Waste Reduction/Recycling / Public News Service

Americans generate more than 35 million tons of plastic waste every year, almost all of which ends up in a landfill or is incinerated. (diy13/Adobe Stock)

OR scores 'good' in fight against plastic pollution

Oregon has received good marks in the fight against plastic pollution. This month is Plastic-Free July and a report called "The United States of …

A 2023 study from the University of Nevada, Reno found that Lake Tahoe has the third-highest concentration of microplastics among the 38 lakes studied worldwide. (Carl Mazur Photo/Adobe Stock)

During Plastic-Free July, NV scores just 1.5 of 5 on antipollution efforts

Nevada receives extremely low marks in the fight against plastic pollution. This is Plastic-free July and a report called The United States of …

Meat, dairy, bones or diseased plants should be avoided when composting to discourage pests and diseases, according to the Johnson County Recycling Center. (Adobe Stock)

IN organization wants to see Hoosiers excited about composting

A cleaner environment through less waste is the goal of a new state organization, the Indiana Composting Council. The council will enlist …

According to CalRecycle, 2.6 million tons of plastic packaging and foodware end up in California landfills every year. (Erik/Adobe Stock)<br />

During Plastic-Free July, CA a pioneer in anti-pollution efforts

California receives high marks in a report on the fight against plastic pollution. This is Plastic-free July and the United States of Plastics report…

Most Americans support requiring oil and gas companies to pay pollution fees, according to recent polling from Global Methane Hub. (Adobe Stock)

AZ air quality could take a hit if Congress delays methane polluter fee

As Congressional leaders continue debate over the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," environmental advocates are concerned about changes which could transl…

A poll showed Americans largely support requiring oil and gas companies to pay pollution fees but Congress wants to delay a polluter fee established under the Biden administration. (Heidi/Adobe Stock)

GOP aims to roll back methane rule Americans largely support

New Mexico is a leader in trying to reduce methane pollution from the oil and gas industry but Congress wants to prevent implementation of a federal r…

Thermal imaging of emissions rising from Total's Bruder drill site in Arlington, Texas. (photo courtesy EARTHWORKS)

'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' could mean big changes for TX environment

As Congress continues to debate specifics of the budget reconciliation bill, also known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," environmental rights …

Methane and other emissions at oil and gas operations, when combined with sunlight, can produce dangerous ground-level ozone pollution. (Adobe Stock)

Moves to delay methane polluter fee could impact Colorado air quality

As Congress debates the GOP's sweeping budget reconciliation bill, some lawmakers are working to include a provision which would delay a methane …

In Fiscal Year 2024, Ohio's state-funded food programs created or sustained 292 jobs, supported $11.3 million in income and generated $38.4 million in economic output. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio foodbanks: Funding needed for fresh food with local roots

Ohio food banks are urging state lawmakers to approve what they said is a modest budget increase needed to get more fresh, local produce into the …

Most U.S. states have CAFOs, typically ranging from 100 to 1,000 animals, although a few have fewer than 10. (Lost_in_the_Midwest/Adobe Stock)

CAFO v. factory farm: What’s the difference?

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Chrystal Blair for Missouri News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborat…

Compostable packaging made from seaweed or food waste is a more sustainable alternative to plastic wrappers and foam. (Sway)

CA makers of compostable packaging call for state, federal policy changes

California companies making compostable packaging materials said their products could make a huge dent in the problem of plastic pollution but only wi…

Buried food and yard waste break down without oxygen and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas (likstudio/Adobe Stock)

County leader working to change the way Michigan handles trash

By Nina Misuraca Ignaczak for Planet Detroit.Broadcast version by Chrystal Blair for Michigan News Connection for the Planet Detroit-Public News Servi…

Along Minnesota's Iron Range, taconite mining is one of the heavily scrutinized industries in the push to protect surrounding resources, like Lake Superior. (Adobe Stock)

How will Great Lakes region fare with diminished EPA enforcement?

Minnesota has its own carbon emissions reduction goals in place but under a changing federal Environmental Protection Agency, it is an open question …

Experts on decluttering and downsizing say increasingly storing household items in your garage is

Why your spring cleaning should include saying goodbye to clutter

A lot of households might have junk piles on their kitchen counter or an overflowing storage room. A North Dakota expert says to avoid stress that …

The Agriculture Enterprise Area Program, under the Farmland Preservation program, offers additional financial incentives for communities who commit to keeping land in agriculture use for a specified period. (Adobe Stock)

WI ag conservation program yields farmers' savings

Wisconsin's investment in preserving its agricultural land is offering some solace to farmers and landowners while helping them save money amid a clim…

In addition to house paint, PaintCare sites also accept primers, stains, sealers and clear coatings such as shellac and varnish. (Ernest/Adobe Stock)

OR hits recycling milestone: 10 million gallons of paint

Oregonians have recycled more than 10 million gallons of leftover paint through the nonprofit PaintCare. The PaintCare program allows people to …

Cobbs Creek Ambassadors help clean up the creek in Philadelphia. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful involves students in programs promoting community pride and environmental education. (Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful)

'Pick Up PA' drives statewide community cleanup efforts for Earth Day, beyond

Across the state, more than 300 Pick Up Pennsylvania environmental events are planned for this Earth Week. Last year, more than 77,000 volunteers …

The Paint Care program is funded by a small fee paid at the point of purchase, which then provides consumers an easy way to recycle their unused paint. (CLShebley/Adobe Stock)

Spring cleaning for Earth Day? What to do with leftover paint

On Earth Day, one easy way to help the environment is to make sure your leftover paint is put to good use. The PaintCare program allows you to …

Last year in Colorado, 841,412 gallons of paint were collected for recycling at 212 year-round drop-off sites located across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Recycling paint to celebrate Earth Day, reclaim storage space

Today is Earth Day, a time when many people are also tackling their spring cleaning, and PaintCare Colorado is encouraging people to recycle old cans …

Between 65 and 92 million tons of textile waste ends up in landfills each year, according to the Environmental Research and Education Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

Las Vegas 'trashion' show gives used textiles new purpose

Designers and stylists will showcase their "upcycled" garments as models hit the runway for what is being dubbed a "trashion show" at the Waste EXPO i…

In the Biden administration's final year, the USDA and EPA reaffirmed a goal to halve food waste by 2030 but supermarkets are not legally required to comply. Retailers can help by donating unsold food and educating consumers on cutting waste at home. (lado2016/Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: Major supermarkets fail to cut food-related methane emissions

By Dawn Attride for Sentient.Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Tennessee News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborati…

The Trump administration is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a ruling ordering the rehiring of thousands of federal workers, including in the Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock)

EPA workers in Chicago protest cuts to agency

Nearly 100 probationary workers for the Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago have had their jobs cut and then reinstated in the last month…

Small modular nuclear reactors can generate up to 500 megawatts. The International Atomic Energy Agency sets the limit at 300 megawatts, while Indiana law allows up to 470. (Adobe stock)

Indiana bill could push nuclear costs onto utility customers

A Senate committee will decide whether to advance House Bill 1007, which, if passed, would allow Indiana utilities to recover costs for small modular …

Trash 2 Trends designers create runway looks from items headed to the landfill. Proceeds from the event fund recycling initiatives, litter prevention and community beautification in Orlando. (Trimmel Gomes)

Trash 2 Trends: Turning garbage into glamour to fight climate change

What if your trash could be the key to a more sustainable wardrobe? The group Keep Orlando Beautiful is proving it is possible with its annual "Trash…

Clean energy projects, including wind farms, continue to be developed at a rapid pace. Policymakers and industry officials are sorting out how to avoid seeing retired parts become piles of waste. (Adobe Stock)

MN debates how to help retired clean energy parts stay 'green'

Minnesota remains focused on making non-carbon sources the bulk of its energy portfolio. But policymakers are trying to figure out the best way to …

Agriculture systems constructed before 1998 often have the biggest issues with runoff of animal wastes that can contaminate groundwater. (Adobe Stock)

The state of animal waste regulations in Virginia

Virginia has certain restrictions in place for workers handling animal waste in order to avoid contaminating groundwater sources. But one expert says …

No data has been made available yet to show the effect of the legislation passed in 2024 to regulate industrial sludge in Maryland. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates await impacts of industrial sludge law a year later

Environmental advocates are waiting for results from legislation passed last year, regulating the use of industrial sludge from flowing into …

Danny Akenson of the group Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin said the corporate consolidation from concentrated animal feeding operations has caused the shuttering of many small farms across the state. Dairy farms in Wisconsin with fewer than 100 cattle have decreased by more than 50% since 2012. (Adobe Stock)

WI group pushes back after controversial CAFO expansion OK'd

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has approved a permit to expand Ridge Breeze Dairy in Salem despite hundreds of local objections…

After public outcry over the firing of thousands at the National Park Service and the Forest Service, the Trump administration has moved to re-hire some dozens of employees and additional seasonal workers. (BLM)

Poll: MAGA voters oppose cuts to parks, forest, wildlife agencies

People in Colorado and seven other Mountain West states may want to see changes in the federal government writ large but they oppose cuts to agencies …

Concentrated animal feeding operations are major polluters of the air and water, yet less than a third in Illinois have National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits, which are required when discharging livestock waste. (Adobe Stock)

IL CAFOs on rise as industry remains underregulated

Illinois is known for having some of the weakest environmental laws for concentrated animal feeding operations, with a lack of oversight and public …

Median wages for methane mitigation jobs are $127,000 a year in manufacturing, and as high as $145,000 in service-sector jobs. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado's methane waste-reduction industry surging

An industry that got its start in Colorado finding and fixing methane leaks at oil and gas sites is on the rise. There are now some 74 sites where …

Methane mitigation jobs offer median wages as high as $127,000 in the manufacturing sector and $145,000 in the service sector, according to a new report from the Environmental Defense Fund. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming ripe for growth in methane mitigation industry

Drilling and mining activities can lead to leaked methane, a gas responsible for 11% of all greenhouse gas emissions and experts said capturing …

Oil and gas operators seeking to reduce their methane emissions have many options, with 266 companies offering more than 18 categories of cost-effective technologies and services. (peterschreiber.media/Adobe Stock)

TX leads nation in methane mitigation

The methane mitigation industry has experienced a surge in Texas and around the nation over the last decade. A recent study found Texas has 293 …

Methane is a major contributor to Utah's status among the top 10 regions in the U.S. for levels of ozone, short-term particle pollution, and annual particle pollution, according to the American Lung Association. (Adobe Stock)

Methane mitigation industry battles climate change, creates UT jobs

New research found solving the $2 billion methane waste problem is creating economic opportunities for workers in Utah and other energy-producing stat…

A report commissioned by the Environmental Defense Fund showed in 2024, there were 266 mitigation companies operating in the U.S., a 24% increase from 2021. (Adobe Stock / AI)

Report: Methane mitigation industry grows in LA, nationwide

A new report on growth in the methane mitigation industry shows positive developments for oil and gas companies, as well as the environment. The …

A 2017 Technology Risk Assessment by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives found the potential returns on waste gasification are smaller and more uncertain, than the risks of gasification and pyrolysis. Vicky Abou-Ghalioum of the Buckeye Environmental Network identified explosion risks of pyrolysis. (Yellow Boat/Adobe Stock)

Pushback grows as Ohio EPA approves controversial plastic incineration plant

Ohio residents gathered in Youngstown late last week to protest the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's decision to grant an operational permit to …

Iowa is home to more than 25 million pigs, making it the largest pork producer in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Watchdog group asks lawmakers for more Iowa CAFO oversight

Environmental advocates in Iowa want state lawmakers to tighten regulations on large livestock feeding facilities, which they say will help protect …

We Don't Waste serves more than 100 hunger relief organizations across Denver, and has so far saved 220 million servings of food. (Galatas)

Denver nonprofit tackles food waste, hunger

By Taylor Haelterman for Triple Pundit.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-P…

Researchers in industries from food production to textiles to technology are using microbes to make products like bioplastics, biofuel, metals and animal feed. (Adobe Stock)

WI researchers use microbes to transform wastewater

By Carolyn Beans for the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reportin…

Small streams account for a very small percentage of total surface area, yet a study found they contribute 20% to 30% of total nitrous oxide emissions, making them

IL research shows high greenhouse gas levels in farm streams

By Gabriella Sotelo for Sentient.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service C…

The population of Kane County, Illinois, is about 500,000. Reducing rotting food in landfills will help the county achieve its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 2019 levels by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Kane County uses $500,000 grant to reduce food waste

Kane County officials plan to launch four composting programs at large-scale facilities to reduce food waste, as part of meeting the county's climate …

President-elect Trump's pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is a fan of raw milk, which can contain dangerous pathogens and spread zoonotic diseases, like avian flu. (Adobe Stock)

Cabinet nominees push deregulation of America's food systems

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Maine News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration…

Portsmouth became New Hampshire's first city to regulate single-use plastics in 2020 after state lawmakers failed to pass legislation aimed at curbing its usage. City properties have eliminated plastic bags and and distribute plastic straws only on request. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental groups call for vinyl chloride ban

Environmental groups are calling for a ban on vinyl chloride, one of more than 16,000 toxic chemicals used to manufacture plastic. The Environmental …

Maine has one of the oldest populations in the U.S., with more than 20% of residents over age 65. State officials said many could benefit from digital skills training made available through the state's Digital Equity Plan. (Adobe Stock)<br />

ME tackles rural ‘digital divide’ with tech grants, training

A new program aims to ensure rural Mainers can take full advantage of expanding high-speed internet service. Grant applications open this week for …

Plastic bottles blanket a landfill. (Aryfahmed/Adobe Stock)

Why the burgeoning plastics problem is more than a waste issue

By Shi En Kim for Sierra.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Se…

Researchers say microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic less than 5 millimeters in size. (James Thew/Adobe Stock)

Tiny plastic pieces enter the body in ways you'd never think of

By Julieta Cardenas for Sentient.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Texas News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration …

About 30% of agricultural methane emissions stem from manure storage. The other 70% comes from the digestive systems of livestock. (Adobe Stock)

CT, US take steps to mitigate methane emissions

By Seth Millstein for Sentient Climate.Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for Connecticut News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News …

Over 49,000 New Yorkers signed a petition demanding the city restore funding for the composting program after Mayor Eric Adams cut its funding in 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Composting keeps NYC environmentally friendly

By Doug Bierend for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for New York News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public …

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