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How do waste plants pick through all our unsorted recyclables?

Aug 14, 2023
Single-stream recycling is convenient for consumers, but difficult for recycling companies. It requires a long and complicated process to make trash valuable.
The pile at the beginning of the day represents some of the recyclables from roughly 5 million daily consumers.
Caleigh Wells/KCRW

Waste collection industry struggles with staff shortages

Aug 4, 2021
Bulk pickups of waste have become more difficult in some areas, and shortages affect companies across the U.S.
Accumulated trash awaiting pickup is seen in a residential area in Illinois.
Tim Boyle/Getty Images

More pro sports teams look to reduce waste at games

Jul 15, 2021
Volunteers on the Atlanta Hawks' Zero Waste Squad help fans put compostable cups and plates and recyclable cans and bottles into the correct bins.
Sofi Armenakian is the Atlanta Hawks’ director of sustainability. The Hawks want to keep  90% of the waste from their games out of landfills through recycling and composting.
Emil Moffatt

More working from home means we're generating more residential trash

Aug 31, 2020
Meanwhile, closed offices, stores and stadiums have been producing a lot less commercial garbage.
Workers sort recycled materials at a Maryland facility. Compared to pre-pandemic times, more refuse is being generated by homes and less by businesses.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images