Proposed $44M Recology contract would increase city departments’ trash pickup costs “The combined trash bill for city departments would increase by 11 percent over the first four years of a $44 million contract proposed between San Francisco and Recology. For the past five years, The City has paid Recology an average of $5.5 million annually for garbage collection, or a total of about $27.5 million. The largest share of the cost is for the Recreation and Park Department, which accounts for 26 percent of trash pickup spending, according to a budget analyst's report.” (The Examiner)

Paint recycling program a first-year success in Connecticut “The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has announced that the state’s paint recycling program has collected more than 240,000 gallons of leftover paint from its residents. PaintCare launched the program in Connecticut in July 2013. PaintCare is a nonprofit organization established by the American Coatings Association, a trade association for paint manufacturers based in Washington, D.C., to implement paint stewardship programs on behalf of the paint manufacturers in states that have passed paint stewardship laws.” (Recycling Today)

Local Politicians Oppose Expansion of Medical Waste Company “What's the plan for dealing with flooding at a company that stores human organs, discarded blood and used hypodermic needles in The Bronx? There isn't one, according to local politicians, who are now calling on the state to rein in controversial company Stericycle.” (DNAInfo.com)

County changes contractors for bringing ash to the landfill “The La Paz County Board of Supervisors has terminated is agreement with Greenfield Logistics LLC for the transportation of incinerator ash to the La Paz County Landfill. The agreement has been transitioned to Ecology Auto Parts of Vicksburg. This move has been approved by the entity sending the ash, the Commerce Refuse to Energy Authority of the Los Angeles Sanitation District. At the board’s Nov. 17 meeting, County Administrator Dan Field said the problem was the ash was settling in the rail cars as it was transported from Los Angeles to La Paz County, and this made it difficult to unload. Field said Greenfield’s contract didn’t take this into account, and it was recommended the county seek a replacement.” (ParkerPioneer.net)

New landfill cell being constructed in north Austin “A new landfill cell is now being constructed at the Austin Community Landfill in north Austin by Waste Management. Crews are constructing a liner system that provide a protective barrier between the landfill and groundwater, which uses standard technology to keep the environment safe.” (KXAN.com)

Valley Waste launches province’s first Styrofoam curbside recycling program “Valley Waste Resource Management took a step recently that will help conserve the capacity of landfills, reduce transportation costs and provide a product that will be used in many types of manufacturing. The province’s first foam polystyrene, or Styrofoam, curbside recycling program was launched in Kings County Nov. 19 in partnership with Scotia Recycling Limited.” (The Digby County Courier)

New Paltz village shop owners and residents react to a new law banning the use of plastic bags “The Village of New Paltz has passed a ban on single-use plastic bags — the kind typically used in supermarkets and other retail shops — set to go into effect this coming April. The law’s passage has garnered the threat of a lawsuit from one shopkeeper and encouraged a Town Board member to champion the idea of banning the bags throughout the town.” (New Paltz Times)

Township board votes not to help Republic pick up its tab “The Washington Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved its special assessment roll for delinquent waste hauler service charges in the township, but with one caveat. By ordinance, the township is allowed to add any fees not paid for waste service removal and recycling collection at the end of each year to tax bills sent to residents.” (SourceNewspapers.com)

Poll: 66% of Canadians Back Waste to Energy Technology “Two thirds of Canadians have a favourable perception of waste to energy technologies, according to a poll Commissioned by the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA), and undertaken by Nielsen in April 2014. The CPIA explained that the Canadian waste to energy market has shown robust potential over the past eight years, growing by 200%, from just four operating plants in 2006 to 12 facilities in an advanced stage of approval or construction by summer 2014.” (Waste Management World)

Lehigh speaks on burning of certain solid waste “Kern County Environmental Health conducted a public information meeting on Nov. 20 to discuss a plan by Lehigh Southwest Cement to begin burning trash at its facility. The proposed plan, which requires a permit from Kern County, would allow Lehigh Cement to import a pre-screened and processed solid waste to its facility on Tehachapi Boulevard. The type of waste proposed is categorized as engineered municipal solid waste.” (TehachapiNews.com)