The soap you leave behind could save someone's life 🧼🌍 What happens to that half-used bar of soap when you check out of a hotel? For thousands of hotels, it becomes part of a remarkable circular eco...

AMP's general manager reported a closed project loan and a minor air permit for the biochar facility; design is 90% for building improvements and AMP aims to begin sorting at Victory next year, with year-to-date landfill waste reduction at 21%.

The Erie Environmental Advisory Council reported a subcommittee’s year-long outreach on a proposed single-use plastic ban and said early business interviews were largely supportive, though members said they still lack precise purchase-and-cost data needed for implementation planning.

Dylan Mason of Lynn Haven River Now briefed the SPSA board on a proposed 2027 General Assembly bill that would give localities authority to prohibit single-use plastic carryout bags while preserving the existing local 5¢ bag fee; board members discussed outreach and potential local support.

Trustees voted to approve a Recyclops proposal to provide free residential recycling under Colorado's producer responsibility program, contingent on staff receiving Recyclops' state contract, liability documentation, and a local contract with hauler Corey before operations begin.

Garden School Foundation and district climate fellows reported major reductions in cafeteria landfill waste through hands‑on programs; staff noted pilot success but said scaling will require contracts, training and funding such as USDA grants and incoming SB 54 allocations.

Consultant Ruth Abbey presented a draft Zero Waste Master Plan that sets seven goals and 23 strategies across 10 years, with a five-year slate of priority projects — including edible food recovery, expanded composting access, and upgraded recycling containers — and asks the city to request implementation funding from City Council.

Sen. Rausch described a small-business grant program called 'Green the Garbage' that provides funds for composting and sustainable practices; she said the program has received three rounds of funding, roughly $150,000 per round, and points businesses to the DEP and Business Front Door site for details.

The board approved a $300,000 emergency grant to the Southwest Solid Waste Authority to buy and install self‑contained compactors to extend landfill cell life and avoid costly out‑of‑county diversion; the motion passed with one recorded no vote from Member Joseph Luhan.

Council reviewed interim data showing residential trash fell ~16% and staff proposed raising the semiannual max‑trash sticker from $70 to $85 and increasing the base fee to $2.60 under an 80/20 fees-to-general‑fund target to close a program gap.

After months of outreach and debate, the board approved an ordinance banning expanded polystyrene foodware, limiting automatic distribution of single‑use plastic service ware, and prohibiting sale/distribution of still water in single‑use plastic bottles under one gallon in Eastern Placer County; the motion passed 3–2 amid business‑community concerns about cost and equity.

Staff explained updates to the Consumer Electronics Recycling Act (CIRA) set to take effect Jan. 1, 2027, including new covered items (home audio/peripherals) and county expectations to meet convenience standards tied to population thresholds.

2026 Cox Conserves Heroes recognized for advancing conservation, reducing waste and inspiring environmental action ATLANTA, Oct. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cox Enterprises recognized David Schick, Nithya Tammana and Detroit Hives as the 2026 Cox Conserves Heroes, celebrating their efforts to drive positive environmental changes in their communities. Since 2008, Cox Conserves Heroes has recognized more than 200 individuals and nonprofits whose environmental efforts have made a significant impact on their communities. The award criteria align with Cox Enterprises’ corporate goals to save energy and water, reduce waste, and protect and restore natural habitats and species. The winners were announced at […]

Republic Services and Sanitary District staff reported a 98% community enrollment in state-mandated SB 1383 programs, deployment of electric collection trucks, and a districtwide plan to replace about 90,000 residential carts with state‑compliant colors ahead of February 2027 completion.

Southern Miller and Associates told the board it will assess current programs and recommended a countywide recycling facility; the consultant requested detailed data from each municipality on materials, routes, facilities and participation.

Anne Welker described the Surfrider-backed 'Skip the Stuff' campaign, which asks vendors and customers to take disposable cutlery only on request; several East End villages have adopted versions, and Welker said the measure reduces plastic waste found in beach cleanups.

City staff premiered short outreach videos and outlined an education campaign funded by a $4.8 million EPA award aimed at cutting recycling contamination in Fort Worth from ~30% to a target near 10%.

CoBuild/EcoCity Builders representatives described early-stage talks with a company called Seer about locating outdoor biochar kilns and a small processing facility at the Bonner industrial site; the project is in scoping only, with no agreements and community outreach planned.

Members discussed RecycleSmart branding, a short instructional video to clarify recyclables, volunteer staffing for event recycling, and third-party mail-back services such as Ridwell and Trashie as options for hard-to-recycle items.

Board members said some municipalities have not completed their second readings of a plastic bag ordinance because they lack the official county ordinance text; the board will email and post the official ordinance for municipal review.

Nestl'e Purina said the Allentown wet facility will pursue modular digesters to convert food byproduct to biogas, redesign boilers to burn lower-BTU biogas, and capture freezer waste heat with heat pumps; company projected about a 48% reduction in natural gas at the site and nearly 7,000 tons CO2 avoided.

LaRose argued performance audits should be mandatory for entities that meet quantitative triggers and said standardized financial data and AI could help auditors find waste and fraud more efficiently.