11 Stories from Around the Waste and Recycling Industry for Feb. 18

Organic-waste program on hold until 2018 “Montreal has again delayed the start of its island-wide organic-waste collection program. Four compost-treatment centres that were originally scheduled to open this year, then delayed to 2016, will now not open until 2018 or 2019. The city has been beset by problems locating sites for the four facilities. Originally, all four sites were to have been chosen by June 2010, but that didn’t happen until April 2011. Then a site chosen for the western end of the island — near Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Dorval — was withdrawn because the airport authority was concerned the facility would attract birds, increasing the risk of bird-plane collisions.” (MontrealGazette.com)

DAMA hits 55 percent recycling rate “Despite this winter's frigid temperatures and overload of snow, the Dallas Area Municipal Authority's customers and crew have a reason for feeling a warm glow. The recycling rate - the percentage of waste being recycled instead of going into the landfill - keeps going up and up. "Recycling has been great," DAMA Executive Director Larry Spaciano said. The average recycling rate for 2013 was 45 percent, said Bill Feher, DAMA's solid waste division supervisor. For December 2013, it hit the 55 percent mark - more than half of customers' waste was recycled. ” (CitizensVoice.com)

Indiana Senate Will Consider Recycling Bill This Week  “A Senate committee will consider legislation this week that establishes a recycling goal for the state to reach by the end of the decade. Proposed legislation that’s already passed the House establishes a goal for 50 percent of municipal waste to be recycled by 2019. Senate Environmental Affairs Chairman Ed Charbonneau says that’s a worthwhile cause – he thinks the state has missed the boat on recycling for too long. And he says giving people a target to aim for can sometimes be necessary.” (IndianaPublicMedia.org)

Vail council set to review recycling program Tuesday “After agreeing more than a year ago to take the necessary steps to implement town-wide recycling, the Vail Town Council will review on first reading an ordinance that will be used to create a multi-faceted approach to recycling at Tuesday’s evening meeting. The meeting begins at 6 p.m., and the recycling measure is the seventh item on the agenda. Public comments will be encouraged. Drafted with input from a 12-member recycling advisory committee representing restaurants, lodging, property managers, waste haulers, Eagle County, Vail Resorts, local nonprofits and citizens, the ordinance would transition recycling in Vail from the current voluntary status to mandatory levels beginning June 1.” (VailDaily.com)

Fire destroys all six Oberlin garbage and recycle trucks “A fire at the city of Oberlin's Refuse Garage at 538 Hillcreek Drive Saturday destroyed all six of the city's garbage and recycle trucks. An Oberlin police officer refueling his vehicle nearby discovered the blaze and called it in at 12:14 a.m Saturday. Nearly 19 firefighters from Oberlin and Wellington battled the blaze. There were no injuries in the fire. The cause remains under investigation. City officials have rented two refuse trucks that will allow residential and commercial garbage pick-up to go on as scheduled this week.” (NewsNet5.com)

County Landfill Explores Waste Conversion Project Partnership “The Prince William Board of County Supervisors recently approved an agreement with LEEP Holdings, LLC, of Vienna to begin a project to convert solid waste to reusable products at the Prince William County Landfill. LEEP was among three companies that submitted proposals to the County for this project. The first phase of the project is a final planning and engineering period for LEEP, to prove to the County that the project will work.” (PotomacLocal.com)

Cortland paying court settlement with Waste Management money “The $1 million Waste Management plans to pay Cortland for not contesting its landfill expansion won’t stay in the town’s coffers for long. In fact, town leaders already have borrowed against the payment to help pay a $1.75 million legal settlement from a developer who claimed it was strong-armed into renegotiating a deal for a new sewage treatment plant to its own detriment. Town trustees in December approved taking out a $750,000 loan with 3.1 percent interest rate, which they plan to repay using the $1 million payment from Waste Management. Cortland officials expect Waste Management will pay the town in December 2015 once the landfill expands, which also will coincide with the loan payment. ” (Daily Chronicle)

Recycling and litter programs awarded more than $2 million “Winter weather led to a pair of water issues in Oregon this week. In McMinnville, the News-Review reports a landfill seeped untreated water for more than 12 hours before the Riverbend Landfill contained the seepage. Spokeswoman Jackie Lang says the landfill informed the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, which conducted an on-site inspection Thursday.” (Associated Press)

Waste role sparks county conflict “A spill of agricultural chemicals into a stream years ago led to the creation of the household hazardous waste program in Wasco County. The brainchild of an employee of the county’s public health department, the program has been a part of that department ever since. That department has gone on to recently become its own entity — a years-long process — and had every expectation of keeping the hazardous waste program with it. But a late turn of events has Wasco County and the newish public health agency — called North Central Public Health District — both vying for the right to house the small program. It currently has one full-time worker and four part-timers.” (The Dalles Chronicle)

Proposed waste gasification plant meets opposition in North Las Vegas “North Las Vegas residents yet to weigh in on a controversial power plant proposed near Losee and Lone Mountain Roads might find themselves in a bit of a bind. On one hand, plant backers at Florida-based EP Renewable Inc. have never built a power plant before. The company will need about 1,000 tons per day of burnable construction waste they don’t have in order to produce 48 megawatts of power no one has agreed to buy in a city that, according to Lisa Mayo-DeRiso, doesn’t want their business.” (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Western Waste Services Acquires Go Mini's Portable Storage “Western Waste Services now has a new service to offer local residents. The company recently acquired Go Mini's Portable Storage. The new service will allow the company to drop off a storage unit wherever it is needed, and move your belongings to a new location.” (KMVT.com)