California is suing three plastic-bag makers, alleging they misled people by falsely claiming their products were recyclable. State Attorney General Rob Bonta says the businesses violated a law that banned plastic bags that weren't recyclable. He says the businesses labeled reusable bags as recyclable even though recycling facilities cannot process them and they end up dumped in landfills, incinerated or in the state's waterways. The state filed a similar lawsuit against ExxonMobil about a year ago over the oil giant's plastic products. California passed a tougher law that takes effect next year banning all plastic shopping bags at grocery stores.
A bill before the California Senate would shift regulation of scrap metal recycling facilities to the state, rather than local agencies. Supporters, including the recyclers, say it would streamline permitting and create certainty for such companies. However, the bill says if companies are operating under the terms of their permits, the shredded metal they produce would not be considered hazardous waste. Alameda County sued Radius Recycling over a 2023 fire that released toxic smoke for days. Under the proposed bill, the county says it would not have been able to sue. The county argues any regulatory framework should be more protective of public health, safety, and the environment.
Talks on a treaty to address the global crisis of plastic pollution in Geneva ended without an agreement Friday. The session was adjourned and will be resumed at a later date. Nations were meeting for an 11th day at the United Nations office to try to complete a landmark treaty to end the plastic pollution crisis. They remain deadlocked over whether the treaty should reduce exponential growth of plastic production and put global, legally binding controls on toxic chemicals used to make plastics. The negotiations at the U.N. hub were supposed to be the last round and produce the first legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, including in the oceans.
Nations have started a crucial meeting to finalize a treaty to tackle the global plastic pollution crisis. Tuesday's meeting is the sixth and possibly final negotiation round. A major debate is whether to cut plastic production, with oil-producing countries opposing it. They argue that redesign, recycling, and reuse can solve the issue. Others, including some major companies, disagree. The United Nations Environment Programme highlights the urgency, noting millions of tons of plastic waste enter aquatic ecosystems annually. The U.S. opposes global production caps, focusing on waste management and recycling. The meeting in Geneva involves thousands of participants and aims to create a binding agreement.
After the Palisades and Eaton fires scorched entire neighborhoods, the Army Corps of Engineers set up operations to recycle concrete and metal from mostly fire-damaged homes. Tons of these everyday materials are washed where they're collected, loaded onto trucks, and sent to begin the recycling process. For example, metal is compacted and concrete is crushed, then shipped to recycling facilities before re-entering the supply chain for future uses. In the world of planet-warming emissions, making fresh concrete and steel are major contributors to climate change, and industry experts say recycling is a good way to rebuild more sustainably.
