AGP Executive Report

Solid Waste Crisis: Davao City says DENR is to blame for its worsening garbage problem after the May 22 suspension of its landfill following a trash slide, with residents now piling waste in streets while officials work on stabilization. Radioactive Scrap Crackdown: DENR ordered the closure of Chinese-run Philippine Sanjia-Steel after PNRI detected uranium and thorium traces in imported scrap and finished steel, canceling its environmental compliance certificate and issuing fines. Recycling Access at the Local Level: Qatar’s Al Rayyan Municipality distributed 885 blue recycling bins (plus 885 grey organic bins) in May under its waste segregation at source push, with more coverage planned through June. Floods + Waste Link: Ghana launched a 12-week anti-flood campaign with Zoomlion and NADMO, targeting drain-clogging dumping as a preventable driver of flooding. Fire Safety for Battery Waste: US fire officials warn that lithium-ion batteries exposed to floodwater can ignite hours or even days later, urging residents to stop tossing them into regular trash. Circular Plastics: Emirates says it repurposed 88,000kg of inflight plastic into new onboard items using a closed-loop recycling model. Queue Fixes for Recycling Sites: Lincolnshire is considering a booking system to reduce traffic queues at a recycling centre. Food Waste Sorting Wins: Ireland reports brown-bin food waste recycling hitting a 70% presentation rate, with 1.4M households using the service. Textile Circularity Push: UAE launched “Naseej” to cut textile waste and shift away from throwaway clothing, pairing collection and recycling plans with consumer behavior change.

Radioactive Scrap Crackdown (Philippines): DENR ordered the closure of Chinese-run Philippine Sanjia-Steel after PNRI detected uranium and thorium isotopes in imported scrap, canceling its ECC and issuing a cease-and-desist plus a fine. River Plastic Cleanup (Manila): DENR signed a five-year partnership with The Ocean Cleanup to remove floating plastic from the Pasig River, pairing interception tech with producer accountability and data sharing. World Environment Day Push (Ghana): Frimpong-Manso Institute urged urgent action against galamsey, warning illegal mining threatens forests, food security, and climate resilience. Local Waste Crisis (Davao, Philippines): An NGO says Davao’s landfill suspension after a collapse has left uncollected garbage piling up across streets and communities. Vuda Project Rejected (Fiji): Fiji’s environment ministry rejected a waste-to-energy and port proposal after a technical review found major unresolved legal and safety issues. Battery Fire Safety (Michigan/Canada-linked report): Fire officials urged residents to recycle lithium-ion batteries instead of trash after a suspected battery-related fire at a transfer station. Recycling Service Changes (US/UK): Billings, Montana ended curbside cardboard recycling over rising costs and low participation; Scarborough, Maine switched providers and added optional curbside composting. Closed-Loop Plastic (Emirates): Emirates says it repurposed 88 tonnes of inflight meal plastics into new onboard items via its closed-loop program.

Municipal Budget Pressure: North Carolina’s Town of Shallotte will stop municipal recycling service June 25, citing rising operating costs and state-mandated fee increases, with residents urged to subscribe directly if they want continued pickup. Service Disruption: Havant Borough Council will pause recycling collections for one week starting June 8 in multiple areas to clear a backlog, while residents report long delays and overflowing bins. Circular Economy Events: Istanbul’s Zero Waste Festival opens June 4 at Atatürk Airport, with recycling workshops and circular economy programming running through June 7. Deposit Return Safety: A University College Cork study says deposit return machines for cans and bottles pose no biological risk to public health, though they can cause nuisance odours. Waste-to-Value Pilot: Organic Recycling Systems begins a hard-biomass gasification pilot under Sanjeevak 2.0 to convert shells into syngas and biochar. Repair & Reuse Push: Tbilisi’s Repair & Reuse Day on June 14 will feature repair zones and a recycling drop-off area for aluminum, paper and cardboard. Health & Sanitation Crisis: Cuba’s fuel shortages have left Havana with prolonged rubbish buildup, raising public health and sanitation concerns.

Air Quality vs Recycling Gap: Israel cut major air pollutants sharply since 2000, but still lags on recycling and renewables, with experts warning natural gas isn’t a long-term climate fix. Food Waste Diversion: Washington and Ramsey County expand home composting for food scraps starting July 6, aiming to keep organics out of trash and turn them back into soil. Vape Deposit Push: UK waste operators want a refundable up-to-£5 vape deposit to stop millions of devices ending in household bins and sparking fires in waste systems. Recycling Program Changes: Vienna, West Virginia plans a town hall to shape a new curbside recycling contract as the current one nears expiration. Local Rate Decisions: Woodstock, Virginia adopted new trash and recycling rates tied to a new contract, adding biweekly curbside recycling from July 1. Fire Safety at Waste Sites: A garbage truck fire at a Michigan landfill was extinguished with no injuries reported, underscoring ongoing risks at disposal facilities. Circular Economy in Action: Aruba opened a new EcoTech Waste Disposal Zone and highlighted “Baki den Bario” results, including hundreds of tons of collected waste. Policy & Enforcement: Fiji’s Suva City Council welcomed stronger public health powers for environmental health officers to enter informal settlements and act faster.

Waste Crisis Disruptions: Davao City’s garbage collection is badly disrupted after the suspension of its major landfill following a deadly trash-slide collapse, with search and retrieval still under way and officials warning of wider public health and flooding risks as monsoon season approaches. Local Sanitation Push: Cape Coast, Ghana, has hired 50 new sweepers to keep streets, gutters, beaches, and refuse sites clean year-round, pairing cleanup with resident littering education. Service Reliability Under Pressure: Metro Detroit residents continue to report missed trash, recycling, and compost pickups tied to Priority Waste operations after it took over contracts, and the company says a new CEO is stepping in to fix reliability. Recycling Access & Incentives: Grass Valley Recycling in California is paying residents for cans and bottles via redemption value, while Roscommon, Ireland is hosting a free e-waste and battery drop-off day to boost 2026 recycling targets. Fire & Safety Watch: Multiple agencies responded to a major fire at Cimco Recycling in Sterling, and a separate investigation is underway after a fire at Keene’s recycling center and transfer station. Policy & Infrastructure: Ghana’s engineering body is calling for an urgent overhaul of stormwater and drainage policy, warning that drains are increasingly clogged by waste and failing under rapid urban growth. Circular Economy Moves: West Australia is funding the “Remade in WA” program to recycle end-of-life solar panels and lithium-ion batteries, aiming to cut landfill disposal.

Waste-to-Energy Backlash: Manila’s Smokey Mountain waste-to-energy incineration plan faces renewed opposition from environmental groups and anti-poverty advocates, who warn of health risks and displacement as the project targets 3,000 tons of municipal waste daily. Disaster Recovery Recycling Funding: North Carolina DEQ is awarding $25M in Helene Recovery Recycling Infrastructure grants across 16 western counties to upgrade recycling equipment and better manage storm debris, aiming to keep recoverable materials out of landfills. Recycling Fire Safety Scrutiny: Pensacola is investigating EMR Southern Recycling after a May 26 scrapyard fire and alleges “largely avoidable” deficiencies in following fire marshal instructions, escalating legal pressure after multiple fires. Local Recycling Disruptions: Dearborn Heights is withholding $250,000 from Priority Waste and demanding a $13,000 deduction after delays in compost, recycling, and bulk pickups left curbside piles uncollected. Electronics Recycling Push: Tippecanoe County will hold a free E-Waste Day this Saturday for TVs, monitors, speakers, printers, cell phones, cords, and more, with paper shredding also available. Community Concerns Over Waste Facilities: Essex residents are “deeply alarmed” by plans to expand a waste transfer/recycling site near a primary school, citing dust and health worries for children. Packaging Rules Tighten: A report says the US is updating packaging regulations to curb “greenwashing,” with tougher standards for “recyclable” and “compostable” claims. Recycling Infrastructure in Practice: A Gogebic Range solid waste garage fire in Michigan was ruled an accident after coordinated firefighting efforts.

Waste-to-Energy Debate: Manila’s planned P26.648B, 100MW Smokey Mountain waste incineration project faces renewed pushback from environmental groups and urban-poor advocates, who warn of alleged violations and higher health and displacement risks. Flood-Ready Cleanup: In the Philippines, displaced workers are being mobilized under the Tupad program to declog waterways and drainage ahead of Metro Manila’s rainy season. Circular Economy Training: Seoul Design Foundation launches a six-month “Upcycling Edition” incubator to help circular-economy startups turn sustainable ideas into scalable businesses. Food & Garden Bin Rules: England rolls out “Simpler Recycling” changes that standardize what can go in bins, including new limits that leave some items like tea bags to be composted or taken to facilities. Plastics Policy Pressure: Ghana’s styrofoam ban for 2027 is under scrutiny, with critics arguing past bans failed without tougher enforcement. Local Waste Tensions: In Pimpri-Chinchwad, housing societies threaten to dump wet waste if municipal plans shift collection burdens onto residents without required organic processing. Tech for Plastic Waste: Indonesia’s BRIN says it has advanced pyrolysis tech that can convert plastic waste into industrial fuel, aiming to scale beyond earlier low-capacity pilots. Recycling Safety Alerts: UK reporting highlights common recycling mistakes that can contaminate loads and even trigger fires, including food-soiled cardboard and crushed vapes.

Waste Leadership Change: Priority Waste named Aaron Johnson as its new CEO after the company was acquired by TPG, aiming to stabilize service across 140 Metro Detroit communities. Recycling Policy Shift: Ocala, Florida will end curbside recycling on July 6 and move to drop-off only, citing contamination and rising costs. Plastic Crackdown: California’s first phase of its plastic pollution law goes live June 1, with industry groups warning the rules are costly and unclear. Open Burning Alarm: Residents in Chicalim, India raised concerns about alleged open burning of plastic waste, calling for enforcement to prevent toxic fumes. Fuel Leak Response: Antigua’s APUA confirmed a fuel leak at the former Friars Hill facility and says multiple agencies are coordinating containment to protect residents and the environment. Community Cleanup: The Himalayan Cleanup 2026 mobilized 100+ villagers in West Kameng to collect plastic waste and push for producer accountability. Infrastructure Funding: Minnesota Sen. Jordan Rasmusson secured nearly $8.5M for regional solid waste upgrades, including ash recovery and recycling operations. Recycling Site Fire: Flintshire’s Greenfield Household Recycling Centre reopened after a skip fire involving an electrical waste skip. EV Battery Expansion: Africa’s Spiro raised $215M to scale battery-swapping and EV infrastructure across multiple countries.

Recycling Fire Response: Axmen Recycling in Wye, Montana saw a massive blaze that damaged or destroyed 200–250 vehicles, with flames reaching about 50 feet and crews using a defensive strategy to protect nearby property. Local Waste Fees: Peabody, Massachusetts is weighing a new $200 trash and recycling fee alongside an 8% water and sewer rate hike to close budget gaps. Waste Accountability Tech: Kochi’s Brahmapuram solid waste facility plans to install weighing machines after officials said waste quantities were previously estimated without independent checks. Vape Litter Crackdown: UK waste firms and campaigners are pushing for a £5 deposit on vapes and tighter rules, warning that millions still end up binned and can trigger fires at recycling sites. Circular Textiles Push: Vietnam’s deputy PM urged textile and footwear firms to speed up circular economy models, including recycling textile by-products and discarded clothing. Circular Packaging Pressure: Unilever and PepsiCo highlighted the recycling challenge of flexible plastic packaging, calling for better collection and more recycled content. Policy + Jobs for Schools: The Philippines will hire 243,000 workers under its Tupad program for Brigada Eskwela, including waste management tasks, to prep schools ahead of the June 8 school year.

Recycling Fire Safety: Firefighters battled a blaze in demolition debris at Keewatin’s General Waste and Recycling, with the cause under investigation, while another recycling-area fire at Axmen Recycling near the Wye sent a thick smoke plume visible from afar. Policy & Enforcement: Delhi has set up enforcement cells in all 13 districts to implement the new Solid Waste Management Rules for better segregation, collection, and disposal, including four waste streams. Waste Collection Disruption: Tulsa will close city offices and MetroLink Tulsa stations on June 1 for the Tulsa Race Massacre Observance Day, but refuse and recycling will still run on schedule. Eid Waste Cleanup: Dhaka South City Corporation reported removing 36,086 tonnes of sacrificial animal waste over three days, exceeding its target, after a major cleanup operation. Circular Economy Projects: Mumbai’s Elephanta Island will inaugurate its first Solid Waste Material Recovery Facility on June 1 to strengthen collection, segregation, and dry-waste recycling at the UNESCO site. Community Waste Education: St. John Community Kiusam and other parishes marked Green Sunday ahead of World Environment Day with tree planting, reduced plastic use, and commitments to build better waste systems. Composting Expansion: Phoenix Recycling in Durango received a permit for a wood waste recovery yard and composting facility, aiming to cut landfill methane and reduce fire risk. Food Waste Handling Tips: Binman urged households to avoid common food-waste caddy mistakes and keep food waste out of the wrong bin to prevent maggots and contamination.

School Cleanup Jobs: The Philippines’ DepEd and Labor Department will launch Brigada Eskwela with 240,000 TUPAD workers and P2 billion to clean classrooms, manage waste, and prep campuses ahead of June 8. Smart Waste Tech: A Sibu school team is developing an AI smart bin to improve waste segregation at the Sibu Central Market, aiming to boost cleanliness and proper disposal. Eid Sacrifice Waste Removal: Dhaka’s DNCC cleared 18,344 tonnes of sacrificial waste by the third day, with DSCC reporting 28,428 tonnes removed in three days—both stressing ongoing collection alongside regular garbage pickup. Recycling Infrastructure & Jobs: Lagos Waste Management Authority says new material recovery facilities will create about 5,000 jobs and reduce direct landfill dumping as transfer loading stations come online. Battery Recycling Crackdown: China plans tighter rules for end-of-life EV batteries, targeting illegal disposal and unlicensed dismantling while expanding tracking across the battery supply chain. Local Collection Fees: Waterloo, Iowa will add a $20 cart adjustment fee for certain trash and recycling cart changes starting June 1. Composting Basics: A guide highlights what kitchen scraps and compostable items can be added to DIY compost to cut fertilizer costs. Waste-to-Energy Push: Cambodia and the EU are studying a $22.3 million Siem Reap project to convert plastic waste into electricity.

Recycling & Circular Economy: Broome County, New York, announced three drive-thru electronics recycling events (June 13, July 11, Aug. 15) for residents, listing accepted devices and key exclusions like batteries and major appliances. Hazardous Waste & Fire Safety: Orange County, New York, reminded residents that rechargeable batteries (including lithium-ion) can’t go in household trash and should be dropped at Household Hazardous Waste events or retailers to prevent facility fires. Local Waste Governance: Camden, New Jersey, renewed calls to shut down EMR Recycling after its 13th fire in six years, with officials pointing to repeated blaze risk despite suppression upgrades. Policy & Service Changes: Solihull, England, is rolling out food waste caddies under the Simpler Recycling scheme, with rubbish collection shifting to fortnightly for many households from Oct. 5. Community Cleanliness: Guwahati, India, launched Swachh Abhiyan 2.0, a competition-based, community-led cleanliness drive running July 1 to Aug. 31. Waste-to-Value Inspiration: Indore, India, is expanding “Waste to Art” installations made from scrap and discarded materials to boost recycling awareness. Tech for Waste Sorting: Italy’s Junker app highlights which items people struggle to sort correctly, using millions of searches since 2016 to guide better disposal behavior. Infrastructure & Sanitation Pressure: Zimbabwe MPs clashed over worsening sewage failures, with the minister stressing local authorities’ responsibility and citing government support for sanitation initiatives.

Plastic Pollution Follow-Up: A two-part look at the Philippines’ plastic paradox traces how low per-person use still leads to major leakage, with breakdowns across production, collection, sorting, recovery and disposal. Microplastics & Cigarette Debris: New reporting highlights how these pollutants are showing up in urban and migratory bird habitats, raising risks for health and survival. Circular Packaging Pilot: Marrad, Recirculated and PLA Solutions say Phase One of a corner-board reuse pilot diverted about 60,000 boards from landfill and Phase Two starts July 1, aiming to support SB 54 compliance. Recycling Fire Pressure: Camden officials again demand EMR Recycling be shut down after another lithium-battery-linked fire sent smoke and health warnings outward. Eid Waste Accountability: Dhaka authorities suspended multiple DNCC/DSCC officials after sacrificial waste wasn’t cleared properly, with further action ordered within 48 hours. Local Waste Infrastructure: La Paz’s solid waste transfer center is nearing completion to cut landfill trips and improve collection efficiency. Electronics Recycling: Broome County announced summer off-site electronics recycling dates for residents. Policy Push on Plastics: Nagaland directed village authorities to enforce a Supreme Court-backed single-use plastic ban. Campus Takeout Waste: Michigan colleges report takeout containers are piling up, complicating recycling goals.

Scrap Yard Fire & Air Quality: A major fire at EMR Recycling in Camden, New Jersey, has been brought under control but smoke may drift into Philadelphia; officials urged residents to limit outdoor time, close windows, and recirculate indoor air. Textile Recycling Tech: Avery Dennison and TEXAID are piloting RFID tagging to speed up textile sorting as EU rules push separate collection and better product data for recycling. Circular Packaging Moves: Siegwerk rolled out a heat-seal lacquer portfolio aimed at helping converters shift toward more recyclable flexible packaging. E-Waste Second Life: The Royal Mint partnered with Recycling Lives Services to recover precious metals from e-waste while creating supervised prison-industry work and training. Food Waste Push: Ireland launched National Food Waste Recycling Week, highlighting a surge in brown-bin uptake and presentation rates. Local Glass Diversion: Walla Walla’s BIG Recyclers says its hub-spoke glass drop-off model has diverted over 1 million pounds from landfills. Green Waste Policy: The U.S. Virgin Islands Senate advanced a bill allowing controlled incineration for green waste only when safer options like composting and reuse aren’t available. Ebola Preparedness Talks: Kenya is in talks with the U.S. on Ebola-related health cooperation after reports of a quarantine plan.

Waste Fees & Landfill Costs: Marlborough District Council says solid waste fees and charges rise from 1 July 2026, citing higher operating costs, government levies and emissions pricing, with landfill charges up 4.27% and transfer station charges up 6%, plus targeted increases for whiteware, e-waste and council rubbish bags. New Disposal Capacity: Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources issued a construction permit for Pettis County Development Company LLC’s Presidio Environmental Repository Facility, which will accept municipal solid and bulky waste, demolition and construction waste, brush and wood waste, soil/rock/concrete, tires and inert solids. Electronics Recycling Access: Broome County will run multiple offsite electronics recycling collections (June 13, July 11, Aug 15), with residents able to drop off accepted electronics like computers, monitors, printers and phones (batteries and large appliances excluded). Recycling Leadership Change: Floyd County named LaReese Howell as its new recycling director, focusing on efficiency and outreach after 28 years in solid waste work. Policy & Public Input: North Carolina DEQ scheduled a public hearing on the Bingham Park Remedial Action Plan (June 9) and invites written comments through June 30. Water Reuse Push: Phoenix planners discussed an Advanced Water Purification facility tied to rapid growth near Anthem, aiming to turn treated wastewater into drinking-quality water. Composting Promotion: Lethbridge’s Environment Week includes a June 3 compost and mulch giveaway with limited quantities for residents.

Water & Infrastructure: PM Modi pushed states to settle inter-state water disputes through cooperation, faster clearances, and tech monitoring, while also reviewing major rail, power, and road projects at PRAGATI. Local Waste Governance: A Davao councilor called the recent landfill mass-wasting incident an “eye-opener,” urging residents to segregate waste ahead of the city’s sanitary landfill use. Waste-to-Energy & Circular Economy Deals: OIL Green Energy (OGEL) and Hindustan Waste Treatment (HWT) signed a 50:50 JV to develop compressed biogas and waste-to-energy projects across India. Recycling Funding: Indiana’s IDEM opened applications for its Community Recycling Grant Program, offering $1,000–$100,000 for recycling, organics, and household hazardous waste efforts. PFAS Accountability: Australia escalated its AU$2B lawsuit against 3M over PFAS firefighting foam contamination, seeking remediation compensation. Biodegradable Plastics Reality Check: New research warns biodegradable plastics can cut waste only when properly processed; landfilling can boost greenhouse-gas emissions. Community Recycling Support: Baxter County’s quorum court will accept a $180,000 recycling grant to buy vehicles and equipment for the Baxter Day Service Center.