Export figures for recyclable materials continue to slump when compared with 2015 totals. In April, the most recent month for which figures are available, scrap plastics exports totaled 401.67 million pounds, an increase of 11.8 percent from March 2016 export levels. That marked the third straight month of volume gains over 10 percent. When matched against April 2015 levels, however, the...

Ikea releases products made with recycled plastics, and Rhode Island adopts standardized public bin signage to boost recovery efforts. Recycled-content products: PSFK.com takes a look at three recycled products produced by retailer Ikea, including a chair made of recycled plastic and wood. The Odger chair, which was designed in collaboration with Swedish design group Form Us With Love, is made...

One publication examines what a "Brexit" could mean for waste diversion efforts in the U.K., and Unifi expands global distributions of its recycled-content fiber. United Kingdom: Recycling and Waste World takes a look at what Britain's exit from the European Union could mean for circular economy efforts in the country. While much is unknown, some experts contend the European Union...

A town in Iowa looks to remove glass from its curbside stream, and a Southern California city renews a contract with Waste Management. Hauler contract: Long Beach, Calif. leaders voted to sign a new contract with the city's existing garbage and recycling hauler, Waste Management, the Long Beach-based Press-Telegram reports. Removing glass: Sioux City, Iowa is considering removing glass from...

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An industry podcast made its debut this week, with host ITAD Technologies promising more episodes later this year. In its first episode, the Technology Disposition and E-Cycling Education Series featured an interview with Bob McCarthy, the director of business development at auditor Greeneye Partners. He discussed the role certifications have played in advancing the way businesses dispose of electronics. The...

SERI says it has launched a number of initiatives in the wake of a tracking report from the Basel Action Network that found a host of recycling companies shipping devices overseas. SERI (Sustainable Electronics Recycling International), which administers the R2 certification standard, said it has begun auditing certified companies tied to exports, introducing new auditor requirements and closely reviewing BAN's...

The battle over plastic bags in New York City isn't over yet. City leaders have agreed to delay the imposition of a 5-cent charge for thin plastic bags from October of this year to February 2017. The New York Times reports city officials will work to modify the legislation to satisfy concerns from state legislators. State lawmakers in Albany recently...

Apple picks a fight with backers of device-repair legislation, and National Geographic digs into the recovery of rare earth metals. Fight over fixing: The Huffington Post reports that Apple has actively lobbied against so-called "right-to-repair" legislation in New York and Massachusetts. While repair advocates believe such legislation would reduce e-scrap generation and extend the lives of used devices, the Huffington...

Our look at recent industry-related patents includes details on a recycling-friendly label adhesive and a plastic aerosol dispenser that can be recycled. Ardee, Ireland's Mcor Technologies Ltd. was awarded Patent No. 9,278,370 for a recycling-friendly label adhesive. A method of recycling floor coverings such as carpet is the subject of Patent No. 9,284,431, given to Clariant International Ltd., headquartered in...