Industry News

Funding

Connecticut makes $15M in grant funding available for materials management

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has announced that $15 million in grant funding is available to Connecticut municipalities, government councils and regional waste authorities.

The grants are designed to support the development of materials management infrastructure (MMI) at the local and regional levels in response to the solid waste disposal challenges DEEP says many Connecticut municipalities face.

The MMI grant program will provide funds to municipal and regional entities to develop small- and medium-scale waste management infrastructure either in their entirety or as a component to facilitate the development of larger projects. Eligible proposals will support waste reduction to improve the diversion of MSW and regain self-sufficiency in managing MSW disposal within Connecticut’s borders. 

In a statement provided to Waste Today, National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA) President and CEO Michael E. Hoffman says the organization supports the work DEEP is doing to provide grants that will allow municipalities to update or develop waste management infrastructure, however, he points out discrepancies in the department’s statements regarding a “disposal crisis” in the state.

“We are concerned with the use of ‘disposal crisis’ to characterize the current situation in Connecticut,” he says. “Municipal solid waste (MSW) is not piling up. In fact, the Connecticut recycling rate at nearly 28 percent is best-in-class in the U.S.”

Hoffman says approximately 22.5 percent of the state’s 3.5 million tons of MSW goes to out-of-state, modern, highly-engineered Subtitle-D landfills, and just under 10 percent is composted.

He adds that the rest is incinerated in the state at privately owned and operated waste-to-energy facilities, while nearly 40 percent of the nation’s solid waste crosses at least one state line daily to access post-collection options.

“Connecticut residents should be proud of the state’s best-in-class MSW management plan and aware that they do not face a disposal crisis,” Hoffman says.

MMI grant funds will be available for individuals and groups of municipalities, and Connecticut regional entities (councils of governments, regional planning agencies, resource recovery authorities, recycling operating committees or other entities representing Connecticut municipalities). 

“This is one of the largest investments the state has made to date in local and regional waste management infrastructure,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes says. “DEEP is eager to put these dollars to work as municipalities and regional entities implement programs to improve greater system reliability, environmental sustainability and fiscal predictability.”

Eligible applicants must submit a completed application document in conformance with the requirements by Dec. 6.

Awards

Waste Pro awarded in South Florida

Longwood, Florida-based Waste Pro USA Inc. has been honored by the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SFLHCC) with a Green Visionary Award.

The award is presented to businesses or organizations identified as implementing sustainable best practices in environmental strategies that are helping reduce waste, carbon and plastic in Miami-Dade County.

“Waste Pro takes great pride in sustainability initiatives and always works to keep the environment clean, green and ready for the next generation,” says Mike Fernandez, vice president at Waste Pro USA, who received the award on the company’s behalf. “As a father, I find Waste Pro’s mission personal, and I am honored that the SFLHCC recognizes the hard work and dedication Waste Pro has to the environment. The SFLHCC continues to elevate the profile of creating a green future and building a sustainable tomorrow today.”

Since it was founded nearly 30 years ago, SFLHCC has more than 1,200 members and advocates for thousands of Hispanic businesses in Florida.

Waste Pro is a regional waste and recycling firm that operates in 10 southeastern states, serving more than 2 million residential and 100,000 commercial customers from its 90-plus operating locations.

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Legislation & Regulations

New Hampshire law bans landfill disposal of lithium-ion batteries

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has signed a bill banning lithium-ion batteries and some electronic waste from disposal at New Hampshire landfills and incinerators, the New Hampshire Bulletin reports. The law, House Bill 1386, is meant to stem a serious fire hazard.

“Lithium-ion batteries are problematic when they get disposed of in landfills because often heavy machinery is used to handle our trash,” says Regan Bissonnette, executive director of the Northeast Resource Recovery Association, an Epsom, New Hampshire-based recycling nonprofit. “If a lithium-ion battery gets punctured, it is pretty flammable.”

In addition to lithium-ion batteries, the law adds to the list of electronic waste prohibited from disposal at the state’s landfills and incinerators. It also will create educational material around recycling.

State Fire Marshal Sean P. Toomey supported the measure and stressed the importance of educating citizens about battery safety.

Yard waste and wet-cell batteries, commonly used in cars, already were prohibited from disposal at landfills and incinerators under state law. Some electronic waste, including video display devices, computers’ central processing units and video display media recorders/players also were prohibited under current law.

The new law, which goes into effect July 2025, adds items to that list including lithium-ion batteries; wireless telephones; printers; copiers; fax machines; and computer accessories such as keyboards, mice, video cameras and speakers, external hard drives, memory storage devices and scanners.

The new law also requires owners and operators of disposal facilities to take steps to prevent the disposal of batteries and electronics. That includes posting informational signs or providing written notice of the ban.

It also mandates landfill owners and operators, municipalities and solid waste districts to issue educational materials on recycling these items and to provide recycling opportunities.

Organics

California organics recyclers prep for procurement mandate

Starting Jan. 1, 2025, California Senate Bill 1383 will require jurisdictions to secure 100 percent of the procurement target of recovered organic waste products set by California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). Jurisdictions not in compliance will face substantial fines.

CalRecycle estimates an additional 20 million to 25 million tons of organic waste must be processed into compost, mulch or biogas to meet the procurement needs of California’s jurisdictions. According to the department, this would require between 50 and 100 new or expanded recycling facilities.

Bill Camarillo, CEO of Agromin, an Oxnard, California-based manufacturer of soil products and the state’s largest organics waste recycler, says many jurisdictions will struggle to meet the target because too few organic waste facilities are available to produce qualified products.

“The lack of recycling facilities and an inconsistent supply of raw organic materials will make it difficult, if not impossible, for all jurisdictions to meet their S.B. 1383 targets,” Camarillo says. “Establishing a strong relationship between jurisdictions and organic waste processors is key. By working together, jurisdictions and recyclers can find creative solutions to the procurement issue.”

Camarillo cites Agromin’s partnership with the city of Ventura as an example of a strong relationship.

Agromin created a coupon program that allows Ventura residents and businesses to order free compost for pick up or delivery through the company’s website, shop.agromin.com/allproducts. Ventura tracks orders through a secure portal, which helps with CalRecycle reporting requirements.

“The city created a robust web presence outlining the giveaway program and used social media and other marketing to get the word out,” Camarillo says.

Since the program began as a pilot in December 2022, residents have ordered 743 tons of Agromin’s compost and mulch. Agromin established similar partnerships with Ventura County and Oxnard, Sacramento and Camarillo, California.

“These types of partnerships can be replicated throughout the state by organic waste recyclers,” Camarillo says. “My advice to jurisdictions is to lock in product procurement relationships and create programs that enable product distribution quickly and efficiently.”

MRFs

Texas Disposal opens mini MRF inside Austin stadium

Texas Disposal Systems (TDS), an Austin, Texas-based solid waste collection, processing and disposal company, has opened a material recovery facility (MRF) inside Q2 Stadium in Austin, home to Austin FC, the city’s Major League Soccer team.

As part of an ongoing commitment to making Q2 Stadium the “greenest stadium in all of MLS,” Texas Disposal created a custom sorting system. All materials discarded throughout Q2 Stadium are processed and sorted into recyclables, compost and waste through the mini MRF.

The mini MRF has the capability to process about 1.5 tons per hour of materials such as glass, food waste, cardboard, paper products, aluminum cans, plastic bottles and more.

“The Austin FC fans are fantastic and do a great job at keeping materials in the right container; however, to truly maximize recovery of organics and recyclables it was necessary to create a system that enables Austin FC staff to look at each stream and sort it for quality control,” says Adam Gregory, vice president of TDS. “The automated conveyor and compaction system we came up with accomplishes that as efficiently as possible in a small footprint. I commend Austin FC for going the extra mile and working with us to create an innovative solution.”

The company had to develop a compact system to fit inside the stadium service area with very limited space.

“As Austin FC’s official waste and recycling partner, TDS has been the biggest help I could possibly imagine, not just with this project but since the existence of our stadium and our club. Their team has helped us form our zero-waste goals, develop our Eco Stations and our hauling systems,” says Nick Otte, senior director of stadium operations at Austin FC. “This mini MRF project, in particular, is way above and beyond what we expected, and it’s going to help us meet our goals.”

Austin FC’s objective is to sustain 90 percent diversion and increase efforts with a goal of achieving zero waste.