Municipal recycling programs have had a tough time lately. Markets like China and Malaysia, where recyclables were being sent, found that their own citizenries were generating enough recycled material to satisfy their expanding manufacturing economy. The cost of recycling was … Continue reading →
The pandemic has exposed many vulnerabilities in our nation’s cities, but it’s also highlighted preexisting opportunities and the power of community. Jersey City, N.J., launched its first-ever composting efforts in 2018 with a Residential Compost Drop-Off Program and a … Continue reading →
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, there are 20 million real Christmas trees sold in the United States each year. Each of these trees is decorated for a few weeks, only to be disposed of when their needles start … Continue reading →
Over the last few years, the market for exporting our recycled materials has changed — so does that mean municipal recycling programs have changed, too? The answer to that question varies depending on location and the size of the city or town. … Continue reading →
In 1997, Erie, Pa., started a single large item program, which allowed residents to discard large furniture items — broken tables, old couches, etc. — with their normal household trash. Years later, in May 2018, the city began a three-month large item pickup pilot … Continue reading →
The city of Missoula, Mont., purchased EKO Compost in November 2016. You could say it is now organically reaping the rewards of this investment in more ways than one. Gene Connell, who acts as the treatment facility superintendent in … Continue reading →
A good partnership can be hard to find, but Wilmington, Del., knows precisely what it is looking for in a wastewater facility operator. The city recently hired Jacobs/OMI to operate its wastewater treatment plant, combined sewer overflow facility and renewable … Continue reading →
America’s first responders; our police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses, and more are all to be commended during this unprecedented time for our country, and the world as a whole. In this list, it’s important that we don’t forget the everyday … Continue reading →
Dodge City, Kan., may be small, but it has a mighty renewable energy program that rivals those in larger cities. This former frontier town’s population sits at 27,700, with most of its economic base rooted in the two beef … Continue reading →
The city of El Paso, Texas, will soon be repurposing treated wastewater to usable drinking water through a process called advanced purification. The project is designed in an effort to conserve precious water resources in the desert environment, as well … Continue reading →
Though the time for “spring” cleaning is long past, there are still debris-littered hedgerows and various items of refuse and trash in municipalities that periodically will need to be cleaned up. Two cities featured here have taken the lead and … Continue reading →
