U.S. government grants five open Ebola waste permits “The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued five ‘non-site-specific’ special permits to companies for handling waste related to the Ebola virus that has killed one patient in the United States, triggering fear about the spread of the disease. There has also been concern about waste related to Ebola, which causes fever, bleeding, vomiting and diarrhea and has killed nearly 4,900 people, most of them in West Africa. Two nurses who helped treat the U.S. patient in Dallas tested positive for the disease and underwent treatment.” (Reuters)

Statewide food waste ban reduces waste accumulation, encourages composting “’The food waste ban provides a win-win-win-win-win-win for residents and businesses in the Commonwealth,’ said MassDEP Commissioner David Cash in the release announcing the beginning of the program. ‘It will reduce waste, save money on disposal costs, create renewable energy, cut emissions from fossil fuel use, produce a rich fertilizer for farm use and grow jobs and stimulate the economy.’ MassDEP is regulating the ban, and the department is working to accomplish the Commonwealth’s goal of reducing the waste stream by 30 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050, the release stated.” (The Daily Free Press)

Recycling Crews Strike In San Leandro, Oakland “Recycling workers at the Waste Management walked off the job in the East Bay Friday. The recycling crews were not servicing areas of both San Leandro and Oakland. Workers say the issue started after a company manager was disrespectful to union employees.” (CBS San Francisco)

Landfill drops request for tenfold radiation increase “A Wayne County hazardous waste landfill, under scrutiny for taking other state's low-activity radioactive wastes from oil and gas fracking, has withdrawn a request to state regulators to increase its allowed radiation limits tenfold. Wayne Disposal Inc., operated by USEcology in Van Buren Township, made the decision as Gov. Rick Snyder has convened a special panel looking at the state's regulations on disposing of technologically enhanced, naturally occurring radioactive materials, or TENORM.” (Detroit Free Press)

Glass recycling would benefit NOLA, Tulane community “New Orleans reintroduced curbside recycling for the first time since Hurricane Katrina in January but did not extend this program to include much-needed glass recycling. From an economic perspective, glass can be tricky to recycle, but especially for New Orleans the investment is worth every penny. From Broadway to Bourbon, beer and wine bottles lay scattered throughout the streets. Liz Davey, director of the office of sustainability, said glass recycling makes sense for businesses like bars, whose trash is mostly cardboard, glass and recyclable cups, but can be tough both economically and logistically to recycle.” (The Tulane Hullabahoo)

Proposed landfill expansion on Fairbanks N. Houston draws opposition “Residents filled up a public meeting Oct. 23 at the Sam Houston Race Park to express a wide range of concerns regarding a proposed landfill expansion at 8205 Fairbanks N. Houston Road. The landfill, owned and operated by the USA Waste of Texas Landfills, Inc., would be expanded laterally and vertically, with plans included to create a hilly green space to serve as cover. As a Type IV Municipal Solid Waste landfill, only construction and demolition waste is allowed, including lumber, debris, concrete and soil. Household waste such as food items, used oil and tires are not allowed, said Chuck Rivette with Waste Management, Inc., which owns USA Waste.” (Community Impact Newspaper)

Waste Management director says agency faces $8M budget deficit “Waste Management Authority Executive Director May Adams Cornwall told the board Thursday that the agency is facing an $8 million budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2015. The deficit was at $11.7 million, but Cornwall said the authority received $3.7 million from the Finance Department on Thursday. That amount will address the $4 million budget deficit from FY 2014, which was carried over into the current fiscal year. The accounting department is going through the outstanding payables for FY 2014 and will see how much is left over to put toward the current deficit, she said.” (Virgin Islands Daily News)

UVA Students Compete With Other Schools to Boost Recycling “University of Virginia football fans are facing off against other schools in a competition off the field. They're participating in what's called ‘The Game Day Challenge’. It's an effort to reduce waste and boost recycling and composting. The challenge is a national competition among 88 colleges and universities to see which one can divert the most waste at a home football game.” (NBC 29)

Landfill could take out-of-county trash “Call it a return to the Janesville landfill's heyday of trash, and then some. The city would begin accepting trash from outside Rock County without contracts under proposed policy changes that Operations Director John Whitcomb says are intended to make the city-owned landfill financially stable and competitive.” (GazetteXtra)

Elgin City Council moves along new contract with Waste Management “After a 62-minute discussion Wednesday evening, the City Council unanimously moved along for final approval a contract retaining Waste Management as its vendor for refuse, recycling and yard waste collection services. The new deal would be a five‐year agreement with a mutual option for a five‐year extension and holds annual rate increases of three percent. It would bring those fees for a single family home from $13.85 this year to $14.89 per month in 2015 and from $10.07 to $10.83 for townhomes and condos.” (The Courier-News)