The past two months have been the worst on record since I began reporting waste and recycling facility fire incidents in 2016. In March, we incurred 31 reported fire incidents, which is still below the lithium-ion battery wave we faced in 2018, but in
April, we incurred 45 waste and recycling facility fires in the U.S. and Canada. This was the worst month ever recorded, far surpassing May and June 2018 where we encountered 41 incidents each month. To put this into perspective, in March and April 2020, we only faced 43 total fires compared to this year’s same period of 76. This number far surpassed the average number of fires in March and April of 48.5 fires incidents for the past five years.
Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) Launches Survey of Anaerobic Digestion Facilities Data will be used for tracking waste generation in the U.S., tracking resource consumption, estimation of emissions, and evaluation of waste management-related policies.
Apr 22, 2021
Raleigh, NC – The Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF), a non-profit organization that funds research, data and educational programs that advance the science surrounding waste, has launched a comprehensive survey to better understand the amount and type of waste being managed by anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities.
In previous EREF work on anaerobic digestion, 25 stand-alone AD facilities processing municipal solid waste (MSW) were identified across 13 states and 156 co-digestion of MSW facilities were identified across 27 states. EREF estimated that these facilities processed 784,037 tons of MSW in 2013, but researchers expect that number has increased.
Getty Images
Apr 08, 2021
Raleigh, NC – The Environmental Research & Education Foundation’s (EREF) Annual Charitable Auction is back in 2021 to raise support for the Foundation’s mission to drive sustainable solid waste management practices forward.
This event, which moved virtual in 2020 due to COVID-19, is the Foundation’s largest fundraiser. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, sponsors, bidders and volunteers, the 2020 Auction saw its 2
nd highest net in its more than 25-year history – a milestone serving as a catalyst for EREF to fund more research, students and education opportunities!
Due to COVID-19, the Auction will once again look different than it has in the past with the event being held virtually through EREF’s online bidding platform, GiveSmart. Bidders will have the opportunity to peruse items and register to bid online leading up to the start of the Auction.
Share it
Waste companies have long been comfortable dealing with regulations about tracking and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but heightened attention may make that more complex in the years ahead.
The pressure to address contributions to climate change is starting to come from new sources. Growing numbers of customers and investors are insisting that all industries waste included record greenhouse gas emissions and shrink their carbon footprints. In a relatively short period, considering how a company may be exacerbating the effects of climate change morphed from a peripheral concern for investors to a mainstream inquiry.
“I continue to be impressed by how quickly this conversation has changed, and how rapidly it s evolved in the last few years,” said Hana Vizcarra, a staff attorney at Harvard Law School’s Environmental & Energy Law Program.
Replenysh has been honored with the
Waste360 Innovator Award, which recognizes innovators and forward thinkers who often use technology to better the industry. Dinnison is an innovative thinker and visionary to see beyond market norms and capitalize on the underserved markets by implementing strategic partnerships. He has created software applications that have fundamentally changed the way business is done from collection and tracking to optimization. His work has changed the way materials are moved and used in a way that has not been done before.
Noah Moretter, CEO,
Noah’s Recycling has been honored with the
Waste360 Changemaker Award, which recognizes leaders who are creating real, meaningful, positive change for the waste, recycling and organics industry. During the pandemic, this young man started his own recycling company and donates a portion of the money he makes to a local food shelf. He has a passion for responsible recycling, saving the planet and wants to share