Rhode Island only diverts about 13% of its waste. California has cut its SB 54 plastic baseline by nearly two-thirds since no infrastructure exists for the recovery for the vast majority of plastic waste generated. New York City’s commercial waste zones are reporting their first full year of data and the 20% diversion rate has been characterized as “too low”.
The big picture
This Week in Waste
Rhode Island Study Puts a Price on Its 13% Diversion Rate
A draft needs assessment prepared by RRS for the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. finds the state diverts 13% of its waste and disposes of an estimated 673,869 tons a year, with $35.5 million in gross commodity value lost. Paper and plastic packaging make up about 45% of the waste stream. The report models five options: keeping the current system (net cost about $13.2 million), a bottle bill (20% diversion, about $22 million), packaging EPR (29%), combined EPR and deposits (33%) and an “EPR Plus” approach (about 47%, up to $77 million), saving municipalities up to $200/ton. Comments are open until Nov. 16, and the final report goes to lawmakers by Dec. 1.
Key takeaway: A needs assessment turns a policy debate into a cost and performance comparison. Local governments in states weighing EPR or deposit laws should check how each option treats curbside costs; the report assumes producers pay, as always the question is what kind of system will they be paying for.
Source: Waste Dive
California Cuts Its SB 54 Plastic Baseline by Nearly Two-Thirds
CalRecycle released an updated source reduction baseline for California’s packaging EPR law (SB 54) on Nov. 2. Using producer-reported 2023 data compiled by Circular Action Alliance (CAA), it now estimates 1.03 million tons of covered plastic sold in the state, down from its earlier estimate of 2.9 million tons, while the count of plastic components rose from 171.4 billion to 222 billion. Producers must cut plastic 10% by 2027, 20% by 2030 and 25% by 2032 from this baseline. The data covers 2,127 producers, about half of participants, and CalRecycle says not all have submitted accurate data. UC Santa Barbara researchers warned that “a baseline that starts too low shrinks the amount of plastic producers must eliminate.”
Key takeaway: Percentage targets are only as strong as the baseline behind them. Local governments in EPR states should ask how baselines are verified and corrected, since they set how much material producers must remove from the waste stream.
Source: Waste Dive
New York City’s Commercial Waste Zones Report First-Year Results, With Low Diversion
New York City’s commercial waste zone program managed 309,922 tons for businesses in fiscal year 2026, with $94.5 million in customer charges, according to the Department of Sanitation (DSNY). Of that tonnage, 17.5% was collected for recycling and 3.4% for organics, which DSNY called “too low.” Six of 20 zones were running by June 30, and full rollout is planned by the end of 2027. The program has survived legal challenges: a state judge ruled against the National Waste & Recycling Association’s challenge to a DSNY rule, and the association has appealed. A City Council law taking effect in December expands commercial organics requirements, and DSNY plans to enforce it.
Key takeaway: Franchise and zone systems give cities data they never had under open markets. Local governments considering zoned collection should build diversion targets and reporting into contracts from the start, so first-year data can drive action.
Source: Waste Dive
From SWEEP: Separation and Collection Remain the Principal Gates to Material Recovery Performance
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Announcing the Release of the SWEEP Pilot Standard 2.0. From Rhode Island’s needs assessment to New York’s zone data, good programs start with an honest baseline, and the SWEEP Standard gives local governments and service providers a consistent way to measure and verify performance across the whole waste system.
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This week’s news shows honest baselines and verified data influencing how recycling programs actually perform. Certifying to or participating in the development of a measurable, third-party standard defining the future of sustainable materials management can be a hedge against unanticipated change. Join SWEEP and help set the standard for what the future of waste management looks like.