10 Things You Need to Know For the Waste & Recycling Industry Today (July 25, 2014)

39 facilities achieve zero waste-to-landfill “In 2013, Eaton reduced its landfilled wastes by about 18%, or 4,900 metric tons, as part of a global zero waste-to-landfill program. During World Environment Month in June, Eaton honoured 39 manufacturing facilities around the globe that achieved this milestone. Since 2010, these facilities have eliminated a combined total of 2,750 metric tons of waste sent to landfills through recycling, re-use, new work processes and other means.” (PBSIontheNet.net)

Seattle Considers Fining Residents For Failing To Compost “The city of Seattle might start fining residents who put food waste in the garbage instead of the compost bin -- the latest idea to push for better recycling rates. Dozens of cities nationwide now give residents the option of putting their household food scraps in a curbside compost bin. Seattle is looking at making it a requirement. The city is nearly 4 percent away from its goal of recycling 60 percent of its garbage by 2015 and the clock is ticking. So, city staff and Mayor Ed Murray are recommending new rules to close the gap, including enforcement of mandatory residential curbside composting.” (IJPR.org)

Can Maine Meet its Energy Needs with Garbage? “While the Department of Environmental Protection considers an application from the Municipal Review Committee to open an integrated solid waste and recycling facility with a landfill in Penobscot County, the MRC board heard a presentation Wednesday from technology vendor Fiberight.” (Governing.com)

Illinois Governor Signs Clean Water Initiative “Gov. Patrick Quinn will sign legislation that will help Illinois cities better prepare for the impacts of climate change. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) worked with the legislature and with Gov. Quinn’s administration to develop the legislation and worked to support the bill’s passage. The legislation, known as the Clean Water Initiative, provides financial support for communities in Illinois to improve their storm water, wastewater and drinking water infrastructure, while also helping make those essential systems better prepared to deal with the impacts of climate change. As the climate warms, Illinois communities can expect more extreme rainfall events interspersed with longer periods of dry conditions that can lower water supplies.” (Water & Wastes Digest)

Tetronics, BlueOak Reclaim Precious Metals from E-Waste “BlueOak Resources has selected Tetronics’ technology for its national project to sustainably recover precious metals from e-waste, one of the world’s fastest growing waste streams. The first recovery plant will be installed in Osceola, Ark. BlueOak intends to capitalize on the high demand for ‘technology metals’ like gold, silver, copper and palladium by creating distributed urban refineries in the US and throughout the world that recover high-value metals from e-waste.” (Environmental Leader)

Clinton County Passes Fracking Waste Ban “The Clinton County Legislature has approved a law banning the sale, transport, storage and disposal of fracking and other waste. The League of Women Voters had pushed for its passage. The new Clinton County law applies to hydraulic fracturing, natural gas, and oil waste materials. It bans the application of such waste on any road or property. It cannot be brought into or used in any wastewater treatment facilities or solid waste management facility in the county.  It also bars all sales, acquisition, storage, handling, treatment and/or processing of the materials within the county.” (WAMC.org)

With eye on reducing landfill waste, local officials tour Colorado composting facility “The Grand County Solid Waste Special Service District is exploring ways to reduce the amount of material that goes into the local landfill. And as part of that ongoing effort, four local officials recently took a tour of a Mesa County composting facility near Grand Junction, Colorado.” (The Times-Independent)

Landfill gas facility to double its power “The Waste Management Columbia Ridge Landfill and Recycling Center, a landfill gas power plant south of Arlington, Oregon, will be doubling its capacity, enabling it to generate more power for Seattle businesses and homes that are 260 miles away. An estimated 2 million tons of garbage is handled by the landfill plant annually.” (Hydrogen Fuel News)

Late-night fire destroys three garbage trucks at Lafayette facility “Several fire departments responded late Thursday night to a fire at Waste Management on Old Beaver Run Road that destroyed three garbage trucks.  The fire, reported at 11:26 p.m., started in one garbage truck and spread to two adjacent trucks, said Lafayette Fire Chief John Elzinga.” (New Jersey Herald)

Clinton Township compost company found in contempt for violating court order “The owner of a Clinton Township composting company broke down in tears Thursday as she testified how hard employees had worked to comply with a judge’s order to reduce the amount of materials being processed on site in order to eliminate offensive odors that are the targets of complaints. Renee Michaels, operations manager for Uni-Dig, appeared before in Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Edward Servitto for a contempt hearing to determine whether two piles of compost the township says are unfinished exceed the 20,000 cubic yard limit.” (Macomb Daily)