.aspx?PublicationID=1432) on how **extended producer responsibility** can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It estimates how the distance between the point of collection and point of reprocessing will diminish greenhouse gas emission savings.

**Iowa City, Iowa's City Council and city staff aren't interested in a plastic bag ban**, despite periodic calls for such a measure, and instead want to stay on their current course of encouraging residents to recycle the totes at various locations, reports the [_Press-Citizen_](http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012312050008). "We've done a pretty good job on education and outreach," Jennifer Jordan, Iowa City's recycling coordinator told the paper.

The U.K.'s **Eco Plastics**, which operates a PET recycling plant jointly with Coca-Cola, is expanding its recycling capacity after completing a new **6 million GBP ($9.72 million) funding round**, reports [_BusinessGreen_](http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2231189/eco-plastics-raises-gbp6m-for-continued-expansion-drive). A senior official at the company says that Eco Plastics is "now ready to tackle another period of rapid growth."

[ ](http://www.sperecycling.org/)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3351

Plastics Recycling Update Magazine: A closer look at polyolefin markets in 2012

## A closer look at polyolefin markets in 2012


_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

Polyethylene and polypropylene markets were somewhat volatile in the last six months of the year.

The bottom of the **polyehthylene** price curve was found in July, after seeing a price decline of nearly 15 cents per pound over the previous two months. As a result, buyers re-entered the market and gobbled up available inventories. At the same time, a few virgin resin producers cut output to await a price rebound. With resin in short supply, several plastics makers then nominated a 5-cent per pound price increase for August, which stuck. When about one-fifth of the U.S. ethylene production capacity was idled for several weeks due to Hurricane Isaac, plastic buyers again became nervous. At the same time, resin makers said they wanted 5 cents more per pound in the ninth month. However, market conditions ultimately forced them to offer flat pricing in September, which led in increased sales. As a result, resin inventories tightened in September, thus providing an opportunity for resin makers to seek an increase of 5 cents per pound for the 10th month of the year. However, because many converters bought large amounts of PE in September, October sales slowed and producers were unable to attain the price increase. Resin makers tried again in November, also without success, due in part to a weak export market and rising inventories. With large volumes of resin available at attractive prices at the end of the year, many analysts recommended that converters fill up there warehouses and silos. If orders increase and cut into inventories, prices may inch upward in the first quarter.

The huge amount of **polypropylene** sold when the market hit bottom in June led to flat pricing in July. With monomer prices then slumping, resin buyers were able to push prices slightly lower in August, by about 2 cents per pound. When inventories subsequently tightened, plastics makers asked for 4 cents per pound more in September, in line with the increase in the cost of propylene. The market then rose by a penny or so in October in conjunction with a propylene price increase and moved up 4 cents per pound in the 11th month. The value of PP then flattened out as the year ended. But as with PE, industry experts predict that the value of polymer-grade propylene will rise in the first quarter, thus pushing PP prices upward. This has resulted in end-of-the-year sales activities as converters try to beat the expected January resin price increase.

[ ](http://eriez.com/)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3355

Resource Recycling Magazine: Carton recycling access hits 40 percent

## Carton recycling access hits 40 percent

_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

Thanks in part to the efforts of the Carton Council, a manufacturing trade group, access to carton recycling in the U.S. has increased to 40 percent of all residents.

According to the group, more than 47.9 million households in the U.S. now have recycling access for shelf-stable and refrigerated cartons, an increase of 128 percent since 2009.

"We know from experience that residents respond more favorably to recycling when they are given opportunities to include more materials," said Dale Gubbels, CEO of Firstar Fiber, the materials recovery facility (MRF) that handles residential recycling processing for the City of Omaha, Nebraska in a press release announcing the benchmark. "With the Carton Council's assistance, we were able to secure guaranteed market outlets for cartons, which in turn helped us convince the City of Omaha to allow the inclusion of cartons in the recycling program."

According to the Carton Council, more than 63 percent of programs and facilities surveyed noted the primary reason for adding cartons to their recycling stream was to divert more materials from the waste stream and increase tonnage. Further, 94 percent of those surveyed said they would recommend carton recycling to another community.

The group also provided a list of the 10 largest cities to add cartons to their recycling programs since 2009 (in alphabetical order): Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas; Denver; Jacksonville, Florida; Los Angeles; Minneapolis; Philadelphia; San Diego; and San Antonio, Texas.

[ ](http://www.buschsystems.com/)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3343

E-Scrap News Magazine: NewsBits

## NewsBits

Online [registration](https://www.etouches.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=53239&) is now open for the **National Association of Information Destruction's Australia-New Zealand conference**. The one-day event will be held Feb. 19, in Sydney, and will cover data security and IT asset disposal best practices in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

In Lagos, **Nigeria**, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency has **impounded four containers of used electronics**, reports [_Vanguard_](http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/4-containers-of-used-electronics-impounded-at-apapa-port/). "Importers cannot use Nigeria as a dumping ground," Eunice Eze, the Lagos State coordinator of the agency, told the paper, noting that the containers would be sent back to their country of origin.

Manchester, England-based lamp recycling company **Mercury Recycling Ltd. has filed a complaint with the country's Office of Fair Trading**, claiming that Recolight, the manufacturer-funded lamp stewardship organization, is engaging in anti-competitive practices, reports [_GreenWise_](http://www.greenwisebusiness.co.uk/news/recycling-firm-lodges-complaint-with-oft-over-alleged-cartel-3686.aspx).

[ ](https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1655763702821974784)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3344

Resource Recycling Magazine: Did you know?

## Did you know?

_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

We offer some unique facts about recycling.

**Bill Gates** loves garbage. The co-founder of Microsoft and one of the world's richest people owns Cascade Investments. This investment firm now owns about one-quarter of **Republic Services**, the nation's second largest waste management firm and a major recycling processor. Gates' stock holding in the waste and recycling company approaches $2.5 billion.

Did your local MRF see its sales of baled homopolymer HDPE bottles (e.g., **milk jugs**) decline last year by about 3 percent? That's expected, because Americans are consuming less and less milk. The drop in consumption, which was the largest in more than 35 years, is due to children representing a smaller and smaller slice of the U.S. population, plus because of the rising price of milk due to increased costs for the grains fed to cows.

Do you think **the magazine industry** is dying? Well, in fact it isn't. According to _Mediafinder_, 82 magazines ceased publishing in the last year, but another 227 magazines began operations. Many of the new periodicals were in the regional-interest, lifestyle, craft and luxury categories.

[ ](http://www.sdslogistics.com/quick-quote?src=forlifebannerrecycling)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3341

Resource Recycling Magazine: Export watch

## Export watch

_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

The volume of plastic scrap exported in October, at 401.36 million pounds, rose by 8.8 percent from its September figure. When matched against its October 2011 position, however, the volume of exports was down by 2.8 percent.

The weighted price of recovered plastic exports in October, at 20 cents per pound, was down 8.6 percent from its September 2012 standing. And when compared to its year-over-year (YOY) level the price was down sharply by 11.2 percent.

Through October, at 3.69 billion pounds, the volume of recovered plastics exported was down 7.3 percent through the same period in 2011. At 21.29 cents per pound, the average price through October 2012 was down, as well, by 7.3 percent from its 2011 year-to-date (YTD) standing.

As for other exported materials, recovered paper exports YTD experienced a 5.8 percent YOY decrease, to 16.51 million metric tons. At $169 per metric ton, the weighted average price of exported recovered paper in October was down 6.1 percent when compared to its October 2011 mark.

Regarding ferrous scrap, the 18.40 million metric tons exported through October resulted in a 11.2 percent YOY decrease. At $445 per metric ton the weighted average price of exported ferrous scrap was also down, by 5.3 percent.

Lastly, the 3.83 billion pounds of aluminum scrap exported through October equated to a small 2.6 percent YOY decrease. And, at 78 cents per pound, the average price of exported aluminum scrap in October was down 10.3 percent when compared to its October 2011 standing.

[ ](http://mrpcompany.com/)

[ ](http://www.rotochopper.com/)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3339

Speakers, agenda revealed for Residential Recycling Conference

2013 event in Chicago will feature sessions on recycling, networking events and a safety 'fashion show'

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121219/NEWS02/121219903

Newtown, Connecticut, hauler helps raise funds for shooting victims

Pat Caruso, owner of Newtown-based Associated Refuse Haulers, is helping raise funds for victims and families

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121219/NEWS01/121219906

Catalyst Paper sells railroad and closed recycled paper mill

Catalyst Paper has found a buyer for its closed recycled paper mill and its associated short line Apache Railway in Arizona.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121219/NEWS02/121219905

Dean Foods cuts waste sent to landfills, incinerators

Dean Foods newest corporate responsibility report shows the Dallas-based food and beverage company cut the amount of solid waste sent to landfills and incinerators by more than 20% between 2009 and 2011.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121219/NEWS03/121219908

Update: Autopsy reveals man likely died in recycling truck

Body was found at Michigan recycling facility earlier this week

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121219/NEWS06/121219907

Artificial intelligence helps sort used batteries

A new type of machine sorts used batteries by means of artificial intelligence (AI). One machine is now being used in the UK, sorting one-third of the country's recycled batteries.

URL: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/earth_climate/recycling_and_waste/~3/hMS6kzcK4Vk/121219084050.htm

New York county passes flow-control law

Officials in Ulster County, New York, have approved a flow-control law, the Daily Freeman reported

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121219/NEWS08/121219912

Capital Briefs: WTE facilities would have to file rate report with state

Illinois: House Bill 6249 would amend the Public Utilities Act to provide that each qualified solid waste energy facility that sells electricity to an electric utility at a specified purchase rate shall file with the Department of Revenue each month a...

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121219/NEWS08/121219911

Washington state's recycling rate tops 50%

While recycling rises, MSW to landfills drops 4%, according to state Department of Ecology

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121219/NEWS02/121219910

Analysis of Marcellus flowback finds high levels of ancient brines

Brine water that flows back from gas wells in the Marcellus Shale region after hydraulic fracturing is many times more salty than seawater, with high contents of various elements, including radium and barium. The chemistry is consistent with brines formed during the Paleozoic era, a new study found.

URL: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/earth_climate/recycling_and_waste/~3/bq1JZzbRekk/121218203537.htm

Waste Management buys 2 Nashville recycling facilities

WM pays $3.8 million to QRS for two recycling facilities.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121218/NEWS02/121219913

Safe found at Fargo, North Dakota, recycling site

Safe was badly damaged and had nothing inside.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121218/NEWS06/121219917

Boosting glass recycling: EU end of waste criteria adopted

On Dec. 31, 2012, the new EU regulation for end of waste criteria for glass cullet will come into force. It will contribute to assure a second life for bottles and other glass containers.

URL: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/earth_climate/recycling_and_waste/~3/h6Nn8-wzaYw/121218081826.htm

Massachusetts considering gasification and pyrolysis projects

Massachusettsmay alter its MSW incinerator moratorium to encourage development of alternative technologies.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121218/NEWS08/121219918

Covanta Energy wants to expand New York WTE plant

Covanta Energy seeks to expand facility in Niagara Falls and provide steam to nearby industrial facilities.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121218/NEWS01/121219920

Man's body discovered at Michigan recycling facility

Body of 48-year-old found among cardboard at facility in Grandville, Michigan

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121218/NEWS06/121219916

Green Conversion Systems snags Florida incinerator operating contract from Veolia

Pinellas County site is largest WTE plant in United States.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121218/NEWS01/121219915

Aleris to close West Virginia recycling facility

Bens Run recycling facility to will close on March 1.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121218/NEWS02/121219922

Republic Services Inc. hires new CFO as Holmes prepares to retire

Republic Services has found its new chief financial officer.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121218/NEWS01/121219924

WRN names managing editor, hires reporter

Waste & Recycling News promoted two members of its editorial staff.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121218/NEWS01/121219923

Competition helps Rhode Island schools boost recycling

Recycling up more than 17% during district challenge

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121217/NEWS02/121219926

Privatization vote in Fresno, California delayed after City Council members miss meeting

Privatization of residential waste and recycling collection in Fresno has been delayed after several City Council members were missing for the potential final vote on the issue, the Fresno Bee reported.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121217/NEWS01/121219942

Residents fight to keep Virginia recycling center open

McIntire Recycling Center in Charlottesville has been open since the 1970s

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121217/NEWS02/121219927

Blaze at recycling plant causes $2.5 million worth of damage

A fire ignited in a pile of plastic waste has caused $2.5 million worth of damage at a plastics recycling plant south of Fresno, the Fresno Bee reported.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121217/NEWS06/121219928

Composting method used to combat the cold

The large drum slowly spins around at Alaska Waste's headquarters, taking in a grinded mixture of produce, woodchips and horse manure on one side and spitting out finished product on the other.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121217/NEWS01/121219930

Hazards, beauty on the route in Alaska

In many ways, Doug Schmidt is a typical garbage man, wearing his high-visibility shirt, easily sliding in and out of his truck a few hundred times a day to collect other people's trash.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121217/NEWS01/121219931

Antitrust charges against Progressive Waste Solutions dropped

The Canadian Competition Bureau has withdrawn charges against Progressive Waste Solutions for breaches of a consent agreement with the agency.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121217/NEWS01/121219929

Privatization vote in Fresno, California delayed after City Council members miss meeting

Privatization of residential waste and recycling collection in Fresno has been delayed after several City Council members were missing for the potential final vote on the issue, the Fresno Bee reported.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121214/NEWS01/121219942

Statewide plastic bag ban to be debated in Oregon

Opponents want statewide recycling program

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121214/NEWS08/121219939

Auto salvage bill dies in Ohio legislature

Ohio House of Representatives has adjourned without voting on Senate Bill 273, which would have enabled unlicensed and unregulated buyers to purchase vehicles from Ohio salvage auctions.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121214/NEWS02/121219937

Truck rolls over, kills garbage worker in Minnesota

Driver says air brakes were engaged, but truck started rolling.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121214/NEWS06/121219934

Bundle of cash nearly shredded at International Paper facility

Workers at a Des Moines, Iowa, recycling plant owned by International Paper found an envelope stuffed with money among paper about to be shredded.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121214/NEWS02/121219936

Walgreen Co. settles hazardous waste lawsuit

Walgreen operator of Walgreens pharmacies, has been ordered to pay $16.57 million to settle a lawsuit filed in June alleging more than 600 of its stores in the state of California had improperly disposed of hazardous materials.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121214/NEWS01/121219935

San Marcos, Texas, weighs pay-as-you-throw

Tiered system would let residents pay less for smaller containers

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121214/NEWS01/121219940

On the streets roundup: Driver killed in California

WM driver and another motorist were killed in a head-on crash Nov. 21.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121214/NEWS06/121219938

Houston looks for new tech in dirty MRF

It's time to think big and change the discussion around garbage and recycling, says Laura Spanjian, Houston's director of sustainability.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121214/NEWS02/121219943

Dubinski to lead EIA Women's Council in 2013

Waste Pro USA's chief legal officer is slated to lead the Women's Council of the Environmental Industry Associations next year.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121214/NEWS01/121219945

Attorneys for e-waste company must stay on case, judge rules

Attorneys for the CEO of Executive Recycling must continue to represent him and the company, a federal court judge ruled.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121213/NEWS06/121219952

Flathead County, Montana, considering privatized recycling program

A rural Montana county will seek proposals for a privatized recycling program to "recraft" a recycling program that's losing money.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121213/NEWS02/121219950

Wisconsin nearing 100 million pounds of e-waste collected in three years

After three years of the state's electronics recycling program, Wisconsin residents have recycled nearly 100 million pounds of old televisions, computers and other electronics, the state's Department of Natural Resources reported.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121213/NEWS02/121219949

HDI Plastics to built recycling facility in Eastland, Texas

Plant will cost $4 million and will initially employ 75 people.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121213/NEWS02/121219948

Solid growth forecast for recycling, waste in UK

Environment Minister Richard Benyon has predicted solid growth for the United Kingdom's waste and recovery/recycling industries.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121213/NEWS04/121219951

Man sleeping in dumpster crushed to death in Texas

Fort Worth driver heard screams after emptying container into trash truck

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121213/NEWS06/121219956

AbTech bets its sponge will transform oil waste

The Smart Sponge from AbTech Industries Inc. promises to remove contaminants from water -- including municipal stormwater, industrial wastewater and fracking fluid -- with no electricity or moving parts.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121213/NEWS02/121219957

Ponte Vedra, Florida, will be home to Advanced Disposal's new HQ

Consolidated company staying close to home; new headquarters will bring 85 jobs, $4M investment

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121213/NEWS01/121219954

Virginia lawmaker proposes nickel tax on plastic bags

A Virginia lawmaker has proposed imposing a nickel tax on single-use plastic bags, the Washington Examiner reported.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121213/NEWS08/121219958

Waste to landfills falls dramatically for Honda's North American manufacturing operations

Manufacturing waste has dropped by more than 96% for Honda's operations in North America since a baseline established early this century.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121213/NEWS03/121219953

Boeing and BMW collaborate on composite recycling

Two of the most high profile names in carbon fiber production for transportation are collaborating on a project to develop recycling for the composite.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121213/NEWS02/121219959

Iowa City rejects potential plastic bag ban

Officials in Iowa City, Iowa have pushed back against a potential plastic bag ban, the Press-Citizen reported.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121212/NEWS02/121219963

New York garbage worker killed in hit-and-run

Police search for white minivan in Kiryas Joel, New York; workers apparently issued PPE after accident.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121212/NEWS06/121219960

NH real estate company pleads guilty to unpermitted solid waste transport

Thibeault Corporation of New England pled guilty to four felonies for transporting solid waste without a permit and storing it at non-permitted facilities

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121212/NEWS01/121219961

Advanced Disposal landfill gains wildlife designation

An Advanced Disposal Services Inc. landfill in Wisconsin is being recognized for efforts to educate local residents regarding wildlife.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121212/NEWS01/121219962

US Ecology pushes up dividend ahead of the 'fiscal cliff'

Shareholders of US Ecology are getting their gifts early, but not quite in time for Christmas.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121212/NEWS04/121219966

Frenso, California likely to privatize collections

Frenso, California is posed to switch to privatized garbage collection for residents, KFSN-TV reported.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121212/NEWS01/121219965

Update: Casella Waste says local managers are key to success

Casella Waste Systems' new operations chief believes the company's future success depends on those closer to the customer.

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121212/NEWS01/121219964

Watertown, Massachusetts, sees recycling jump

Recycling up 35%, garbage down 23% just 4 months into new program

URL: http://wasteandrecyclingnews.com/article/20121212/NEWS02/121219969

Resource Recycling Magazine: _Plastics Recycling 2013_: What can we expect in resin markets?

## _Plastics Recycling 2013_: What can we expect in resin markets?

What does the future hold for plastic resins? Once again, the Plastics Recycling Conference will feature a critical assessment of the key factors influencing current and future resin markets in North America. Expert analysts from IHS and elsewhere will share everything they know about PET, PE and more.

Don't be left behind -- get your facts straight from the source at the 2013 Plastics Recycling Conference, which will be held **March 19-20 in New Orleans**. For more information, visit [www.plasticsrecycling.com](http://www.plasticsrecycling.com/).

And, after the conference, stick around for the **Global Plastics Environmental Conference's (GPEC)** "The Latest Need to Know: From Recycling to Sustainability of Plastics." GPEC's conference will be held right after the Plastics Recycling Conference, March 20-22 at the same great location, the Sheraton New Orleans, right next to the Crescent City's famed French Quarter. Don't miss out on these two terrific events.

[ ](http://www.plasticsrecycling.com/)

[ ](http://www.sperecycling.org/)

**_To return to the Resource Recycling newsletter, click [here](http://www.resource-recycling.com/images/e-newsletterimages/RRe-news121212.html). _**

URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3333

E-Scrap News Magazine: Potential recycling opportunity in Apple announcement

## Potential recycling opportunity in Apple announcement

_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

Apple CEO Tim Cook's announcement that the company would invest $100 million to bring some manufacturing back to the U.S. in 2013, could mean an uptick in business for e-scrap recycling firms.

Speaking with [_Bloomberg Businessweek_](http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-12-06/tim-cooks-freshman-year-the-apple-ceo-speaks#r=lr-fs), Cook said the insourcing of some manufacturing would specifically apply to the company's Mac line of desktop and laptop computers. While the company is infamously secretive when it comes to products and manufacturing processes, some common industry benchmarks shed some light on the amount of electronic waste generated by the manufacturing process.

Several sources, speaking with _E-Scrap News_, say that modern computer manufacturing generates approximately 0.5-1.0 pounds of waste per pound of finished computer product. Additionally, defective units identified during quality-assurance testing, or returned by purchasers, typically account for 2-3 percent of the total units produced. According to Gartner, Apple shipped 5.63 million Mac units in the U.S. market during the first three quarters of 2012.

However, some are cautious to make precise predictions on what, specifically, Apple's move to bring some manufacturing back to the U.S. will mean for recycling.

"In general, one has to expect the various parts to come from other regions, and then assembled and augmented with OS and software," says David Daoud, of the market research firm IDC. &nbsp_place_holder;"So in terms of environmental impact, it may be less of an effect here in the U.S., and given companies' need to contain cost, there will be greater emphasis on waste reduction and more on optimization."

While the investment dwarfs the $9.5 billion Apple spent on manufacturing in its most recent fiscal year, some speculate the pilot project is part of a growing insourcing trend. Chinese OEM Lenovo, for instance, recently [announced](http://news.lenovo.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=1635) it would expand its North Carolina distribution center into a manufacturing facility, employing 115 local workers. Other companies, [such as GE](http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/12/the-insourcing-boom/309166/?single_page=true), are also discovering that the savings from outsourcing manufacturing to Asia are substantially reduced by higher quality-control, logistics and workforce training costs.

Apple's primary manufacturing partner Foxconn is also rumored to be considering manufacturing operations in Detroit or Los Angeles, and component supplier Samsung already produces chips used by Apple at a facility in Texas.

"It's not known well that the [processor] for the iPhone and iPad is made in the U.S., and many of these are also exported. The glass is made in Kentucky," explained Cook in the _Bloomberg_ interview. "And next year we are going to bring some production to the U.S. on the Mac. We've been working on this for a long time, and we were getting closer to it. We could have quickly maybe done just assembly, but it's broader because we wanted to do something more substantial."

[ ](http://mrpcompany.com/)

**_To return to the E-Scrap News newsletter, click [here](http://www.resource-recycling.com/images/e-newsletterimages/ESNe-news121212.html)_**

&nbsp_place_holder;

URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3326

Plastics Recycling Update Magazine: Hawaii audit exposes bottle bill problems

## Hawaii audit exposes bottle bill problems

_By Jake Thomas, Resource Recycling_

Hawaii's Office of the Auditor has found that the state's beverage container deposit is poorly managed and susceptible to fraud.

The Aloha State, which enacted its bottle bill in 2005, levies a redeemable nickel deposit on most beverage containers, except for milk, other dairy products and spirits. The deposits go into a state fund and are redeemed when a consumer takes an eligible container to a privately-owned redemption center.

The law establishing the container deposit program also requires the state auditor to periodically examine how well it's functioning. In the last few weeks, Hawaii's Office of the Auditor released a pair of reports, which were produced by the accounting firm Accuity LLP, concluding that there isn't enough oversight of the program and that it is vulnerable to fraud.

One of the recent [reports](http://www.state.hi.us/auditor/Reports/2012/DBC Bottle Bill 2010rev.pdf), based on data from fiscal year 2010, concluded that "several deficiencies expose the Program to fraud, including the over-reliance on self-reporting by Program personnel and lack of systematic compliance inspections."

The report found that some distributors were unable to provide documentation for the amount of payments they made into the program. The report also states that four redemption centers refused to provide documentation for the amount of material they redeemed and the related deposit reimbursements requested. Two of these centers, according to the report, appear to be operating without the proper certification from the state.

"There is also at least one large redemption center operator that increases the weights reported on deposit redemption forms submitted to the Program to correct for errors made by redemption center employees," reads the report.

As a result, Hawaii's bottle bill may be incurring unneeded expenses and the container redemption rate may not be reliable, according to the report.

Another recently-released report from the auditor that uses data from fiscal year 2008 found similar problems, saying the program is "poorly managed."

"When parties refuse to turn over their documents, or at least copies, then there is concern about internal controls and the validity of the monies claimed," Marion M. Higa, Hawaii state auditor, told _Plastics Recycling Update_.

Higa says that when Hawaii's bottle bill first went into effect in 2005, then Governor Linda Lingle didn't direct enough resources to the State Department of Health, which is responsible for monitoring the program, to ensure that it was effectively run. As a result, Hawaii's bottle bill has had chronic oversight problems, she says.

"There was a scramble to make things work, and the folks that were there at the department always believed that they never had enough people to implement it correctly," says Higa.

Janice Okubo, spokesperson for the Hawaii State Department of Health, confirms Higa's assessment.

"The primary issue we are faced with is staffing and we were unable to hire because we were undergoing a hiring freeze [when the bottle bill was being implemented,]" she says. "The staffing resources are very much an issue."

According to Okubo, there are five inspector positions dedicated to ensuring the bottle bill is implemented effectively, but only one position is filled, which she says is due to a combination of finding someone with the right qualifications and the recruitment process.

Susan Collins, president of the Container Recycling Institute, told _Plastics Recycling Update_ in an email exchange that it's admirable that Hawaii's container deposit program is routinely audited, given the large amounts of money involved.

"However, I kept looking for the scale of the impacts as I read the report," she wrote. "Are the problems a big deal, or much ado about nothing? What is the scale of the actual harm of these procedural deficiencies?"

Collins points out that some of the underpayments documented in the audit are for amounts ranging from $10 to $1,400.

"In a $40 million-per-year program, that's really small," wrote Collins in the email, who also noted that correcting procedures is important. "I think the auditors should have done more to indicate what the actual level of harm might have been with the redemption center payment process."

[ ](http://www.sdslogistics.com/quick-quote?src=droptrailersplastics)

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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3320

Resource Recycling Magazine: The wide world of recycling

## The wide world of recycling

_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

Dubai wants its residents and businesses to better sort their recyclables, and the U.K. has enacted a new law meant to crack down on metal theft.

Faced with shrinking landfill space and a low recycling rate, the municipal government of **Dubai** is reaching out to businesses and residents to help the emirate meet its target of sending zero waste to landfills by 2030, reports [_gulfnews.com_](http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/waste-segregation-reaches-dubai-homes-1.1114959).

The emirate has distributed new bins to nearly 4,000 households as part of a plan to better segregate household refuse at its source, reports the paper. The bins are designed to collect cardboard, plastic and glass bottles, cans and food scraps. The emirate plans to gradually expand the program to every portion of Dubai beginning in 2013.

The emirate has already launched an initiative aimed at getting shopping centers and malls to better segregate their waste and scrap materials. However, the paper reports that most failed to meet a 2012 deadline, which was extended to February of next year. Those that aren't in compliance by the new deadline could face fines.

In the **U.K.**, a new law has gone into effect that is intended to clamp down on metal theft, which the government estimates costs the country 220 million British pounds ($353 million) annually.

The new law, which went into effect early in December, removes the "no questions" asked cash payment system that has allowed unscrupulous trade in the metals recycling industry to thrive. It also ups financial penalties for sketchy metals dealers, with illegal traders now facing fines up to 5,000 pounds ($8,000).

"Metal theft affects everyone and the impact on our communities is immense. From loss of power to homes and disruption in rail services to desecrated war memorials, all our lives are blighted by this national problem," said Crime Prevention Minister Jeremy Browne in a prepared statement.

The new law gives law enforcement new powers, and it's supported with 5 million pounds ($8 million).

However, the British metals recycling industry isn't happy with the measure.

"Banning cash alone will have a devastating effect on legitimate small traders whilst having little effect on the rate of metal theft, unless there is a robust regulatory framework to back it up," said Ian Hetherington, director general of the British Metals Recycling Association, in a prepared statement.

"If illegal sites are allowed to continue to trade, they will no doubt offer householders and businesses payment in cash too, therefore negating the purpose of the cash ban – to remove the rewards that make metal theft so enticing," he said.

The association is concerned that the law will adversely affect small dealers who collect scrap from households and businesses for cash payments, while leaving the problem of metal theft unresolved.

[ ](http://mrpcompany.com/)

[ ](http://www.rotochopper.com/)

**_To return to the Resource Recycling newsletter, click [here](http://www.resource-recycling.com/images/e-newsletterimages/RRe-news121212.html). _**

URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/3330