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Canadian Clean Fuels Fund invests in Generate Upcycle digester project
Generate Upcycle received an $18.8 million CAD loan from Canada's Clean Fuels Fund to expand its anaerobic digestion facility in London, Ontario. The project has a total investment of $70 million CAD, and upon completion, annual RNG production will increase to 832,000 gigajoules, with a daily organic waste processing capacity of 1,000 tonnes.
Battery recycling projects among DOE’s latest $500M grant funding round
美国能源部（DOE）上周宣布为七个项目提供最高5亿美元拨款，旨在提升关键矿物加工与回收能力。电池回收企业Princeton NuEnergy和Nth Cycle入选，分别获得最高5000万和1亿美元资助，用于在佐治亚州和东南部建设设施。此举与特朗普政府即将实施的黑色物质出口禁令相呼应，旨在强化国内供应链。
EverestLabs adds AI agent to its MRF robotics offerings
EverestLabs has launched Navigator, a multi-agent AI platform for material recovery facilities (MRFs), designed to enable operators to more intuitively interact with and interpret sorting equipment data through features such as chat, custom alerts, and troubleshooting. The platform has been piloted in collaboration with companies including Caglia Environmental, Pellenc ST, and Schneider Electric.
California EPR lawsuit escalates as forthcoming Oregon ruling looms
The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) has launched new legal challenges in Colorado and California and filed for a preliminary injunction to block the enforcement of California's SB 54. Previously, the association obtained a preliminary injunction in Oregon, and the related case is now awaiting a judge's ruling after trial proceedings. The Oregon judge has requested supplemental briefing on the small producer exemption clause, and attorneys on all sides have differing interpretations of the direction of the ruling.
Judges reject waste sector challenge to EPA’s PFAS hazardous designation
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld the U.S. EPA's designation of two PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances under CERCLA, rejecting waste industry claims that the agency overstepped its authority. The ruling affirms the EPA's reasoned decision-making process, though petitioners, including the National Waste & Recycling Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are considering next steps.
OCC price increases evoke divergent effects across value chain
The 2026 OCC market shows multiple contradictions: month-over-month price increases benefit recyclers, but downstream packaging companies face pressure; prices have risen yet remain below the five-year average; medium-term growth is expected, but short-term constraints include geopolitical conflicts and weak demand. This article reviews price trends, impacts across the industry chain, and various viewpoints.
The waste industry spent a record amount on federal lobbying last year
According to federal data compiled by OpenSecrets, the waste industry spent over $6.5 million on federal lobbying in 2025, setting a record high, surpassing the 2009 peak and more than doubling the 2019 level. Major solid waste companies such as WM and Republic Services were the primary spenders, with a focus on issues including tax rules, renewable natural gas incentives, and PFAS regulation.
Is a better economy a worse environment for waste M&A?
Over the past five years, M&A activity in the waste and recycling industry has remained consistently active, with investors flocking in to avoid macroeconomic uncertainty and driving up valuations. However, in the third quarter of 2025, Houlihan Lokey data showed that the environmental services sector slightly underperformed the broader market, underscoring the industry's counter-cyclical characteristics. As economic shocks fade in 2025 and interest rates decline, the market is normalizing, and some investors may pivot to higher-risk assets. Nevertheless, the industry's stable cash flows and attractive dividends continue to draw capital. M&A in 2026 is expected to remain healthy, but the profile of buyers and sellers is changing: sellers are larger and more mature, while competition among infrastructure funds and private equity buyers intensifies. Deal activity is brisk in environmental services sub-segments, such as Veolia's acquisition of Clean Earth and WM's acquisition of Stericycle. Meanwhile, continuation vehicles are on the rise, allowing private equity firms to retain assets while bringing in new capital. Experts anticipate continued consolidation in the industry, though some large privately held companies may face an IPO as their only exit path.
Bottle bill supporters face same challenges, new economic conditions for 2026
Bottle bills have historically been difficult to pass in the United States, but supporters are leveraging emerging economic trends and domestic supply chain issues to push legislation in 2026. This article analyzes supporter strategies, opposition positions, EPR policy interactions, and legislative developments across multiple states.
Mamdani inherits New York City’s ‘trash revolution’
The 'Garbage Revolution' implemented by former New York City Mayor Adams has been notably effective in containerization, but progress on organic waste recycling and commercial waste zone reform has been uneven. New Mayor Mamdani takes office facing a series of unfinished sanitation policy agendas.