UPFRONT

MRF NEWS WM AND MACHINEX CELEBRATE PLANT OPENING IN LAVAL

On February 24, Machinex representatives attended the official grand opening ceremony of the Waste Management recovery facility located in Laval, Quebec, near Montreal. The ceremony was held with the Quebec Minister of the Environment Benoit Charrette and Waste Management’s VP Eastern Canada Aaron Johnson.

The new WM MRF in Laval, with system designed and installed by Machinex, will process about 50,000 tonnes yearly of plastic, paper and metals. Operating for the past few months, the system has been pro cessing recyclable material from the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors of the greater Montreal area. Machinex, which celebrates its 50th year in business in 2020, supplied the plant’s turnkey sort ing system, including an OCC screen, disc separators for fine particles, a magnetic separator and a Machinex II-Ram baler.

“The expertise developed by Machinex through its many projects around the world has enabled us to create a highperformance sorting system in Laval which directly aligns with our objectives of equip ment efficiency and production quality,” said Jean Beaudoin, Waste Management director of Quebec sorting facilities and

From left: David Hébert, Machinex; Aaron Johnson, VP Eastern Canada, Waste Management; Pierre Paré, CEO of Machinex Group; and Guillaume Chevrette, Waste Management.

transfer stations. “The team deployed by Machinex for the completion of this project was attentive to our needs and knew how to adapt to the high-quality standards which is expected by Waste Management.” David Hébert, project director at Machinex, commented, “We are very satisfied with the progress of this project and es pecially with the performance achieved by the turnkey system we provided. We have been able to count on an excellent col laboration with the client during all stages of the process and we wish to be able to work again with Waste Management to develop other high-performance systems.” Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2020, Plessisville, Quebec-based Machinex be came the first company in Canada to design machinery for material recycling facilities, in the 1980s. Over the past 50 years, Ma chinex experts have designed and installed over 375 turnkey facilities in partnership with leading MRFs in Canada, the United States, Europe and Oceania.

NEWS BRIEFS

Bunting appoints new Master Rep for Western Canada Bunting has contracted Chris Heming, co-owner of CPG Automation, to serve as their new Master Rep for Western Canada. “I am very pleased to be an official partner with Bunting for Western Canada,” said Heming who will be representing all standard Bunting products in western Canadian provinces, including material handling, magnetic separation and metal detection equipment. AMCS acquires TRUX Route Management Systems At the end of January, AMCS, the U.K.-based global supplier of integrated software and vehicle technology for the waste, recycling and resource industries, announced the acquisition of Cambridge, Ontario-based software solutions provider TRUX Route Management Systems Inc. Commenting on the acquisition, AMCS CEO Jimmy Martin said, “The North American waste market is shaping up to be an exciting place for growth in the coming years.”

ACQUISITIONS New Way Trucks, Inc., the Iowa-based refuse truck manufacturer, has acquired ROTO PAC’s auger-driven organics collection truck from Quebec-based Ginove. New Way has also begun a manufacturing and distribution partnership with Durabac to serve the Canadian market.

“We are excited to be adding ROTO PAC and its complete product lineup to the New Way family,” said New Way CEO, Mike McLaughlin. “We have partnered with Ginove on developing ROTO PAC into the state-of-the-art product it has become today, and this acquisition will provide our team with firsthand access for continued innovation. It is the next natural step in ROTO PAC’s development.”

In a separate transaction, New Way has partnered with Durabac, a Granby, Quebec-based manufacturer of refuse equipment, on products for the Canadian market. As part of this agreement, Durabac has acquired the former Ginove property in Saint-Casimir, Quebec, and will manufacture and distribute the ROTO PAC and other former Ginove products throughout Canada.

“Durabac has a great reputation and we are excited about this partnership with them,” said Don Ross, New Way. “They already have a proven track record in Canada and, with their help, we can expand our footprint in the country.” NEW WAY TRUCKS ACQUIRES ROTO PAC FROM GINOVE, ESTABLISHES PARTNERSHIP WITH DURABAC

ESG acquires fleet management software specialist Soft-Pak Environmental Solutions Group (ESG) has expanded its family of companies with the addition of waste industry route and office software provider Soft-Pak, based in San Diego, California. According to a statement from ESG, “Soft-Pak’s contribution to our already comprehensive product offering, which includes Heil, Curotto Can and 3rd Eye, helps to close the loop for fleet owners who are looking for a completely integrated product – one that delivers the lowest total cost of collection.”

BATTERY RECYCLING CALL 2 RECYCLE REPORTS RECORD HIGH BATTERY COLLECTION Canada’s national consumer battery collection and recycling program, Call2Recycle Canada, has announced the highest battery collection numbers since inception. Call2Recycle says due to increased participation of Canadians, almost three million kilograms of household batteries were recycled in 2019, a nine percent increase over 2018 results.

Call2Recycle Canada has also reported a more than 10 percent increase in batteries collected in regulated provinces, where it serves as the stewardship program: B.C., Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. According to a 2019 Ipsos study (commissioned by Call2Recycle) an average of nearly 80 percent of residents in regulated provinces are aware that old batteries need to be recycled, while 68 percent actually recycle their old batteries.

“Strong partnerships with purposedriven retailers, recycling depots and provincial governments across the country in 2019 have contributed to yet another record-setting year for Call2Recycle,” said Joe Zenobio, president of Call2Recycle Canada. “We are extremely pleased with this achievement and proud to see that Canadian consumers are more mindful than ever of the important connection between battery recycling and a sustainable environment.”

According to Call2Recycle numbers, with nearly 3 million kilograms of household batteries collected nationwide, B.C., Manitoba, PEI and Quebec posted the highest collection results. Quebec residents collected the most for a third year in a row, recycling more than 1.2 million kilograms of used batteries – an eight percent increase over 2018.

ELECTRONICS RECYCLING

The e-Stewards Certification Program has launched the 4th Version of its Ethical Electronics Recycling and Refurbishment Standard. The new, more streamlined version of the standard has been under development by a special drafting committee since the summer of 2018 and most recently underwent two lengthy open stakeholder comment periods.

“The revision process was smooth and very constructive, and the result is a standard that is easier to read and execute and at the same time has probably become more rigorous in the areas V4.0 E-STEWARDS CERTIFICATION INTRODUCED

that matter most – human health, export controls and data security,” said Jim Puckett, the founder and executive director of BAN, creator and administrator of the e-Stewards program.

“At a time when ethical behaviour continues to be challenging for some, and a time when the industry is getting more complicated by the day, this version should be a welcome tonic for all stakeholders.”

SWANA REPORT INDICATES INCREASED FEMALE RECRUITMENT KEY TO SOLVING INDUSTRY DRIVER SHORTAGE LABOUR NEWS According to the Solid Waste Association of North America’s (SWANA) Applied Research Foundation (ARF), the latest trucking statistics show that the shortage of over-the-road (OTR) truck drivers in the U.S. is at the highest level it has been in 15 years, a shortage mirrored in the waste and recyclables collection industry. According to a new report done by ARF, Recruiting Personnel for Solid Waste Collection Services, causes for the driver shortage include an aging workforce, occupational danger, increased demand for trucking services due to industry growth and low participation of women in the industry. The report estimates that about 1,000 women are employed in waste and recyclables collection, which equates to about one percent of the 116,000 sanitation workers in the U.S.

According to Jeremy O’Brien, SWANA’s director of applied research, “This report highlights the potential for women to play an increasingly important role in the provision of solid waste collection services and the valuable benefits that these jobs offer – such as regular hours, no time away from home, and the universal and permanent need for skilled employees in this industry.”

As of the end of 2019, five million mattresses have been recycled by the Mattress Recycling Council’s (MRC) Bye Bye Mattress program in the state of California since the program began in 2016. By recycling this number of mattresses, according to the MRC, the program has helped California keep about 168 million pounds of material, including steel, foam, fibres, wood, cardboard and plastics and out of landfill.

“California is a global leader in mattress recycling, as evidenced by this significant milestone achievement,” said Mike O’Donnell, managing director of MRC, which operates the Bye Bye Mattress program. “We continue to build on this leadership by growing no-cost mattress recycling options statewide and helping ensure a greener California.”

Bye Bye Mattress operates through a statewide network of permanent collection sites, public collection events and col laboration with solid waste providers, nonprofit organizations and small businesses. Collected mattresses are transported to regional facilities that dismantle and recycle mattress com ponents. Mattresses are also delivered to recyclers through Retailer Take-Back and Commercial Volume Pickup programs. The Bye Bye Mattress program is funded through a recycling fee charged at the point of sale. MATTRESS RECYCLING MRC PROGRAM SURPASSES FIVE MILLION MATTRESSES RECYCLED IN CALIFORNIA SINCE 2016

HAULING & COLLECTION ÉEQ SALUTES PLAN TO MODERNIZE CURBSIDE RECYCLING IN QUEBEC Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ), the nonprofit organization representing thousands of companies involved in the collection and sorting of residential recyclables in the province, salutes the recent announcement made by the Government of Québec regard ing curbside recycling reform. According to the ÉEQ, companies who produce and mar ket containers, packaging and printed matter will be entrusted with the management of the updated system, which is key for the implementation of a true circular economy for recyclable materials in the province.

“With the ongoing recycling crisis, this environmental, economic and social transformation project reflects the expectations of companies who already finance curbside recycling,” said ÉEQ President and CEO Maryse Vermette. “They are ready to take on the responsibility of a transparent system in order to reduce at the source and showcase recyclables as locally and efficiently as possible.

“Over the coming years, the successful transformation of the system will rest on the greater responsibilities companies have regarding the management of their materials, as well as on a fundamental partnership with municipalities that takes regional specificities into account.”

The decision to modernize curbside recycling in Quebec is aligned with recent recommendations from members of the action committee for the modernization of recovery and recycling in the province, including ÉEQ and other key stakeholders in curbside recycling.

CORPORATE NEWS Sims Recycling Solutions (SRS), the global specialist in IT asset disposition and data centre recycling, has announced that the company will change its name and branding to Sims Lifecycle Services (SLS).

According to SRS, the change reflects exponential growth in data centre, redeploy, reuse and recycle sectors of their business. “The new brand name more accurately represents the wide array of services we offer, including redeploying and reusing IT assets and their components, to the final recycling of the materials,” commented SRS global president, Ingrid Sinclair. SIMS RECYCLING SOLUTIONS TO REBRAND AS SIMS LIFECYCLE SERVICES

GLOBAL SHIP INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO USE DANGEROUS OPTIONS FOR RECYCLING E-WASTE According to data recently released by the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, 674 ocean-going commercial ships and offshore units were sold to scrapyards globally in 2019. Of these vessels, 469 large tankers, bulkers, floating platforms, cargo and passenger ships were broken down in primitive, substandard conditions on three beaches in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, amounting to nearly 90 percent of the gross tonnage dismantled globally.

“There is wide-spread knowledge of the irreparable damage caused by dirty and dangerous practices on tidal mudflats, yet profit is the only decisive factor for most ship owners when selling their vessels for breaking,” said Ingvild Jenssen, founder and director of the NGO Shipbreaking Platform. According to a 2019 report, at least 26 workers lost their lives when breaking apart the global fleet. Nationally, UAE, Greece and the U.S. top the list of worst of fenders in 2019.

NEWS BRIEFS

N2 LAUNCHES RECYCLABLE PAPERBOARD CONTAINERS FOR CANNABIS SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING March 1, Cannabis packaging company N2 Packaging Systems, based out of Twin Falls, Idaho, launched its new recycled paperboard can with child-resistant lid, which joins the company’s suite of process-patented, sustainable packaging for cannabis and cannabis industry products. N2’s new paperboard can for cannabis is made of up to 65 percent reclaimed paper from recycling centres commonly found near high-producing retailers including Target and Costco, and is 100 percent recyclable. Compared to the industry’s typical plastic packaging, or 4 oz. glass jar, the paperboard can reduces transportation and storage weight by up to more than 75 percent, while keeping products fresh in a sustainable, food-grade, recyclable, hermetically sealed package.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 hosts close to 130,000 visitors from all over the world March 9–13, 2020, CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 was held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event, which is focused on construction and related industries worldwide, including C&D recycling, saw close to 130,000 visitors from all over the world. Look for Recycling Product News’ event in review in our upcoming April issue. GFL Environmental goes public On February 25, Vaughan, Ontario-based GFL Environmental Inc. announced the launch of its initial public offering of 73,170,733 subordinate voting shares and its concurrent offering of 14,000,000 tangible equity units,with a stated amount of US$50.00 (or C$66.67) per unit. The initial public offering price for the subordinate voting shares is expected to be between US$20.00 and US$21.00 (or C$26.66 and $28.00) per share.