Sustainable: Getting Minnesota’s recycling rate to budge “Despite homeowners collecting their recyclable waste for curbside pickup and more businesses separating their paper, plastics and cans, the metro area’s recycling rate has been stuck at 41 percent for a decade. That statistic frustrates government officials and recycling advocates and has them looking for ways to meet the Minnesota law requiring that 60 percent of waste be recycled by 2030. So, what to do? The Minneapolis-based Environmental Initiative recently gathered people directly involved in the recycling industry for a policy forum at Hamline University, which attracted 100 attendees.” (Finance & Commerce)

AD market has reached ‘tipping point’, report finds “The anaerobic digestion market has reached a ‘tipping point’ beyond which there is not currently enough food waste feedstock being collected to support the operations of new AD facilities coming online, according to a report by consultancy Eunomia. Published today, the ‘Anaerobic Digestion Market Update: Addressing the Feedstock Famine’ report claims that some operators are struggling to access sufficient feedstock at a level of gate fee which can support either new plant development or ongoing operation.” (LetsRecycle.com)

ISRI launches website to help combat metal theft “The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) has launched StopMetalsTheft.org, a new website designed to assist in the fight against the crime of metals theft. ISRI, an association of recycling firms based in Washington, D.C., says the new site serves as an online resource for law enforcement, prosecutors and the recycling industry by providing practical tools, success stories, news, legal resources, FAQs and background on fighting metals theft.” (Recycling Today)

Phoenix launching two new solid waste programs “The Phoenix Public Works Department is launching two new solid waste programs in July intended to cause Phoenix residents to divert trash from the landfill.… The first program is called Save As You Reduce and Recycle (SAY R&R). This program offers residents the option to downsize their current large trash container to a medium trash container for a monthly savings of $3 on their solid waste services bill.… The second is the Green Organics Curbside Collection program, which provides residents a new, large, tan container for their yard waste.” (Arizona Daily Independent)

State OKs Coal Ash Reuse “Michigan may allow toxic coal ash to be reused for some beneficial purposes such as road construction and as a fertilizer supplement. The Great Lakes Echo reports some environmental groups including the Sierra Club are concerned about the bill, which the Michigan legislature approved, because it allows the leftover residue from coal burned at electric power plants to be used in agriculture, instead of being treated as hazardous waste.” (Environmental Leader)

Judge will consider EPA letter saying MCHM not ‘hazardous waste “A federal judge Monday granted a request by the operator of a Hurricane landfill, facing a lawsuit for accepting 228 tons of MCHM-contaminated wastewater mixed with sawdust, to consider a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official’s letter saying the chemical isn’t a ‘hazardous waste.’ In the June 20 letter to Scott Mandirola, director of the Division of Water and Waste Management under the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the EPA’s John A. Armstead wrote that he was responding to two questions Mandirola asked via email May 8 — three days after Hurricane and Putnam County filed a federal suit in West Virginia’s Southern District to force the Disposal Service landfill and its owner, Waste Management, to pay for removing the contaminated material.” (WVGazette.com)

Landfill To Start Issuing Fine for Unsecured Loads “The Rockingham County Public Landfill will begin issuing fines Tuesday, as it implements a new policy to crack down on littering and public safety hazards caused by unsecured/uncovered loads. Michael McElhare, the Rockingham County solid waste program manager, explained the fee is an expansion of the county littering ordinance already in effect. He said the county commissioners and manager separately reached out to him to help curb recurring instances of littering on county roads and public property. Under the ordinance, people can receive $75- to $500- dollar fines. This landfill fine would be only $10 per unsecured/uncovered load.” (WFMYNews2.com)

Bill to expand bottle law fails in Legislature “The bottle bill is dead, again. The two-decade effort by environmental advocates to persuade state lawmakers to expand the nickel deposit that encourages recycling of soda, beer, and malt beverage containers to include bottled water, sports drinks, and other noncarbonated beverages will now probably be decided by voters in November. A final push by a subcommittee in the Legislature to forge a compromise failed after lawmakers said advocates and opponents could not find common ground.” (The Boston Globe)

Plastic recycling becoming a success in Copenhagen “The 2011-14 hard plastic recycling initiative in Copenhagen, the EU-funded ‘Plastic Zero’ program, has exceeded expectations. According to the City Council, city residents have helped it to so far ship 600 tonnes to sorting plants in Germany – 18 percent more than expected. The goal is for the council to launch its own scheme next January and to reach 1,000 tonnes a year from apartments in 2015 and a further 400 tonnes annually from houses when they join the scheme in September 2015.” (The Copenhagen Post)

Toxic waste site cleanup near stadium to total $2.8 million “The final bill for cleaning up a former pesticide plant site near McLane Stadium is coming due at today’s Waco City Council meeting, and the total cost is more than three times what the council expected. The council Tuesday will sign off on a change order of $590,932 for hauling away the last of the contaminated soil from the former Southwest Chemical Co. at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Interstate 35.” (WacoTrib.com)