California and Oregon recently reported lower statewide diversion rates, a trend that’s been ongoing for multiple years in both states.

Given the latest results, California will fall short of its 75% recycling rate goal for 2020, state officials acknowledged in their recent report.

In 2018, the Beaver State notched a 40.8% recovery rate, down from 41.6% in 2017, according to an April report from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

The Department of Environmental Quality recently released an analysis of waste recovery in Oregon for 2018, the most recent year for which numbers are available.

Lane County recycled and composted 53.8% of its trash in 2018.

In 2017, Waste Management (WM) began conceptualizing a materials recovery facility (MRF) that would help the company address two major ongoing market issues: high labor turnover rates and processing the highest quality materials for end markets.

Recycling and engineering teams at WM sat down and began designing a highly automated facility, known as Waste Management’s MRF of the Future, that would make high-quality material with the lowest labor possible.

Republic Services, Rogue Disposal & Recycling, and Southern Oregon Sanitation announced today that the will begin recycling number one and two plastic bottles and jugs.

The three local waste management companies will now be accepting the items in curbside recycling carts and at local recycle depots.

Continue Reading at KTLV.

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) and More Recycling (MORE) announce a new website to accelerate end market development for plastics. The Recycling Market Development Platform will help connect stakeholders, accelerate the continued growth of plastics recycling and provide guidance on how to better support plastics’ circularity. This free, open-source digital platform was developed by MORE with ACC as a founding partner.

May 31 is Latest Extension to the Halt of Enforcement of Redemption Requirements

April 23, 2020

According to new research by Trivium Packaging, nearly three-fourths (74 percent) of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging. The report, developed in partnership with Boston Consulting Group, surveyed participants for their preferences related to sustainable packaging along with their willingness to pay more for products with environmentally friendly packaging.

Portland, Oregon-based Agilyx Corp., a company focused on chemically recycling postuse plastics back into polymers, chemicals and low carbon fuels, has announced that it has licensed its technology to Japan-based Toyo Styrene Co. Ltd., an affiliate of Denka Company Ltd. 

According to a news release from Agilyx, the site technology license agreement enables Toyo Styrene to deploy the Agilyx technology near Toyo Styrene’s facility in the Chiba Prefecture of Japan. The facility will focus on recycling postuse polystyrene (PS) back to styrene monomer.

The History Channel explores how recycling got it start in America. It wasn't intentional, but born out of necessity and instinct. 

Read more on the History Channel

The Willamette Falls Paper Company — formerly West Linn Paper Co. — has endured global crises before, including two world wars and the Great Depression.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, which has turned much of the global economy on its head, the industrious crew at the 130-year-old paper mill is looking to the future.

Continue Reading at the West Linn Tidings