The biggest recycling news stories of 2024

Looking back at recycling stories and trends that captured our attention this year

By
Stephanie MacDonald
November 28, 2024

There was a lot going on in the recycling industry this year, from metals, to plastics, to composting, the creation of circular economies has become a priority for many governments and organizations. Recycling Product News

Big strides were made this year toward creating circular economies for many materials, from paper and plastics, to electronics, to metals and batteries. Recycling Product News was there to cover them all. Take a look back over the year that was, and revisit the most-read recycling industry news stories of 2024.

The waste solutions company says they have “seen it all” while solving complex recycling challenges. Pixabay

8 strange things Reworld has recycled

Reworld's business is solving complex waste management challenges, and its employees say they have seen it all: drugs, firearms, counterfeit cash, truckloads of mannequins, and more. As strange as these examples may be, every type of waste, no matter how unusual, offers an opportunity to be processed sustainably. Reworld aims to ensure that there is always a way to create value from even the weirdest of waste streams.

Read more about some of ReWorld's unusual adventures in recycling here.

The new zero emission trucks will enable GreenWaste to continue its success in reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions GreenWaste

The first hydrogen-powered collection trucks in North America

This year, Hyzon purchased 12 hydrogen-powered refuse Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) from GreenWaste. Hyzon's FCEVs are the first hydrogen-powered refuse collection FCEVs available for trial and purchase in North America, and GreenWaste will be the first company to commercially operate them. The vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions, supporting GreenWaste's broader sustainability initiatives.

Read more about Hyzon and GreenWaste's zero-emission refuse collection partnership here.

Liebherr says that this is the world's first prototype hydrogen engine large wheel loader. Liebherr

Liebherr's prototype hydrogen wheel loader

Liebherr has been demonstrating the world's first prototype large wheel loader with a hydrogen engine, the L 566 H. Liebherr identified hydrogen as an ideal solution for operating large vehicles that are difficult to electrify without GHG emissions. Hydrogen reciprocating piston engines prove to be ideal in this case.

Read more about this hydrogen pilot project here.

Germany, Japan, and the U.K. are the top three plastic waste exporting countries. Pixabay

10 countries export over 4.4 million tonnes of plastic waste per year

A research report from CleanHub ranks the top countries that export and import the most plastic waste annually — the top 10 export more than 4.4 million tonnes of plastic waste per year, accounting for 71 percent of all plastic waste exports. Some countries export and import, getting rid of the plastic they can't process while taking in plastic they can turn into material to manufacture new goods.

You can find the country rankings here.

The partnership also allows Mack to offer customers memorable experiences at various race events across the United States during the NASCAR season. Mack Trucks

Custom Mack Trucks move race cars during NASCAR season

Mack Trucks and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) joined forces for the NASCAR season. Mack provided a fleet of customized Mack Anthem 70-inch Stand-Up Sleeper models dedicated to meeting the needs of RCR during the busy NASCAR season.

Learn more about Mack's involvement in the NASCAR season here.

Nth Cycle is the first company in the United States to produce premium nickel cobalt MHP. Nth Cycle

The first domestic source of cobalt and nickel

Nickel and cobalt have historically been obtained exclusively from other countries, particularly China. Now, with the opening of its newest facility, Nth Cycle is producing the first domestic source of nickel and cobalt at its fully operational and scaled 21,000-square-foot manufacturing facility.

Read more about the domestic critical mineral revolution here.

From the recycling process to the technologies supporting it, aluminum recycling offers significant benefits for producers, processors, and recyclers. Adobe stock image

Aluminum recycling's role in achieving carbon neutrality goals

Recycling can be a sustainable way to produce aluminum, offering a significant reduction in energy consumption compared to primary production and leading to substantial cuts in carbon emissions.

Read more about the importance and challenges of aluminum recycling here.

The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) evolution in Canada has been evolving in 2024. Pixabay

The EPR landscape in Canada continues to evolve

Over the last few years, the carton recycling landscape in Canada has undergone significant changes. The Carton Council of Canada (CCC) provided a summary of updates to the regulations and operating systems in various provinces and territories.

Read about the changes to food and beverage container recycling regulations here.

The purchase of Marangi Disposal follows IWS' success in securing the largest number of commercial waste zones in NYC. Interstate Waste Services

Interstate Waste Services acquires largest independent hauler in Upstate N.Y.

Interstate Waste Services (IWS) acquired Marangi Disposal, the largest independent waste collector in Upstate New York. The transaction marks another step in IWS's regional growth in the Tri-State area. Marangi served commercial, residential, municipal, and industrial customers throughout New York's Orange and Rockland counties. Over the past 25 years, Marangi has been a customer of IWS, making the acquisition a natural progression of the relationship between the companies.

Read more about the expansion goals of Interstate Waste Services here.

The Compost Council of Canada's project brings together technical and infrastructure expertise in composting and in-field compostable testing to deliver a compostable claims program for organics recycling facilities. Adobe stock image

Compost Council of Canada to develop in-field disintegration testing and certification program

The Compost Council of Canada (CCC) and Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA) have partnered to develop and implement an in-field disintegration testing and certification program for compostable products in Canada. The partnership brings together technical and infrastructure expertise in composting and in-field compostable testing to deliver a compostable claims program for brand owners and organics recycling facilities.

Read more about the composting in-field disintegration testing and certification program here.