AGP Executive Report

Water & Energy Risk: The proposed Pax Silica AI/semiconductor hub in the Philippines could gulp 130M liters of water a day and 3GW of power, raising alarms about Central Luzon’s water security and impacts to farming and communities. Policy Push: In the Philippines, President Marcos plans to certify key Sona bills as urgent, including amendments to the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act to speed modern waste management and waste-to-energy. Local Recycling Access: Colorado’s Arapahoe County is hosting “Water Matters” on Aug. 1, building on conservation and recycling-focused water planning. Food Waste to Meals: Oneida County’s ResQ2Feed is using a state-backed food waste reduction approach to rescue surplus food and deliver it to residents facing food insecurity. Waste Collection Adjustments: Barrington, Ontario residents are asking for smaller trash/recycling carts after a new automated rollout. Waste Governance & Courts: The Philippines’ Supreme Court halted removal of river-side garbage in Mountain Province until technical feasibility is assessed. Environmental Compliance: Maharashtra told the Bombay High Court it will review eco-friendly clay Ganesh idol rules at a July 31 stakeholder meeting, amid PoP immersion pollution concerns. Recycling in Crisis: Cuba is allowing private firms into waste collection and recycling as shortages worsen under a US energy blockade. Shipbreaking Standards: Bangladesh’s shipbreaking industry is pushing back against stricter environmental rules tied to Basel and the Hong Kong ship recycling conventions. Community Recycling Equity: Eagle County, Colorado is tackling language and access barriers in recycling through an EPA-funded inclusive program. Oilfield Waste & Water Reuse: Libya’s AGOCO says it’s recovering residual oil and recycling treated low-salinity water at the Mesla field to cut spills and pollution. Recycling Infrastructure Funding: Utah is among states being considered for a federal nuclear lifecycle campus, while multiple regions are also receiving recycling infrastructure grants (including Upper Peninsula, Michigan).

Recycling Access & Community Input: Westchester County is teaming up with Environmental Leaders of Color on a new countywide recycling survey to boost use of its Household Material Recovery Facility and spot service gaps. Policy & Waste-to-Energy Debate: Philippines environmental groups BAN Toxics and EcoWaste Coalition are pushing back on President Marcos’ call to amend the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act to allow waste-to-energy, warning of toxic emissions and more single-use demand. Solar Waste & Circular Energy: The Asian Development Bank approved an $850M loan to speed India’s rooftop solar rollout under PM Surya Ghar, including support for solar panel and battery recycling and safer handling. Local Recycling Programs: Koronadal City launched a “Basura Barter Program” trading clean, dry recyclables—especially flexible plastics and bottles—for rice to encourage segregation. Household Recycling Safety: A New Jersey resident urged officials to warn people about hazards from large recycling carts after a fall caused serious injuries. Plastic Pollution Push: A community campaign in South Africa is running daily plastic-free challenges and beach clean-ups, urging simple swaps and better recycling habits. Construction Waste Recycling: UK contractor JN Civils commissioned an in-house C&D waste recycling wash plant to cut haulage costs and recover higher-quality materials.

Policy Push: In the Philippines, President Marcos urged lawmakers to fast-track priority bills, including amendments to the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act to back modern waste management such as waste-to-energy and waste treatment tech. E-Waste Enforcement: Subic Bay Freeport reversed course again, saying it will block another suspected U.S. e-waste shipment, citing Basel Convention commitments. Local Recycling Rollouts: In the UK, Wirral council awarded a new long-term refuse and recycling contract to Biffa, while in Essex a resident reported a black bin not collected for seven weeks during a new kerbside system rollout. Community Zero-Waste: In Pune, nearly 70 women helped turn a neighborhood into a zero-waste community by getting about 600 households to segregate waste before it reaches landfill. Hazardous Waste Safety: Australia’s Campaspe Shire expanded battery and e-waste drop-off points after a recycling truck fire, warning residents not to put batteries in kerbside bins. Waste Infrastructure: Nigeria’s LAWMA repaired access roads and landfill platforms at Olusosun to improve disposal operations and clear a backlog. Training for Change: GAIA Africa and GAYO launched the Africa Zero Waste Academy 2026 to train new zero-waste practitioners across the continent.

Policy Push (Philippines): President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged lawmakers to update the National Building Code and modernize the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, including support for waste-to-energy and waste treatment technologies, as Congress resumed. Local Recycling Upgrade (UK): Fenland’s new £4.68M household recycling centre in March starts Aug. 24, aiming to make drop-offs “easier and safer” with level access, better traffic flow, and a dedicated reuse area. Food Waste & Climate (US): Massachusetts’ food-waste rules are credited with working, diverting organics from landfills and cutting methane impacts, while new research warns that recycling food waste could introduce microplastics to soil if packaging isn’t handled right. Waste Facility Fire (Canada): A four-alarm blaze hit an Etobicoke waste management facility; crews brought it under control and reported no injuries. Data for Better Waste Decisions (Nebraska): Nebraska released its 2025 Statewide Material Characterization Study to help landfill and recycling managers target diversion, with organics, paper, and mixed categories leading the waste stream. Circular Economy Education (Indonesia): AMMAN expanded a school waste management program in West Sumbawa, training students to separate waste and compost organics through school composting houses. Funding for Recycling (Pennsylvania): State Rep. Shelby Labs announced $750,000 for a Doylestown waste recycling facility to improve sorting and processing of recycled materials. Recycling Collection Changes (Louisiana): Lafayette-area residents will see adjusted garbage/recycling pickup days starting Aug. 3 as route volumes are rebalanced. Packaging Recycling Tech (US): PureCycle Technologies and IPL Schoeller developed polypropylene tubs and lids with 25% PCR content for food-contact use, targeting growing recycled-content packaging mandates. Waste Governance (Tamil Nadu): Tamil Nadu approved a governance framework to strengthen patient safety and environmental hygiene across government health facilities, aiming to reduce fragmented oversight.

Waste Policy & Reform (Philippines): President Marcos used his SONA to push updates to the 25-year-old Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, pointing to modern tools like waste-to-energy, recycling, and upcycling as the country updates how it handles trash. Water Reuse & Data Centers (India): Hyderabad’s water board is proposing PPP projects to supply treated greywater to data centres and industrial corridors, aiming to cut freshwater demand as treated-water needs grow. E-Waste & Social Impact (Kenya): A former waste picker warns that the AI data-centre boom could intensify e-waste harm, arguing communities living with toxic waste should have a say in how the next wave is built. Hazardous Waste Strategy (Solomon Islands): The MECDM convened a workshop to finalize a national hazardous waste management strategy and action plan, targeting a more unified approach to chemical and hazardous waste handling. Local Waste Management (India/UK/Qatar): Delhi’s LG directed MCD to pilot the Indore waste model to tackle segregation gaps and landfill dumping; Sutton Council advanced planning approvals for refuse/recycling storage; and Qatar’s Ashghal reported major construction-waste reuse and recycling gains. Circular Economy in Action (Malta): Malta’s beverage container refund scheme reported higher collection rates in 2025, with more containers processed for recycling despite increased volumes. Enforcement & Cleanup (US/Georgia): Carroll County seeks a suspect tied to illegal tire dumping, citing mosquito-breeding and fire risks from tire piles.

Waste Policy Update (Philippines): President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. used his SONA to push updating the 25-year-old Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, aligning it with modern practices like waste-to-energy, treatment tech, and stronger segregation, while citing MMDA’s shift from the old Carmona landfill to a nature park. Public Hearing (U.S.): Tennessee’s Ashghal/TDEC process moves to public input, with an Aug. 13 open house and hybrid hearing on TVA’s Kingston Fossil Power Plant CARA plan, plus a 45-day comment window ending Aug. 31. Construction Waste Circularity (Qatar): Ashghal says it reused or transferred 2.5 million cubic metres of excavation materials and recycled 300,000+ tonnes of construction and demolition waste since 2022, including plastics, paper, scrap metal, and food-waste composting. Waste-to-Energy Push (Indonesia): Bali’s waste-to-energy plant broke ground July 8, aiming to process up to 1,500 tons/day, cut emissions, and convert 80–90% of daily waste to electricity by end-2027—while stressing source sorting. Recycling & Collection (Philippines/UK/India): Cebu City delayed a SRP garbage transfer station shutdown to July 31 for a barangay-based system; Wrexham’s bulky waste fees are linked to fly-tipping pressure; and Mount Gambier trialed “bin bypass” container units to boost recycling access in public spaces. Textiles & Upcycling: Target launched a “Textile Drop Spot” for clean, dry clothes and linens under California’s textile recovery rules, while MIT researchers unveiled recyclable elastic yarn designed to reduce textile waste.

Health & Pollution Accountability: Human Rights Watch says DR Congo’s oil producer Perenco is linked to gas flaring, waste burning and spills, yet the government hasn’t published interim audit findings or monitoring data—urging immediate disclosure and pollution cuts. Coastal Waste Crisis: Mumbai’s monsoon has pushed 2,500 MT of garbage back onto beaches, with Juhu alone taking 72% of the recovered waste, pointing to drain dumping and weak controls. Landfill Reform & Livelihoods: Indonesia plans to close hundreds of open-dumping sites from Aug. 1 and restrict landfills to residual waste to cut methane—raising fears for waste pickers at Bantargebang. Recycling & Public Safety: Lagos Waste Management Authority says disposal sites have finite lifespans and is shifting toward resource recovery, while also rolling out 150 new compactor trucks by year-end to improve collection. Circular Economy Push: UNIDO named Nigeria’s Ogun State a core player for circular economy and used off-grid renewable equipment waste management, tying green transition goals to data and implementation. Waste-to-Value in Action: PM Modi highlighted Bihar’s “Waste to Wealth” plastic-to-benches model and urged eco-friendly clay idols for Ganesh Utsav. Infrastructure for Cleaner Cities: Queensland announced a A$487m recycling fund to expand resource recovery and curb illegal dumping over five years. Ship Recycling Standards: Three Alang yards may be added to the EU ship recycling list, a potential boost for safer, more accepted recycling practices.

Illegal Dumping Crackdown (Oakland): Oakland held a free “Bulky Block Party” disposal event for large items, aiming to stop dumping by making legal drop-off cheaper and easier. Battery & Vape Fire Risk (Somerset/Devon): Fire services warned that lithium-ion batteries and vapes—when damaged or mixed with general waste—are driving depot and collection fires; separating them is urged to prevent fast, hard-to-extinguish blazes. Recycling Push (UK): West Oxfordshire launched a resident survey with Oxford Brookes to tackle barriers and lift recycling rates, citing large amounts of waste still being thrown away. Food Waste Composting (Minnesota): Clay County won a $2 million grant to start an organics composting program, beginning with schools and meal sites to divert food scraps from landfill. Zero Waste Reporting (Ghana): GAIA Africa trained Ghanaian journalists in zero-waste coverage ahead of the Africa Zero Waste Academy, focusing on practical solutions and stronger accountability. Plastic Pollution Spotlight (India): PM Modi used “Mann Ki Baat” to urge proper disposal of single-use plastic and highlighted Bihar’s “waste to wealth” benches made from recycled plastic. Coastal Cleanup (Delaware): Delaware Coastal Cleanup volunteer registration opened for Sept. 19, with sites statewide to remove litter and debris from beaches and waterways. Sanitation Guidance (Uganda): Uganda’s National Cleaning Day rollout included instructions to reduce health risks and avoid travel disruptions during cleaning hours. Wildlife Tragedy (Sri Lanka): A photo of an elephant dying after consuming plastic waste won another award, but the photographer says no real solution has followed. Recycling Center Planning (Wales): North Wales Police sought permission to extend archive storage by moving a recycling storage area, with an ecology report flagging potential impacts to bats and birds.

E-Waste Crackdown (Philippines): Subic Bay Freeport authorities stopped three container vans from unloading alleged US e-waste after customs ordered “retain on board” status, citing the precautionary approach and the US not being a Basel Convention party. Biomedical Waste Enforcement (India): Vijayawada’s health minister ordered strict biomedical waste segregation, color-coded bagging, CCTV monitoring, and barcode tracking in government hospitals, after concerns about gaps between rules and real practice. Landfill & Wildlife Risk (Ghana): A landfill just 2.6 km from Sunyani Airport is drawing birds and raising bird-strike fears, with calls to meet international distance standards. Sanitation & Waste Fires (Nigeria/UK/US): Lagos warned of tougher sanctions for indiscriminate dumping; Longview, Washington issued shelter-in-place for smoke from a scrap yard fire; and Bradford’s council debate over tip closures vs fly-tipping claims is heating up. Recycling Access Rules (Canada/UK): Saskatoon reminded businesses that recycling depots are for residents only, while a Welsh town faced another recycling-centre fire and fallout. Circular Economy Wins (Philippines/US/Canada): Davao’s school received armchairs made from recycled polymer banknotes, and a US electronics recycling event in Lawrence is set to keep old devices out of landfills.

E-waste enforcement: Philippines customs at Subic Bay stopped three vans from unloading alleged US e-waste containers, placing them on “Retain on Board” after the shipments arrived declared as scrap copper—another reminder that cross-border waste rules still need strict checks. Chemical industry & waste infrastructure: India’s Cabinet approved the Rs 3,030 crore BHAVYA-Rasayan scheme to build three chemical parks with shared effluent and waste facilities, aiming to scale safer industrial processing. Circular reuse in practice: North Carolina is turning demolished bridge and culvert concrete into artificial reefs, creating fish habitat while keeping heavy material out of landfills. Local sanitation pressure (Lagos): Lagos officials urged residents to stop dumping waste in drains and promised collection improvements in 6–8 months as new trucks and material recovery facilities come online. Recycling policy changes: Iowa’s Ottumwa plans a beta test of mixed recycling pickup (glass kept separate) to boost participation and cut landfill waste. Plastic crackdown: Nellore Municipal Corporation warned of strict penalties for banned single-use plastics, with fines and possible trade-license action for repeat offenders. Hard-to-recycle access: Baldwin County opened a new CHaRM center in Orange Beach to expand recycling of items that don’t fit standard bins. Upcycling momentum: Ireland’s Enable Ireland launched “The Final Find,” a nationwide search for upcyclers using mystery bags of pre-loved clothing.

Court Fight Over Waste Sorting: A Vilnius court ordered Energesman to stop interfering with VAATC’s waste management at the Gariūnai mechanical-biological sorting centre, letting municipal operators take over until at least end-2026. Recycling Policy Clash: A US federal court preliminarily blocked California’s SB 343 recyclability-labeling law, pausing enforcement of limits on “recyclable” claims while the case argues parts of the rules are too vague. Local Recycling Push: Cebu City and San Miguel Brewery launched a glass bottle recovery and recycling drive in 11 barangays, offering cash refunds for clean bottles and product exchanges via a waste exchange. Plastic-to-Energy Breakthrough: Researchers reported a process turning mixed plastics into clean hydrogen using alkaline thermal treatment, aiming to bypass costly sorting. Waste Crime & Enforcement: A Danbury woman accused of leaving her newborn in a dumpster appeared in court with a new attorney, as prosecutors allege the baby was killed when the dumpster was compacted in a recycling truck. Community Cleanups: A Georgia county cleanup highlighted how hands-on litter picking can teach kids environmental stewardship. Circularity in Business: Crush Software Solutions secured strategic investments from major auto recyclers to build next-gen recycling tech.

Zero Waste to Landfill: Indorama Ventures’ PETValue Philippines recycling site (Cavite) is launching a bottle-to-bottle, food-grade PET push with Republic Cement, recovering hard-to-recycle caps/labels via ecoloop and using them as alternative fuel in cement. Food waste prevention: Esseoquattro’s Ideabrill freshness-saving packs use easy-separation materials to slow spoilage and extend shelf life. Glass circularity: ResponsibleGlass opens a public consultation (July 20–Sept 18) on an International Standard for glassmaking, covering end-of-life and waste management. Street safety after a cyclist death: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu outlines more concrete bike barriers, truck safety rules, and stronger parking enforcement. Household waste services: Guam’s islandwide trash collection plan could nearly double customers and lower rates; Liverpool is upgrading communal bins to cut fly-tipping and add future food waste collection. Recycling demand: Sylvan Lake residents snapped up larger recycling carts in one day ahead of an Oct 1 expansion. E-waste enforcement: Malaysia tightens its e-waste import crackdown after a container fire revealed falsely declared electronics waste, with more returns under the 2026 ban. Battery fire risk: Perth recycling crews tackled another lithium battery blaze, renewing calls for stronger safety action. Policy and infrastructure: India’s Cabinet approved the Rs 3,030 crore BHAVYA Rasayan scheme to build three chemical parks with shared utilities. EPR and recycling rules: A judge blocked California’s “Truth in Recycling” enforcement over vague standards, while Maryland’s EPR interpretation is criticized for raising costs and complicating paper recycling. Protest and public health: Johannesburg warned of refuse delays after a protest disrupted Pikitup collections, risking overflowing bins and illegal dumping.

Used Cooking Oil Policy: Goa’s cabinet approved a Used Cooking Oil policy with QR-code traceability and geo-tagged e-receipts to stop oil re-entering the food chain and route it to recycling/biodiesel. Recycling Rules at Home: A “Binman” explainer says whether you can leave excess rubbish beside a wheelie bin depends on local council rules—overflow left out can be rejected. Tire Cleanup Funding: Indiana’s IDEM awarded $308,300 to solid waste districts and recycling groups for waste tire cleanup, targeting fire and public-health risks from stockpiles and illegal dumping. E-waste/Used Tech Donation: Rapid City highlighted a phone donation program that routes old devices to victims of violent crimes, pairing community recycling with support services. Recycling Infrastructure & Fires: Multiple reports focus on recycling-site disruptions and fires, including a major blaze at a recycling centre and ongoing impacts on operations. Circular Materials Tech: Finland and LUT advanced fully cellulose-based film and coatings to replace hard-to-recycle plastic films, aiming for biodegradable and fibre-system recyclability. Regional Waste Governance: Delta State ordered morning movement restrictions for a sanitation exercise, urging residents to stop indiscriminate dumping and clear drains. Industrial Waste & Recycling Finance: IDB Invest approved up to US$500m for ANSA McAL, explicitly including recycling and supply-chain infrastructure.

Municipal Waste Tech Rollout (India): Delhi’s West Delhi CM Rekha Gupta launched a GPS-tracked, technology-driven door-to-door waste collection system, flagging off 917 modern sanitation vehicles to cover about 4.5 lakh households and improve monitoring and accountability. Water Pollution Control (Bangladesh): Bangladesh moved to make the Buriganga River pollution-free by bringing industrial effluent treatment plant systems under online monitoring, adding IP cameras and control rooms, plus dredging to restore flow. Circular Materials & Plastic Recovery: Refinity selected Zeton to design and build a 10,000 tpa modular plastics-to-olefins demo plant, aiming to turn mixed waste plastics into chemical feedstocks. E-Waste & Batteries (Community Action): Student nonprofit Batteries4Better expanded neighborhood battery collection, diverting more than 10,000 batteries from landfills. Upcycling Food Sidestreams: Startups showcased how “upcycling” is shifting from simple reuse to engineered premium ingredients from food byproducts. Local Recycling Rules (UK): A reminder piece highlighted that several everyday items can’t go in recycling bins under new bin rules, urging residents to check local guidance. Rare Earth Supply Chain: USA Rare Earth agreed to buy a minority stake in France’s Carester to expand magnet recycling and separation capacity.

Hazardous Waste Relocation: Morro Bay’s Household Hazardous Waste facility will permanently close July 25 as San Luis Obispo County IWMA relocates the service to a new North Coast site, with residents urged to use other free drop-offs in the meantime. Recycling Capacity Pressure: Rock Springs, Wyoming officials want to move the Ray Lovato Recycling Center to the Rock Springs Landfill to ease “overwhelmed” backups and expand curbside recycling. Infectious Waste Enforcement: Minnesota’s MPCA fined Lakeview Memorial Hospital $15,862 after infectious material was found in trash sent to a recycling and energy center, highlighting the mental and health risks of improper disposal. Circular Economy Progress: Fiji’s Return & Earn program reports 7.5M+ beverage containers recycled in six months, returning $687K to the public and partners. Policy & Training: UNITAR wrapped its inaugural UN Chemicals and Waste Management Study Programme in Geneva, building global capacity for safer chemicals and waste governance. Climate Funding Push: Eugene, Oregon backers submitted enough signatures for a ballot measure that would tax big companies to fund local clean energy and efficiency programs. Wildlife + Trash Safety: New Mexico and Nevada coverage underscores the same message: secure garbage and recycling to prevent bear conflicts and fines.

Battery Safety & Fire Risk: Guernsey waste centre staff were evacuated after a battery fire, with warnings that batteries must never go in general waste or mixed recycling. Local Collection Rules: Springfield proposed updates to trash and recycling rules, while South Kesteven District Council plans earlier bin emptying and bank-holiday collections to cut missed pickups. Hazardous Waste at Home: Reading, Pa. reminded residents to wrap and secure broken glass and keep sharps and hazardous items out of regular trash after worker injuries. Airport Recycling Push: Nigeria’s FAAN launched a Lagos programme to sort and recycle airport waste instead of sending it all to landfill. Industrial Hazardous Waste Snapshot: Bahrain reported industrial waste makes up about 79% of its hazardous total, with only part recycled. Recycling Facility Incidents: A major recycling-centre blaze in Fife follows another May fire, and Mecklenburg County warned residents not to put saw blades in curbside recycling after a near-miss. Policy & Circular Economy: Bangladesh moves toward a single online approval system for ship recycling, and Ghana sanitation leaders called for a dedicated national sanitation authority to close infrastructure and enforcement gaps. Composting Alternative: Vermont opened a natural organic reduction (“terramation”) facility turning human remains into soil.