Sep 8, 2021

The state of the municipal recycling industry in the US Our report shares insights into the U.S. recycling sector culled from surveys of material recovery facility operators, haulers and government officials as well as from roundtable discussions. Earlier this summer, Recycling Today and Waste Today partnered to produce a survey that was administered by Readex Research  of Stillwater, Minnesota, with the intention of gauging the state of the municipal recycling industry in the U.S. The results were published in the September issue of Recycling Today. Of the 188 respondents, 46 percent indicated they were in the government sector, 41 percent identified as haulers and 12 percent indicated they were material recovery facility (MRF) operators. Research for this report was funded by sponsors  CP Manufacturing  of San Diego and  Shred-Tech  of Cambridge, Ontario. In addition to the survey, the staff of Recycling Today hosted three virtual roundtables in the spring: one with MRF operators, one with government recycling officials and one with representatives from consumer packaged goods companies. (Some of the MRF operators who participated in the roundtable and some of the government participants also offer hauling services. )  The survey results and the roundtables help to illustrate the resilient and adaptable nature of the U.S. recycling industry. Respondents share how they are responding to recent challenges, including those related to the pandemic; the areas they are investing in within their businesses and communities; and contracting practices. Excerpts from the roundtable discussions, as well as results from the survey Readex sent out on our behalf, are included in The State of the Municipal Recycling Industry report. However, we had more content than the print issue allowed, so we created a special section on the Recycling Today website where we are sharing additional information over the month of September. Be sure to check it out at www.RecyclingToday.com/keyword/soi-municipal . Home to a growing number of hospitals, universities and leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, the state of Massachusetts has built what some experts describe as the largest medical technology hub in the United States. In 2020, venture capital investment in Massachusetts-based biopharma companies reached $5.8 billion, surpassing the previous record of $4.8 billion in 2018, according to  The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio) , an industry trade group representing more than 1,400 members in the life sciences sector. In addition, 21 biopharma companies in the state went public in 2020, a 110 percent increase from 2019, totaling $3.9 billion raised by initial public offerings (IPO). These companies accounted for 32 percent of all U.S.-based biopharma IPOs by volume last year. By providing services and support for the top life sciences cluster in the world, MassBio—based in Cambridge—has helped pave the way for the state’s broadening medical sector since its founding in 1985. This can partially be credited to the organization’s purchasing consortium, known as MassBio Edge, which aggregates the purchasing power of members to offer pre-vetted competitive discounts, preferred terms and benefits, and customer service on products and services. “Under MassBio Edge, we leverage the buying power of our member companies, and we negotiate agreements with vendors on behalf of our member organizations that they’re able to take advantage of,” says Kendalle Burlin O’Connell, president and COO for MassBio. “So, essentially the smallest biotech, maybe five to 10 people, could get the contract terms, pricing and conditions that a 30,000-person pharma company would get based on the full buying power.” COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES A major incentive for biotech firms under MassBio Edge has been the program’s partnership with Boston-based  Veolia North America . As a preferred partner for the savings and reward program, Veolia acts as an all-inclusive resource for transportation, disposal, training and regulatory guidance related to all types of hazardous, nonhazardous and regulated medical waste as well as low-level radioactive materials. The company also provides comprehensive recycling and waste-to-energy programs. “We’ve been a partner with Veolia since 1996. Historically, that [partnership] had been focused on the chemical waste side of the business, but we expanded the agreement to include the regulated medical waste business [in 2020],” says O’Connell. “Obviously, that’s of huge importance to our membership being in the life sciences [sector], and Veolia has shown that they are a strong partner for us over the past 20 years. Ultimately, what the [expanded partnership] means for our members is that we have a one-stop-shop provider with Veolia to handle both chemical waste and regulated medical waste.” With the life sciences industry in Massachusetts reaching record growth over the past decade as emphasis is put on gene therapy and biologics, O’Connell says the need for a full-service waste provider in the area has become even more important. According to MassBio, biopharma firms in the state expect to add 10 to 20 million square feet of lab space over the next five years, creating upwards of 20,000 to 40,000 new jobs in the sector. “Our membership is made up of companies of all shapes and sizes in this industry. It’s important for us to have a partner that can service small and emerging companies, but also scale up with them as they move through their lifecycle and become a large biotech company.” – Kendalle Burlin O’Connell, president and COO, MassBio As the sole waste management service provider for all MassBio members, Veolia provides a complete range of services for life sciences, biotechnology, university, hospital, industrial and municipal customers through the company’s network of more than 45 sales, services, treatment and disposal facilities in the U.S. “The people at MassBio have clarity about the needs of their members and can effectively communicate [to] us about what their needs are, and our group has the technical expertise to make sure that we’re satisfying those needs,” says Bob Cappadona, executive vice president and COO for Veolia’s Environmental Solutions and Services division. “There’s a level of trust between the two groups to ensure that we’re delivering the services to the customers in a way that we can stand proud of. “I think that relationship has worked well, whether it’s [dealing with] medical waste, hazardous waste, or frankly, [during] COVID, because we are committed to making sure that we can provide the services that we do in a way that is safe and appropriate for all involved. And, again, it all starts with communication between MassBio and Veolia.” WORKING TOGETHER Servicing a variety of MassBio members such as Harvard University, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer Inc. and Boston Children’s Hospital, Cappadona says finding a medical waste disposal solution for a company usually starts with a collaborative discussion with both MassBio and the member company. “The development of our services is always very collaborative with what our customers need,” he says. “The first thing [we do] is take a look around at their environment. If you think about it, the individual who works in a refinery or chemical plant versus an individual who’s at a biotech or pharmaceutical company is going to have a very different environment. So, we’ve got to make sure that we’re very respectful of the surroundings that we’re operating in.” Cappadona adds that the process also includes extensive training to ensure the safety of waste personnel, as well as employees working in the lab environment. “The No. 1 thing is just making sure that we have a good, comprehensive understanding of the services we’re going to provide, where we’re going to provide them and making sure that we’re communicating to the customer how we’re going to do that to ensure safety and compliance,” he says. Working closely with the major companies participating in developing COVID-19 vaccine research, Cappadonna says the company has taken a lot of pride in adapting its services to fit its customers’ needs. “Depending upon the type of location and whether it’s a small research location or a large manufacturing facility, we’ve adapted to the needs of those companies both from a waste management standpoint, as well as a business environment standpoint,” he says. “In some cases, we’ve done decontamination activities, and in certain facilities, we’ve changed the frequency and the services we provide. But ultimately, we’ve ensured that our teammates and representatives are prepared in whatever they need to do in order to enter and operate those customer locations.” In order to better handle the influx of medical waste throughout Massachusetts, Veolia has also partnered with MassBio and another third party for the opening of a new medical waste treatment facility in Boston. According to O’Connell, the introduction of this facility was a major selling point for MassBio’s expanded partnership with Veolia given its close proximity to members and the environmental benefits it provides. “The facility aims to provide a local option for treatment here in Boston and will reduce materials and resources being put on the road while also minimizing any risk of transport,” says Cappadonna. “It is newly permitted and currently in the ramp-up stage. We’re not at full capacity at this point, but it will be ramping up to full capacity soon.” This article first appeared in the July-August issue of Waste Today. The author is the assistant editor of Waste Today and can be reached at  hrischar@gie.net . Indianapolis-based Allison Transmission , a designer and manufacturer of conventional, electric hybrid and fully electric vehicle propulsion solutions, has announced that it has been selected by Hino Trucks , Novi, Michigan, as its e-Axle development partner for Class 6, 7 and 8 battery electric vehicle (BEV) trucks. The two companies have signed the framework behind a comprehensive strategic Joint Collaboration Agreement (JCA) that builds on the long-standing partnership Allison and Hino share in the conventional transmission space. Through this agreement, Hino will integrate Allison’s eGen Power 100D e-Axle into their vehicles as the two companies "collaborate to build out a truly differentiated product for end users," with start of low volume production intended in early 2023. “This is an exciting development as we continue to expand our electrified product portfolio in support of our promise to provide the most reliable and valued propulsion solutions in the world,” said Rohan Barua, vice president of North America Sales, Global Channel and Aftermarket for Allison Transmission. “We are pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with Hino Trucks in delivering innovative solutions for our mutual customers. Just as the Allison 2000 and 3000 Series are the standard transmission offering in the conventional diesel-powered Hino vehicles, the next generation of Allison commercial EV powertrains will power Hino’s BEV trucks, delivering the same proven performance, reliability and durability that the combination of the Hino-Allison brands represent.” Hino announced Project Z in October 2020 and has continued collaborating with Allison since then in designing BEV solutions tailored for the North America medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicle markets. As part of the work being undertaken with Hino and other development partner-customers, Allison has announced the launch of a new e-Axle product that will be added to the eGen Power family - the eGen Power 100S. The eGen Power 100S incorporates several of the core components offered in the eGen Power 100D, and packages these elements into a lighter and more compact design best suited for class 6 and 7 vehicles, and in a tandem configuration for Class 8 6x4 vehicles. Under the terms of the JCA, Hino will be the first global OEM to integrate the eGen Power 100S, ensuring a partnership in Class 6 through Class 8 vehicles. “We are pleased to formalize our collaboration with Allison on the integration of their eGen Power electric axles into Hino’s class 6, 7 and 8 BEV line up,” said Glenn Ellis, senior vice president of Customer Experience at Hino Trucks. “It is especially exciting to be the first OEM to integrate the eGen Power 100S into our class 6 and 7 BEV trucks, representing another critical step in Hino’s Project Z, Path to Zero initiative we announced late last year. Whether our conventional diesel-powered products or our next generation electric propulsion platforms, our mutual customers expect reliable and durable solutions from the Hino and Allison partnership. I’m confident we’ll continue to deliver that promise.” Californians, agriculture industry, local governments and businesses now have more options to dispose of treated wood waste with the passage of recent legislation. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 332 into law on Aug. 31 after it was approved unanimously by the California Legislature. The bill had an urgency clause, permitting it to go into effect immediately. AB 332 statutorily incorporates the former Alternative Management Standards (AMS) for Treated Wood Waste, which allowed preservative treated wood waste to be disposed in the composite-lined portion of an approved solid waste landfill. “The passage of AB 332 is a huge win for homeowners, contractors, builders, environmentalists and our infrastructure,” Dallin Brooks, executive director of Western Wood Preservers Institute (WWPI) says. “The broad support for this bill reaffirms treated wood waste can safely be disposed while providing environmental benefits.” In Dec. 2020, C&D recyclers in the state talked with Construction & Demolition Recycling magazine about the complications the previous legislation imposed on California businesses. The AMS had been in effect for nearly 15 years before the program expired on Jan. 1, creating significant difficulties for everyone needing to dispose of preserved wood. As a result, for the first three months of 2021, the disposal of treated wood was only authorized at a hazardous waste landfill. In March, the California Dept. of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) created a variance program where those disposing of treated wood could purchase variances allowing disposal in approved composite-lined landfills per the provisions of the AMS. With the adoption of AB 332, all treated wood waste variances become inoperative and are no longer in effect. However, this should not be an issue as the new law creates more disposal options with previously approved handling provisions. For more information on the disposal of treated wood waste, interested parties can consult the DTSC website . Brooks credited the passage of the bill to an extensive industry coalition, which included wood preservers, local jurisdictions, waste haulers, contractors, building material distributors, agricultural associations and environmentalists, as well as many other affiliated industries. “We showed over the past two decades a proven record of responsibly and safely disposing of treated wood in a way that protects the environment while allowing for simple compliance. We’re pleased that legislators and the governor agreed the AMS is the wisest way to dispose of treated wood at the end of its service,” Brooks says. WWPI says it will be working with stakeholders such as DTSC, landfills, transfer stations and haulers to provide a smooth reimplementation of disposal options and offer disposal handling education. Biffa plc, a large integrated waste management business based in the U.K., has announced that it has completed its acquisition of the collections business and certain recycling assets from Viridor Waste Management Ltd., a renewable energy and waste management company also based in the U.K. Biffa initially announced the acquisition May 21. Viridor sold these assets to Biffa for 126 million pounds (or about $154.3 million). The company reports that the acquisition expands Biffa’s industrial and commercial (I&C) collections business and recycling capabilities, broadening the company’s customer base and solidifying its position as a leader in sustainable waste management in the U.K. Biffa now owns Viridor’s network of 15 I&C depots for business waste. The acquisition also solidifies Biffa’s record as a consolidator of the U.K. I&C collections market and indicates the company’s commitment to sustainability strategy, making the company one of the largest recyclers of postconsumer materials in the U.K., the company states in a news release on the acquisition. “The acquisition of Viridor’s collections business and certain recycling assets is another significant step for Biffa, strengthening our leadership positions in a number of our core markets and accelerating the delivery of our growth strategy as we continue to leverage the group’s unique position at the heart of the circular economy,” says Michael Topham, chief executive of Biffa. “On behalf of everyone at Biffa, I’m delighted to officially welcome our new Viridor colleagues to the business and look forward to working together as we continue to pursue the exciting growth opportunities that lie ahead.”