Monthly Archives for January 2012
A Glimpse Behind New York’s Waste System
City of Systems: Waste Removal from Urban Omnibus. (via Freshkills Park Blog)
HK Lags in Glass Recycling
The high cost of recovering glass from Hong Kong’s waste stream, coupled with easy access to Mainland China’s glass production, have led to a very poor recycling record for the material in the city: …in many Asian countries, waste management … Continue reading
A Plastic Beach Develops Along the Yucatán Peninsula
An undeveloped portion of Mexico’s pristine Caribbean coastline is slowly being turned into a depository for seaborne plastic waste: Finding garbage on the beach is hardly new to Mexico, or anywhere sea meets land. But this ecologically rich region of … Continue reading
Swedish Company Prospects for E-Gold
A vote last week in the European Parliament promises a sharp increase in electronic waste recycling in EU states within just a few years. Stockholm-based Boliden AB plans to capitalize on the new legislation. The company will be nearly tripling … Continue reading
China Struggles With Massive Levels of Food Waste
Wasted food accounts for roughly 70 percent of China’s garbage production. The country’s problems with disposing of its unique type of food waste are examined by the China Daily: China’s food waste is 74 percent water – that’s three times … Continue reading
Ford Hood Aims For Zero Waste
The goal is as ambitious as it is daunting: The minicity that is Fort Hood is seeking to eliminate the nearly 20,000 tons of waste it sends annually to landfills by 2020. And do so without receiving any outside funding. … Continue reading
Mexico City Struggles to Modernize Waste Management Systems
After the closure of its primary landfill, North America’s largest metropolitan area races growing mountains of trash as it attempts to implement more sustainable waste disposal measures: Like other mega-cities around the world, Mexico City is struggling to move from … Continue reading
NRC Supports Wastewater Reuse
Opponents malign it as “toilet to tap.” But a new National Research Council report says that reclaimed water can contribute a growing portion of the nation’s drinking water supplies and be as safe as conventional sources. The assessment is especially … Continue reading
Spent American Batteries Cause Woe in Mexico
This NYT feature is one of the most disturbing waste-related stories that I have ever read: The spent batteries Americans turn in for recycling are increasingly being sent to Mexico, where their lead is often extracted by crude methods that … Continue reading