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

5 Things You Should Know About Generating Electricity From Landfill Gas “With EPA's recent announcement that new landfills will be required to capture two-thirds of their methane and air toxic emissions by 2023 (13 percent more than current requirements), the Obama Administration takes another step forward to curb greenhouse gas emissions. This step is especially valuable since landfills are the third largest source of methane emissions in the U.S. and methane is a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Additionally, when landfill gas is captured, it can be used for another purpose: energy. The process of capturing and using landfill gas (LFG) is considered biomass renewable energy.” (The Huffington Post)

High Hopes, Skepticism for Houston's Recycling Plan “Proponents of Houston’s ambitious plan to increase recycling call it the future of waste management. To detractors, it’s just a waste. Under the planned One Bin for All program, Houston residents would not need to separate glass, plastic and paper from food and other garbage. Instead, everything would go into one bin and get sorted after arrival at a mixed waste processing facility. Thursday is the deadline for private companies to submit bids to the city to build and run the facility. The bid guidelines call for a 75 percent diversion rate — that is, only 25 percent of solid waste should end up in landfills. The rest would be recycled, composted or converted into energy sources.” (The Texas Tribune)

Pittsburgh’s New Recycling Rules: Myth From Reality “So you thought you were doing the right thing by sorting your recyclables and putting them out on the curb, but are you doing it correctly? The truth is some things that used to be trash can now be recycled, and not everything people think can be recycled actually can.” (CBS Pittsburgh)

University of Kentucky gets $12.2 million federal grant to study hazardous waste sites “The University of Kentucky won a $12.2 million federal grant Monday to research the environmental effects of hazardous waste sites. The grant was awarded by the National Institutes of Health and will be administered by the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.” (Kentucky.com)

Boulder may require businesses to recycle, compost “Boulder should require businesses to recycle — and food-related businesses to compost — if it wants to meet its zero-waste goals, a consultant's report said. The city should also consider requiring all homeowners to subscribe to trash service, the report from Kessler Consulting and LBA Associates said.” (Daily Camera)

Vernon Recycling Plant Could Reopen With Tougher Pollution Standards “Officials with a Vernon battery recycling plant have agreed to implement tough new pollution control standards after elevated lead levels were found in the soil at dozens of nearby homes. KNX 1070′s Pete Demetriou reports some community members remain skeptical despite the deal reached between Exide Corporation and South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).” (CBS Los Angeles)

What we can learn from Brazil's wastepickers “By the time the global sports event ends on July 13, experts estimate that World Cup spectators will generate a staggering 320 tons of trash. Enter the catadores—waste pickers who earn a living by collecting recyclables from the nation’s trash heap, men and women who will dig through the garbage and pick out each aluminum can, plastic bottle, and glass container. And while their jobs may seem humble, their sweat and solidarity are helping to transform Brazil into a true world power in recycling.” (Good Magazine)

Ocala residents opposed to proposed waste station “On Tuesday, some 70 Ocala residents confronted city officials about a proposed plan to build a new waste-holding facility in the city. The facility would be built on the corner of NW 21st Street and NW 27th Avenue. But in order for it to be built, the city would have to pass a new ordinance because the current zoning doesn't allow for landfills or garbage facilities.” (WFTV.com)

County Executive Candidates Spar Over Waste-To-Energy Facility “The two candidates for the first ever Frederick County executive are already sparring over what should happen to the proposed waste-to-energy facility. Jan Gardner, the Democratic nominee, says the waste-to-energy facility should be scrapped. ‘My position on waste-to-energy is that the county should take the opportunity after July 31 to exit the project,’ Gardner said. ‘I believe waste-to-energy is no longer financially viable. We don't have a partner.’ This comes after Frederick County's partner, Carroll County, pulled out of the deal.” (Your4State.com)

NDEQ awards more than $4M in recycling grants “The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality is awarding more than $4 million in grants for recycling projects throughout the state through its Waste Reduction and Recycling Incentive Grant Fund. Fees on solid waste disposed of in landfills, annual retail business sales and the sale of new tires for vehicles are used to fund the grant program, which provides money for various waste management projects including hazardous waste collection programs and scrap tire collections.” (ColumbusTelegram.com)