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

Plastic-Eating Fungus May Solve World's Waste Problems “An expedition to the Amazon by a group of Yale researchers has led to the discovery of a fungus that can break down plastic, possibly solving the world's rampant waste problem. The fungus, pestalotiopsis microspora, can survive on a diet of only polyurethane, one of the most common, and pollutant, industrial plastics used by humans. What's even more amazing is that the plastic-eating fungus can feast on polyurethane in an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment - the perfect match for chowing down on trash at the bottom of a landfill.” (Nature World News)

Oakland Accuses Waste Management Of Dirty Tricks In Campaign To Overturn New Garbage Contract “After Waste Management lost a $1 billion contract to pick up Oakland’s garbage, the company is trying to put a ballot measure on the November ballot to overturn the city’s decision. Officials are accusing Waste Management of dirty tricks as they attempt to gather signatures. City leaders said signature gatherers have posted signs claiming garbage rates would go up under the new deal.” (CBS San Francisco)

Radioactive waste winds up at Ontario County landfill “Casella Waste Systems is investigating how a small bottle of radioactive material ended up in demolition debris that found its way to the Ontario County landfill. Initial testing determined the material was Cobalt-57, a radioactive metal used in medical tests, and that it did not pose a threat to health. Further tests are being done at a lab downstate. The construction and demolition waste first arrived at Hakes Landfill in Campbell on Aug. 12. Coming from a transfer station in the Bronx, the load set off radiation sensors and put in motion a series of events that involved the Ontario County landfill and a number of experts and agencies.” (Fairport-East Rochester Post)

Walmart, Target Partner on Product Sustainability “Walmart and Target have teamed up to improve sustainability in the personal care and beauty industry. The two companies, along with nonprofit Forum for the Future, last week co-hosted the Beauty and Personal Care Products Sustainability Summit in Chicago. Representatives from suppliers including Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Estee Lauder and L’Oreal as well as retailers CVS, Walgreens and Ulta attended the event, which encouraged suppliers to be more transparent about products’ chemicals and to better define what constitutes a sustainable product, the StarTribune reports.” (Environmental Leader)

Municipal Solid Waste to Jet Fuel Firm Secures $105M USDA Loan Guarantee for Nevada Project “Pleasanton, California based waste to renewable transport fuel specialist, Fulcrum Sierra Biofuels, has secured a $105 million loan guarantee through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Biorefinery Assistance Program. The company explained that the funds will enable to construct a facility in McCarran, Nevada to convert municipal solid waste into bio jet fuel. The plant is expected to produce 11 million gallons (41 million litres) of fuel annually.” (Waste Management World)

Glass recycling program 'up and running' in Las Cruces “’This really is a milestone,’ says SCSWA director Patrick Peck. ‘Glass recycling is up and running in Las Cruces in response to avid interest and pressure from residents. After six to seven years of discussing the pros and cons of glass recycling, and then a year and a half of planning and analysis we are actually crushing glass.’ With an estimated 50 tons of glass bottles and jars collected during the past four months and the big blue glass pulverizer installed and powered, the South Central Solid Waste Authority (SCSWA) has moved into the testing phase of glass crushing.” (Las Cruces Sun-News)

ISRI, 1800Recycling.com form partnership to promote recycling “The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, and the website 1800Recycling.com have announced the formation of a partnership to help educate 1800Recycling’s users about the scrap recycling industry and provide visitors to the website with access to an array of recycling-related online resources from ISRI.” (Recycling Today)

Single stream recycling comes to Southold Town “Southold residents no longer need to sort their recyclables before bringing them to the town’s transfer station. On Monday, the town dump on Cox Lane in Cutchogue launched a new program known as single-stream, which allows residents to combine paper, plastic and metal recyclables. Residents previously needed to separate recyclables.” (The Suffolk Times)

Residents on record recycling pace “Regional residents recycled nearly 3.3 million pounds from January through June of this year, putting them in a good position to beat their 2013 annual record of 5.6 million pounds. The Ross-Pickaway-Highland-Fayette Solid Waste Management District drop-box recycling program has contributed mightily to the numbers, according to Rumpke waste and recycling company.” (Chillcothe Gazette)

Waste disposal company blamed for knocking pallet of ceramics into men “A waste disposal company is seeing sued after one of its drivers allegedly rammed a dumpster into a pallet of ceramic tiles that fell on top of two men that were standing nearby. Jimmy Cao and Hong Hanli Le filed suit against Donald Wolff, Foxwolff Waste and Foxwolff Waste LLC in the 24th Judicial District Court on July 22.” (The Louisiana Record)