AGP Executive Report

River Pollution & Waste Mismanagement: Bangladesh’s Mathabhanga River is choking on untreated drains, household and market refuse (including plastics), and illegal encroachment, leaving stretches dry and foul-smelling. Myth-Busting Recycling & Plastics: A new report argues the “myth of plastic recycling,” noting only a small share becomes new products, while plastic production keeps rising. Deposit Return & Quality Claims: Ireland’s waste industry group says household recycling matches deposit return scheme quality for cans and bottles, pushing back on “downcycling” accusations. Community Litter Cuts: A UK behavior-change pilot with major brands reports a 16% drop in food-and-drink litter, plus big gains in cleanliness satisfaction. Textiles & Circularity: Portugal recovers 8.5 tonnes of fishing nets for new clothing and footwear, while EU governments push tougher rules on ultra-fast fashion to reduce waste and improve recyclability. E-Waste to Materials: Germany’s “From Lab to Market” challenge highlights Exære’s tech to recover rare earths from e-waste. Plastic Waste Funding in Ghana: Ghana’s circular economy center urges investment in waste collection and recycling, citing low collection and recycling rates amid flooding pressures. Extreme Heat & Waste Systems: Baltimore extends its extreme-heat alert, underscoring how heat strains public services and community safety. Reverse Vending Pilots: Wimbledon tested reverse vending for evian bottles ahead of the UK deposit return scheme rollout. Local Enforcement: Nigeria’s Ejigbo council warns residents against dumping refuse on roads and medians, linking it to blocked drainage and flooding risk.

Solid Waste Rates: City of Robinson approved a 4.9% base rate increase, with solid waste rate adjustments taking effect July 1 while keeping weekly trash, every-other-week recycling, and household hazardous waste pickup. Landfill & Recycling Operations: Talbot County received an update from Maryland Environmental Service on Mid-Shore landfill and recycling operations, including FY2027 gate fee levels and progress on landfill Cell 5 and recycling optimization. Fire Safety at Recycling Sites: A fire tore through a Doylestown, Pennsylvania recycling center handling construction debris; officials say the cause is under investigation. In Brooklyn, a massive blaze at a waste management station injured at least six firefighters, with the cause also under investigation. Batteries in Trash: Anchorage officials warned residents not to toss lithium batteries in regular trash, citing landfill fire risks and urging use of household hazardous waste drop-off. Bottle Deposit Politics: Massachusetts voters rejected expanding the bottle bill to bottled water and other noncarbonated drinks, while environmental groups called for a boycott of Polar Beverages over alleged resistance to bottle recycling modernization. Plastic-Free Enforcement: Tawang district in India reiterated a push for a cleaner, plastic-free area, strictly enforcing bans on single-use plastics and small drinking bottles. Heat Protection for Waste Workers: Barcelona distributed smart bracelets to outdoor workers, including waste management staff, to trigger alerts when heat stress risk rises. Recycling Data Tech: Polytag partnered with Multi-Color Corp to embed UV tag tech into in-mould labelled packaging to improve recycling sorting and track consumer recycling data. Illegal Dumping Crackdown: A Dublin/Wicklow uplands cleanup removed 90,000kg of illegally dumped waste, with organizers urging people to verify waste collectors’ permits.

Medical Emergency: Venezuela’s earthquake death toll has reached at least 2,295, with doctors warning a widening crisis is looming as displaced people face untreated injuries, infections, and collapsing healthcare capacity. Critical Minerals & Recycling: India’s NITI Aayog is drafting policy to boost critical mineral extraction, with recycling flagged as a key pillar—mapping how to recover materials from battery waste, e-waste, and mining waste. Solid Waste Contracting: FCC Environmental Services won a 10-year solid waste collection contract for New Smyrna Beach, Florida, starting Oct. 1, 2026, covering residential trash/yard waste and tailored commercial collection. Service Recovery: Priority Waste CEO Aaron Johnson released a 30-day progress report on Metro Detroit service recovery, aiming to restore reliable trash, recycling, and yard waste pickup. Corporate Waste Infrastructure: Arcwood Environmental opened a new Indianapolis headquarters, reinforcing its hazardous waste and integrated environmental services footprint. Fly-Tipping Crackdown: Brussels doubled fines for fly-tipping from Aug. 1, raising penalties and expanding free bulky waste collection options. Battery Recycling Push: Call2Recycle Canada launched battery-powered collection and recycling products in Québec under its Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! program. Local Collection Costs: Martin County, Florida residents face nearly $19 higher trash collection tax bills as a Waste Management contract continues. Illegal Textile Waste: OLAF and Turkish authorities seized mislabelled textile waste shipments tied to an illegal scheme, including nearly 2,100 tonnes found in a warehouse.

Waste Policy & Enforcement: East Kameng district adopted a time-bound, multi-sector plan for scientific waste management to implement SWM Rules 2026, including four-way source segregation, stronger processing, and penalties for plastic pollution. Food Waste Diversion: Park City Community Foundation launched an incentive program to cover startup costs, staff training, and up to nine months of food-waste pickup for local restaurants to help divert organics from the landfill. Recycling & Community Programs: Lorain County’s plastic grocery bag recycling contest collected over 2,256 pounds of bags, turning winners’ plastic into outdoor furniture for schools. Fire & Safety at Waste Facilities: Port Angeles’ transfer station fire was contained after flames broke out inside a building and a trailer; cause is under investigation. Recycling Infrastructure Disruptions: Baltimore suspended recycling pickup during an extreme heat alert and shifted to earlier trash collection to protect workers. Materials Reuse in Transport: Auckland Transport is trialling road asphalt using recycled tyre material to cut waste and emissions from road construction. Medical Waste Risk: Tsumkwe Clinic faces medical waste handling problems as animals can access items like placentas due to lack of secure storage/incineration.

Solar & E-Waste Policy: India’s Delhi is weighing mandatory recycling for solar modules by 2029-30, with draft rules on safe storage and transport as rooftop solar expands and PV waste could reach 4.5 million tons by 2050. Circular Materials & Recycling Tech: Egypt and Switzerland signed a CHF 1.4m grant to build a national system for sustainable e-waste management, including extended producer responsibility and better collection/recycling for fridges and AC units. Industry Leadership in Waste Services: Casella Waste Systems named Damian Ribar as EVP/COO and promoted Shelley Sayward, signaling continued push in solid waste and recycling operations. Local Waste Operations: Liberty Waste Solutions won an exclusive municipal solid waste contract for Erwin, NC, launching residential trash service (no recycling under this deal). Heat & Consumption Pressure: Europe’s heatwaves are driving a surge in demand for cooling equipment, with retailers reporting massive spikes in sales of Chinese-made air conditioners and fans. Recycling Rules Clarity: UK guidance highlights which plastics households should “focus on” for bin recycling, aiming to cut contamination from wrong items.

Hazardous Waste Planning: Georgia officials and World Bank reps inspected sites for the country’s first hazardous waste landfill, including a former chemical disposal area on Mount Yagluja, as reforms aim to expand recycling and modernize hazardous waste rules. Circular Materials in Infrastructure: Manila’s MMDA is replacing traditional sidewalks in Pasig with permeable pavement made from crushed recycled glass and hard plastics, using bricks from its solid waste processing facility to cut runoff and flooding risk. Recycling & Waste Operations Over Holidays: Kauai outlined July 4 weekend closures, including refuse transfer stations, Kekaha Landfill, and the Puhi Metals Recycling Facility, while residential pickup stays on schedule; Chattanooga also kept garbage/recycling on normal July 3 schedules but closed key waste facilities. PFAS Accountability: West Virginia could receive $11.25M under a proposed federal settlement that would require Chemours to pay $22.5M in civil penalties for PFAS discharges. Marine Pollution Alarm: Researchers found multiple pollutants, including sunscreen UV filters, in waters around Ecuador’s Galapagos—even in remote protected sites—calling for stronger monitoring and waste management. Local Waste Dispute Settled: Mandaue City signed a compromise to resume direct disposal at a landfill after a lawsuit over unpaid garbage fees, pending court approval. Plastic Reduction Push: Wellington Shire in Australia begins FOGO food and garden organics collection as Victoria standardizes a four-bin system to divert organics from landfill.

Fashion & Waste Policy: France’s Senate passed a revised ultra-fast fashion bill targeting Shein/Temu/AliExpress with a per-item charge rising to €20 by 2030, plus limits on advertising and funding for collection and recycling infrastructure. E-Waste & Trade Compliance: A Philippines coalition warned alleged US e-waste shipments to Subic Bay Freeport could breach Basel Convention duties by exploiting a loophole, arguing the risk is bigger than whether imports are labeled “recyclable.” Local Waste Services: Birmingham is rolling out major bin-collection changes in northern wards, including moving rubbish from weekly to fortnightly, adding a second recycling bin and food waste collections, with strict rules on when bins must be put out and brought back. Contracting & Accountability: eThekwini asked executives to report on expiring waste contracts and tightened oversight after concerns about short extensions, aiming to avoid service disruptions while procurement for longer-term deals is finalized. Food Waste to Energy: Basingstoke and Deane and Hart reported recycling 4,187 tonnes of kitchen leftovers into green energy and fertiliser since weekly food waste collections began. Textiles Recycling Push: Pact Group and Plan B Circular are scaling textile recycling, while HolyGrail 2030 is testing sorting and recycling crisp packets into new food packaging using digital watermarks. Water & Waste Link: Ghana’s ISSER economist called for overhauling waste management governance to help end Accra’s flooding cycle, citing gaps like unclear regulation and inconsistent collection.

E-Waste Enforcement: A Philippines coalition says alleged U.S. e-waste shipments into Subic Bay Freeport could breach the Basel Convention by using a loophole for “recyclable” materials, urging tighter scrutiny. Plastic Reduction & Cleanup: Angola’s Cunene province ran a plastic bag collection drive in Ondjiva to cut improper disposal and protect soil and water. Recycling Capacity Boost: Wales’ Jayplas plans two plastics processing and recycling plants (Tredegar and Swansea), targeting 100,000 tonnes of flexible/rigid plastics yearly and aiming to expand recycling capacity by 2028. Landfill Safety Milestone: OC Waste & Recycling’s Prima Deshecha Landfill earned Cal/VPP Star certification, a top U.S. safety and health recognition for waste sites. Textile Waste Policy: France’s Senate passed a revised anti-fast-fashion bill targeting ultra-fast e-commerce brands like Shein and Temu, adding fees and restricting ads. Marine Litter Action: The Korea-donated MV Nilad will be inaugurated to strengthen Manila Bay cleanup and improve solid waste management. Heat & Waste Services: Multiple cities adjusted trash/recycling schedules for extreme heat and July 4 holidays, including earlier pickups and facility closures. Fireworks Disposal Safety: Rapid City and Clark County urged residents to soak used fireworks and use proper disposal sites to prevent fires and pollution. Recycling Funding: Rapid City is set to brief council on a nearly $5M EPA grant to expand recycling for businesses and cut contamination.

Marine Cleanup & Solid Waste: The Philippines will inaugurate the Korea-donated MV Nilad on June 30 to boost Manila Bay cleanups, under a $8.2M, five-year project aimed at removing marine litter and improving solid waste management. E-Waste Enforcement: In Selangor, KDEB Waste Management signed an MoU with TM Enviro to strengthen the e-waste chain from community collection to recovery and end-of-life treatment under DOE standards. Landfill Risk & Policy Gaps: Environmental groups say the Navotas landfill fire highlights weak enforcement of the Philippines’ Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, pointing to limited data and underbuilt material recovery systems. Recycling Access & Service Changes: In Colombo, the mayor blamed garbage problems on poorly maintained vacant lands and disrupted waste-to-energy operations; in Birmingham, households in parts of the city will see new recycling and food waste collection rules starting June 30. E-Waste Import Probe: A Philippine coalition is pushing Congress to investigate alleged illegal US e-waste shipments to Subic Bay, citing court rulings that complicate enforcement. Circular Economy in Practice: Compass and Cauli are rolling out reusable foodservice packaging with tracking and reverse vending to cut single-use items. Local Recycling Limits: Longview, Texas is restarting recycling but only accepting plastics labeled 1, 2, and 5. Battery Recycling Focus: Maruti Suzuki onboarded startups including MiniMines to recycle end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.

Landfill Accountability: In the Philippines, environmental groups say the Navotas Sanitary Landfill fire highlights systemic failures and weak enforcement of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, pointing to gaps in landfill regulation and limited local capacity for material recovery. Waste-to-Value Moves: Iligan City in the Philippines has hired a recycling firm to process segregated waste into refuse-derived fuel for cement production, aiming to cut landfill volume while a new landfill is still being developed. Local Rules for Bulk Waste: Delhi’s Municipal Corporation will empanel private agencies to manage waste from bulk generators under new 2026 Solid Waste Management rules, with segregation and on-site processing requirements and fines for non-compliance. Recycling Infrastructure Boost: WM Canada and Circular Materials opened a $150M recycling facility in Cambridge, Ontario, designed to process up to 160,000 metric tonnes annually. E-Waste & Community Sorting: A Community Bank in Ohio is running a free drive-thru shred day that also accepts e-waste for proper recycling. Heat Disrupts Collection: Naperville, Illinois is shifting garbage, recycling, and yard waste pickup earlier due to an extreme heat advisory. Safety in Recycling Work: A man died after an electric shock during a recycling-factory blaze in Lahad Datu, Malaysia, underscoring risks around waste operations. River Cleanup With Recycling Plan: Delhi’s CM joined a Yamuna floodplain cleanup and said puja materials and damaged idols will be collected for scientific recycling. Textile Recycling Coordination: Limerick officials are being urged to improve bring-bank management for overflowing textile recycling sites.

Waste-to-energy in the Philippines: Iligan City hired Mark Anthony Agsalud (MAA) Integrated Solutions to process segregated waste at its Central Material Recovery and Composting Facility into refuse-derived fuel for cement makers, aiming to cut landfill volume. Landfill fire health risks: Experts warn the month-long Navotas landfill blaze could leave long-lasting air pollution and health impacts, highlighting deeper weaknesses in waste handling. E-waste scrutiny: Philippines Bureau of Customs will convene agencies and environmental groups over alleged US e-waste shipments into Subic Bay, as the case moves through judicial review. Local waste governance: Tamil Nadu withdrew municipal solid waste consultancy tenders for 12 corporations after backlash over privatisation concerns, saying the PPP framework will be reworked. Urban cleanup push: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta joined Yamuna shramdaan and urged public participation, alongside plans to modernise sewage treatment and expand sewer networks. Recycling operations in flux: North London’s waste authority board reshuffle revives debate over an Edmonton incinerator, with critics warning of long-term, high-carbon impacts. Plastic reduction policy: Oman extended its plastic shopping bag ban to more retail sectors from July 1 as enforcement ramps up. Recycling disruption: Sanitation workers in Birgunj, Nepal, struck and dumped rubbish, threatening regular waste collection until demands are met. Circular economy in action: A Hawaii study is testing whether recycled fishing nets and plastic waste can be turned into road asphalt to reduce landfill and marine debris.

Landfill Fire Fallout: A month-long fire at the Navotas landfill in Metro Manila left experts warning that toxic pollutants from burning waste can linger for decades, with methane from decomposing organics likely fueling the blaze and exposing wider gaps in waste management. Heatwave Collection Disruptions: A UK council reported missed brown/green bin pickups due to extreme temperatures straining recycling and waste services, with rescheduled collections and bulky waste resuming as crews work through backlogs. Circular Economy Push: Salobreña launched a citizen-led process to build a Local Circular Economy Plan, aiming to cut waste through reuse and recycling with residents and businesses shaping the roadmap. Recycling Infrastructure Support: Summit County, Utah approved fee relief for Recycle Utah’s new recycling and sustainability hub after its Bonanza Park site is expected to close in 2026. Waste Governance & Enforcement: Malaysia’s SWCorp reported thousands of minor waste operations and offence notices, using court-linked community service to curb public littering. Sanitation After Floods: Ghana reopened the Achimota-Abofu Transfer Station with Zoomlion to restore waste collection and tackle flood-driven sanitation problems. Battery Recycling Innovation: Researchers at Cornell developed a method to regenerate worn lithium-ion batteries and recover up to 95% capacity, potentially reducing recycling costs and environmental impacts.

Solid Waste Enforcement: Malaysia’s Pahang SWCorp reports 2,920 minor waste operations and 2,551 offence notices, with 95 cases sent to court and community service orders issued for cigarette butt dumping. Recycling Tech in Action: Denver’s Republic Services plant is using AI and robotic arms to boost recycling picks (about 60–70 per minute) and keep roughly 25 tons a day out of landfills. Organics Expansion: Minnesota’s Edina won a $54,600 grant to add two organics drop sites for multi-family residents, plus weekly hauling and outreach. Local Policy Push: Mumbai’s BMC is urging housing societies to adopt composting and other sustainable practices at the source. E-waste Scrutiny: Subic Bay Freeport Authority denies claims it’s a dumping ground for US toxic e-waste, saying imports are for legal recycling under strict monitoring. Community Recycling Events: Dayton’s 7 Circle of Kindness drive returns to collect hard-to-recycle items and keep them out of landfills. Waste & Governance Tensions: Lagos sanitation enforcement includes a 72-hour ultimatum to clear shanties on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway median, amid ongoing complaints of refuse backlogs. Circular Economy Moves: Devon’s Rock Solid seeks to expand recycling of incinerator bottom ash, but residents raise traffic and safety concerns. Food Waste Rules (UK): England begins rolling out new food waste bins under Simpler Recycling, with councils facing staggered delivery and new sorting requirements. Zero Waste Planning: Ulster County, New York, launches a stakeholder survey to shape its Zero Waste policy guidance document.

E-Waste Scrutiny: Subic Bay Freeport Authority denied claims it’s a dumping ground for U.S. toxic e-waste, saying imported materials are legally brought in for recycling and monitored by regulators. Landfill Recovery Delays: Baton Rouge officials say it could take weeks to recover a missing teen’s body from a parish landfill, citing the need for imaging and a narrowed search area before any hand search. Recycling System Changes: Orillia residents say new recycling carts arrived without a way to return old blue boxes; the city is moving to a single-stream cart system starting July 2. Heat Impacts on Waste Services: La Crosse’s yard waste site will close due to extreme heat, and Suffolk recycling centers are also closing early as temperatures spike. Waste Policy Funding: Lebanon plans a new levy on imported goods that become waste to fund municipal waste management and address a major funding deficit. Local Cleanup & Accountability: Houston will help pay cleanup after a massive fire at a recycling facility, with city leaders calling for changes after health and hazard concerns near the site. Circular Economy in Action: Eagan’s Lakefest includes a “bring old lead tackle for recycling” drop-off to swap for non-lead gear.

PFAS Accountability: The US EPA and DOJ reached a landmark $450 million settlement with Chemours over alleged PFAS discharges into major rivers, with major funding for alternative drinking water and compliance upgrades. Circular Recycling Breakthrough: Evonik is scaling a hydrolysis process at its Hanau site to recycle polyurethane foam waste (like mattresses and furniture) back into chemical building blocks, aiming to cut fossil use and emissions. Textile Waste Crackdown: The EU anti-fraud office (OLAF) helped uncover large-scale illegal textile waste exports from Italy to Turkey, with nearly 7,000 tonnes seized after shipments were misdeclared to dodge stricter recycling rules. Local Heat Impacts on Recycling: Suffolk recycling centres will close early and shut at noon on Friday due to extreme heat, while other UK areas report service disruptions and early closures. Seasonal Waste Separation Push: Portugal’s waste agency is touring communities with a summer campaign urging proper waste separation during peak months, when waste volumes spike. Food Waste & Recycling Innovation: Michigan’s NextCycle Michigan “Shark Tank”-style pitch event backed solutions to divert waste from landfills, including expanded food waste collection. Policy Pressure on Plastics: California’s anti-plastics packaging law is drawing backlash and a lawsuit from 17 states, as producers face rising recycling/compostable requirements. Food Program Oversight: Indonesia is strengthening cross-ministry risk management for national food programs, explicitly including waste management in oversight. Waste Collection Changes: Lake Charles, Louisiana adjusted garbage pickup schedules for the July 4 weekend, and recycling stations will close briefly.

Plastics Policy Clash: Seventeen U.S. states are suing California over its 2022 plastics packaging law (SB 54), arguing it raises costs and burdens interstate commerce. E-Waste Health Crisis: In India, informal e-waste workers dismantle devices without protection, burning wires and inhaling toxic fumes for about $8 a day—highlighting the human toll behind recycling. Service Disruption: A fire destroyed a Parksville, B.C. transfer facility handling curbside organics and recycling, leaving thousands of detached properties affected while options are lined up. Local Organics Costs: Western Australia’s Bunbury will pay $1.27M a year to truck FOGO waste to Perth after contamination shut down local processing, with residents’ ratepayers covering the gap. Community Recycling Push: Lincoln, Nebraska unveiled “Land Phil,” a landfill-themed mascot for its “Love Your Land Phil” waste diversion campaign. Recycling Infrastructure Upgrade: Forbes Shire Council in Australia is switching from its iRecycle app to LoopedIn Councils for easier access to collection schedules and recycling guidance. Battery Fire Risk: A reminder piece warns residents not to toss rechargeable batteries in regular bins due to landfill and waste facility fires. Air Pollution Concerns: Houston residents questioned pollution readings after a tire fire at a recycling facility, with community monitors reporting a spike tied to the blaze. Forever Chemicals Settlement: West Virginia could receive over $11M under a proposed Chemours settlement tied to PFAS discharges, pending court approval.