This Month in Waste: The Trends and Topics that Shaped May 2023

#5 - May Fire Report: Lithium-ion Battery Fires Are Everywhere

In this month’s column, I highlight recent fire data as well as provide highlights from my education session on fire safety at WasteExpo 2023.

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#4 - WasteExpo 2023 Show Highlights

WasteExpo 2023 was one for the books. More than 13,000 attendees and 500 exhibitors gathered in New Orleans for four days of learning, innovation and networking. Mark your calendars for WasteExpo 2024, May 6-9, in Las Vegas!

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#3 - Top Ten Cities for Clothing Recycling in the United States

Americans' obsession with fast fashion leaves in curbside waste bins - between 70 and 81 pounds per citizen annually, according to the Council for Textile Recycling. 

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#2 - Did the City of Fort Smith, Ark. Mislead Residents By Diverting Recyclables to Landfill?

Fort Smith is the third largest city in Arkansas. For years, the city’s service provider did not charge the city to accept and process recyclables. In 2014, when its contract with the city expired, the company proposed a $35 per-ton processing fee to continue the service. The city opted not renew the contract, thus beginning a time when the city simply diverted recyclables to a landfill.

Read the full article here.

#1 - Workforce Drug Positivity Remains at Historic Levels in 2022

Post-accident workplace drug positivity rates remained at 25-year-high historic levels in 2022 as more states moved to legalize cannabis, according to diagnostic testing firm Quest Diagnostics.

Read the full article here.