Landfill
Colorado to offer $14M in landfill gas grants funded by IRA
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced a $14 million grant program to assist landfill operators in meeting the state's new methane regulations. Funded by the federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program, the initiative prioritizes smaller local government and nonprofit landfills, with applications open until 2029.
Loci Controls launches AI-assisted landfill gas monitoring
Loci Controls leverages ten years of accumulated operational data to introduce AI-assisted monitoring capabilities on the WellWatcher platform. By training large language models, it helps operators quickly identify anomalies and trends in wellhead data, offering significant value especially to RNG plant operators. The company has made this feature available to all customers equipped with its wellhead monitoring and control systems, with plans to expand it in the future to users with monitoring-only installations.
WM revisits Pennsylvania plans; Latest on Casella-operated Maine landfill
Landfill operators face mounting hurdles in expansion and compliance. WM's Grand Central Landfill expansion in Pennsylvania collapses after property owners withdraw and township reverses approvals. In Maine, the DEP limits Casella's NEWSME subsidiary to a consultant role in the Juniper Ridge expansion, naming the state as sole applicant. Other updates include EPA Superfund removals, a $9.2M Clean Water Act penalty for Republic Services, and operational changes at several landfills.
Republic Services boosts guidance amid improving commodities
Republic Services delivered solid second-quarter results, with pricing outpacing cost inflation, polymer center capacity exceeding expectations and benefiting from higher commodity prices. The company raised its full-year guidance, expecting revenue of $17.2-17.3 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $5.525-5.55 billion. CEO Jon Vander Ark discussed AI, PFAS regulation, and industrial recovery during the earnings call.
Waste Connections sues LA County for $825M over Chiquita Canyon closure
A Waste Connections subsidiary sued Los Angeles County over the closure of the Chiquita Canyon landfill, seeking at least $825 million. The lawsuit alleges that the county and the water board refused to renew permits, forcing the landfill to cease operations. The dispute stems from a 2022 heat event that triggered community protests and state legislation. The county has not yet responded, and the first status conference is scheduled for September 29.
WM expands autonomous equipment plans at Arizona landfill
WM announced the expansion of its autonomous equipment operations at its landfill in the Marana area of Arizona, calling it an industry first. The company launched a pilot in 2025, using Caterpillar's Cat Command remote control technology to autonomously operate bulldozers. The next phase will test an autonomous waste compactor developed by Caterpillar to further explore autonomous solutions.
Teamsters workers authorize strike at Republic Services Arizona landfill
Teamsters Local 104 announced that the 20 workers it represents at Republic Services' Southwest Regional Landfill in Buckeye, Arizona, unanimously authorized a strike. The vote occurred four months after the workers joined the union, which has adopted a more aggressive negotiation strategy and accused the company of delaying talks. The two sides have clear differences on wages, benefits, and seniority terms, and the union also alleges the company has failed to fulfill its annual performance-based pay raise obligations.
FluxLab Conducts 'Fast, Accurate, and Targeted' Field Measurement Campaign to Characterize Methane Emissions from Canadian Landfills
In 2022, the FluxLab research team launched a multi-month national field measurement campaign of methane emissions from landfills, covering 42 landfills and combining vehicle-based and aerial monitoring methods. The results showed that measured emissions were generally lower than model predictions, particularly in cold and arid climate zones. This research provided key data support for Canada's first federal landfill methane regulations and revealed the limitations of current IPCC models in specific climate types.