This Week in Waste: Top Stories August 15 - 19

1. Recycling Markets Stumbling in Our Shapeshifting Economy

Chaz Miller 

As our economy has its peaks and valleys, so does the recycling market but to a much greater extent. While the economy has a wide variety of variables, the recycling industry has more that impact it's worth making for very drastic highs and lows. With a massive spike in the cost of recyclables per ton last year, Miller writes about everything that goes into seeing this come to light.

Read more here.

2. The Global Plastics Treaty is a Go – Now What?

Liz Bothwell

At the most recent WasteExpo, numerous professionals working in fields pertaining to plastics gathered on stage to discuss the evolution of plastics with a proposed Global Plastics Treaty in the works. The panel featured Dave Ford, Co-Founder, Oceans Plastics Leadership Network; Erica Nunez, Program Officer, Plastics Initiative, The Ocean Foundation; and Ian Rosenberg, Founder & CEO, First Mile and Day Owl.

Read the panel recap here.

3. What’s Samsung Doing in the Sustainable Electronics Space?

Arlene Karidis

Electronics are often one of the most difficult products to be recycled. Due to this, it is very important that they are produced in a manner where this factor is taken into consideration from the beginning of the product's life all the way to the end. Samsung has a number of initiatives to remain on top of this.

Read about them here.

4. Vegware Releases Sustainability Report Detailing Scalability in Compostable Packaging

Stefanie Valentic

Since 2006 a UK based company called Vegware has specialized in creating environmentally focused products. Their focus is compostable foodservice packaging and their products make it much easier for food providers to lessen their environmental impacts. Working with a large number of companies, but notably Nike, this company is creating a rift in the packaging world.

Read more here.

5. Episode 16: Let's Talk About Fires at a Transfer Station

Charlotte Dreizen

Fires started at waste and recycling transfer stations is a massive issue for those working in the waste processing sector of the industry. In this episode of the show Unpacking Recycling with Charlotte, she walks us through how these fires start and what can be done to prevent them. As this issue continues to grow in frequency, it is important to familiarize yourself more with what what they are.

Watch the video here.