10 Things You Need to Know For the Waste & Recycling Industry Today (Feb. 26, 2014)

Rare Earth Recycling Takes On New Luster “Rare earth mining companies aren’t exactly setting the investment world on fire, but for that same reason, prepare to hear about more electronics and automotive manufacturers seeking ways to ‘mine’ these and other precious metals out of end-of-life or discarded products—everything from mobile phones to wind turbines to spent batteries.” (Forbes)

Green groups want Houston to trash recycling plan “Not everyone is for Houston's 'One Bin for All' idea. Some environmental groups are urging the city to dump the plan, which would allow residents to mix trash, recyclables, yard clippings and other waste in one container. The refuse would be sorted automatically at a facility to be built and operated by a private firm as part of a larger effort to divert garbage from landfills. The Texas Campaign for the Environment and other environmental groups say the city's plan is flawed because the messy mix of waste would contaminate recyclables and diminish their value.” (www.chron.com)

Vermont considers banning C&D from landfills “Some solid waste haulers are asking lawmakers to ban construction and demolition materials from Vermont landfills. Instead, the haulers want C&D materials sent to sorting facilities to be recycled. The Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee is considering a wide-ranging bill that requires solid waste districts to report data to the Agency of Natural Resources on the services they provide.” (The Barre Montpelier Times Argus)

Alameda County (Calif.) homeowners may see hazardous waste disposal fee “Homeowners could soon see a new fee added to their property tax bills, to pay for the disposal of old paint, motor oil and other hazardous wastes. The Alameda County Waste Management Authority, also known as StopWaste, is considering a $9.55 annual fee to maintain and expand efforts to properly collect and dispose of hazardous wastes that aren’t supposed to be dumped in landfills.” (SFGate.com)

Bedford County (Va.) faces $8 million landfill expansion “Bedford County likely will need to set aside $4.3 million in the next four years to expand its landfill, county supervisors learned Monday. The landfill likely will reach capacity in 2018, county staff told the board of supervisors. The county needs to begin the expansion effort this year because of time required for permitting. ‘You don’t have four years. It’s a year to construct. It’s two years to get permitted. There’s design work on the end,’ Deputy County Administrator Frank Rogers said. ‘We have to make some decision on the landfill and the solid waste fund in the next six months.’ It will cost an estimated $8 million to close one cell and open another at the county’s landfill, where less than 25 of the 229 acres have been filled.” (Roanoke.com)

Glass eliminated from Summit County (Colo.) single-stream recycling “Summit County is throwing out one material from its current recycling program in hopes of bettering the quality of materials to be reused. The county is no longer accepting glass in its recycling pickups, instead focusing on “bottle-to-bottle” recycling, which began Jan. 1, to try to help improve the volume and value of recycled glass.” (Summit Daily)

Organics recycling gets the go-ahead “Costa Mesa (Calif.) Sanitary District ratepayers' relatively luxurious one-trash-bin-holds-all system was nice while it lasted. The longtime program that permitted all types of refuse to go into a single bin — no sorting required — faced the end of its run Tuesday with the district directors' unanimous approval of an organics recycling program. The new system could begin as soon as November.” (Daily Pilot)

N.C. DENR considering making Duke Energy move coal ash to lined landfill “The state’s environmental agency said Tuesday it intends to modify the permit that regulates Duke Energy’s retired coal-powered operation along the Dan River, possibly requiring the utility move its coal ash into a lined landfill. The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources has formally notified the utility that it will review the current discharge permit. By law, the state has to give Duke 60 days to respond to the decision to reopen the permit process.” (NewsObserver.com)

Chrin Brothers landfill discharge had too much arsenic, sewer authority says “The Easton Area Joint Sewer Authority says Chrin Brothers Sanitary Landfill in Williams Township had too much arsenic in its discharge to the authority's wastewater treatment plant on the Delaware River. The authority this week issued a notice of 'significant noncompliance' for 'arsenic during all periods' of the 2013 calendar year. None of the elevated arsenic levels entered the Delaware River, as the plant was able to handle the discharge from the 635 Industrial Drive landfill, said Patricia Hann, consulting pretreatment coordinator for the authority.” (LehighValleyLive.com)

Fall River (Mass.) leaders seek answers on landfill contamination, expansion talks “Following an announcement by Mayor Will Flanagan that he’s in talks to expand the landfill with the owners and revelations of contamination near the site, local municipal and business leaders say they want information on the issues. City Councilor Michael Miozza, who chairs the Committee on Health and Environmental Affairs, said he intends to request the administration and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to meet with his committee in the near future.” (Providence Journal)