Plastic garbage from Trader Joe's and an AARP card are peeking out of hillocks of plastic trash piling up in Indonesia.

It's a sign of a new global quandary: What should wealthy countries do with their plastic waste now that China no longer is buying it?

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On March 7^th, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) issued a technical report and practical guide on food loss and waste measurement.

After a decade of trying, one of Oregon's leading compost facilities is calling it quits on compostable packaging — and until more clarity comes to the market, it might not be the last.

Jack Hoeck, vice president of Rexius, shared the news at this year's U.S. Composting Council Conference in Phoenix. Initially, he said, Rexius had expected compostable packaging would help capture more food scraps, and that any resulting contamination could be managed effectively. 

Metro Council voted to approve a plan that will shape the way greater Portland manages the garbage and recycling system for the next 12 years – including everything from the way products are made to how to shape jobs in the industry.

The 2030 Regional Waste Plan is the fourth such plan that Metro has crafted — a process it goes through roughly once a decade. 

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“Residential recycling is broken” was a common refrain noted from all the speakers of the plenary session at the Southeast Recycling Conference (SERC), which took place Feb. 24-26 in Orlando, Florida. Three industry leaders opened up the conference during its plenary session, including Chaz Miller, president of Miller & Associates, Bill Caesar, chief executive officer at Houston-based Waste Corporate of America (WCA) and Amy Boyson, community affairs manager at Waste Management.

As states and others try to manage waste using more holistic paradigms, they'll need clearly documented strategies. Here's how to formulate a dynamic roadmap that will help shape an effective sustainable materials management plan.

Continue reading article from the January print edition of Resource Recycling. 

City officials in Tacoma, Washington, have announced several proposals to change its recycling program. The city currently offers curbside recycling service to residents, multifamily tenants and commercial customers.

However, the city reports in a news release that “the majority of Tacoma’s recyclables are sold overseas, mainly in Asia, where countries have adopted strict policies regarding material quality. Materials that do not meet the requirements are rejected.”