From Press Release:

AmSty and Agilyx have signed a Letter of Intent to form a joint venture that will assume operations of Agilyx’s first-in-kind polystyrene recycling facility in Tigard, Oregon. The process converts used polystyrene products back into their original liquid form, styrene monomer. Fresh polystyrene products can then be made without degrading quality or value. This form of circular recycling is known as the PolyUsable™ process.

From Resource Recycling, by Colin Staub

WestRock and other players in the paper supply chain recently completed a pilot project that collected and recycled 25 million fiber cups from Starbucks.

Through the pilot project, collected Starbucks coffee cups were sent to recycled paper company Sustana, which used the material to create 100 percent post-consumer recycled fiber.

In response to changes in Oregon’s recycling laws, the opportunity to recycle is being extended to all residents and businesses that share garbage collection service provided by a middle party, such as a multi-tenant property owner or property manager, regardless of the number of tenants sharing service. The change will require cities and counties to ensure tenants and owners receive recycling collection by July 1, 2022.

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FROM OBRC PRESS RELEASE

Chicago, Illinois – On October 9, an innovative refillable bottle being used by Oregon craft beverage makers took top honors in the sustainability category at the Glass Packaging Institute’s (GPI) annual Clear Choice Awards. The new BottleDrop Refill bottle is by far the most environmentally sustainable option available for beverage packaging.

From Recycling Today, edited by Adam Redling

WestRock Co., Atlanta, a provider of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, recently announced it will begin accepting mixed paper bales that contain paper food service packaging at its 100-percent recycled paperboard mills across the United States. 

From the Salem Weekly

Marion County residents filled their mixed recycling carts with the expectation that everything inside was put to good use as new products.

But China’s demand last winter that our recyclables not be contaminated with trash revealed the truth: our mixed recycling carts are not a recycler’s gold mine. To find the items that can actually be recycled, you have to sort through a lot of garbage.

Article originally appeared in Resource Recycling, by Colin Staub

In 2018, Metro commissioned its first-ever economic impact analysis of the greater Portland area's garbage and recycling system.

This report, developed by the Northwest Economic Research Center at Portland State University, describes the numbers and types of jobs supported by garbage and recycling operations in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties, including wages and spending patterns.

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From NPR. Link to Audio at End of Article.

Thousands of thicker, heavier beer bottles are popping up on store shelves across Oregon as part of the first statewide refillable bottle system in the country, and supporters are hoping it might catch on in other states, too.

Proposal deadline is Friday, October 12, 2018