Truck driver demographics approaching “cliff” “A new white paper compiled by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) indicates that truck driver demographic trends are rapidly approaching an alarming ‘cliff’ as too few younger workers are on hand to replace a driver population rapidly approaching retirement age. ATRI’s analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data found that the trucking industry is disproportionately dependent on employees 45 years of age or older, many of whom are expected to retire in the next 10 to 20 years, complicated by a simultaneous sharp decrease in the number of younger drivers, particularly those 35 and under.” (FleetOwner)

Waste Management signs 10-year extension of sponsorship of Phoenix Open “Waste Management has signed a 10-year extension as title sponsor of the Phoenix Open. The extension goes into effect when Waste Management's original deal expires after the 2015 Open, which will be held Jan. 29 to Feb. 1, concluding as it traditionally does on Super Bowl Sunday at the TPC Scottsdale.” (AZCentral.com)

Mayor Jackson to propose $100M bond to City Council “Mayor Frank Jackson and his administration plan to introduce an ordinance to Cleveland City Council for a $100 million bond as an investment in the city's roads and bridges, emergency response team and new neighborhood projects. ‘To grow Cleveland, we need to create neighborhoods that produce and consume. This bond will help attract and leverage private investment and create the right economic conditions to establish those neighborhoods,’ said Mayor Jackson.” (WKYC.com)

Three Companies Join R2 Recycling Leaders “Arrow Electronics, Blancco and JT Environmental Consulting are the three latest companies to join the R2 Recycling Leader program. The R2 Leader program, developed by SERI, recognizes leadership on electronics recycling issues, and connects participating groups to additional projects or opportunities. R2 Leaders agree to take a leadership role in a project to advance responsible reuse or recycling around the world, such as funding pilot projects for responsible recycling in developing countries, or creating new programs for electronics collection, refurbishment or recycling.” (Environmental Leader)

Compost debate set to flare up again in Palo Alto “Palo Alto's passionate debate over the future of composting will resume Monday night, when the City Council considers whether it makes more sense to create a local operation or continue the current practice of shipping yard trimmings to a regional facility in Gilroy.” (Palo Alto Online)

Plastics Recycling Research Lab Opened By Suez Environment “Suez Environnement has opened a new laboratory in France focused on improving recycling processes for waste plastics within a circular economy. According to the company, PLAST’labâ makes it possible to analyse, test and classify plastic materials and formulate new ranges of plastics from recycled plastics that meet the demands of manufacturers. Suez explained that the production of plastics in Europe has multiplied 150 fold over the last 50 years and is still on the increase, reaching the current 50 million tonnes per year today.” (Waste Management World)

Westfield to launch single-stream recycling program Jan. 5 “The city started delivery this week of new burgundy trash barrels to homeowners in preparation of launching a new single-stream recycling program Jan. 5. Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said Thursday residents should read carefully information provided in each of the 13,500 barrels being delivered.” (MassLive.com)

Manchester Launches Textile Recycling Effort “To help boost recycling and ease the burden on the local landfill, the town recently started a textile recycling program. A container trailer is parked at the Olcott Street transfer station. Launched in November, the program is a partnership with Bay State Textiles Inc., a for-profit Massachusetts-based company, and the Central Connecticut Solid Waste Authority. In the first three weeks of the effort, about 1,000 pounds of material was collected, town Environmental Services Manager Brooks Parker said.” (Hartford Courant)

Keystone landfill hikes Scranton's disposal charge to offset higher host fees landfill pays “Keystone Sanitary Landfill in Dunmore told Scranton its trash disposal tipping fee will go up 80 cents per ton starting Jan. 1, because of ‘increased host fees’ the landfill will be paying. An 80-cent spike will cost Scranton around an extra $20,000 next year to dispose of garbage at Keystone, said Scranton Business Administrator David Bulzoni.” (TheTimes-Tribune.com)

New bottle recycling center taking place of grocery store machines “Fourteen grocery stores removed their bottle recycling machines this week. Oregon Recycling Beverage Co-op opened a new center called Bottle Drop in Northwest Medford on Stowe Avenue.” (KOBI5.com)