WORLD

 The world economy has steadily improved over the last few years and some improvements in recycling markets are being observed.  China will continue to become a major consumer of recycled paper, building many mills, creating future new capacity of over a billion tons per year. 

International demand for metals is rising slowly, giving hope to slowly improving prices for both ferrous and nonferrous scrap.

On the down side is the huge increases in fuel costs which are making exporting expenses significantly higher.

With the absence of a trash incinerator market in the US for the last decade, third world counties are being targeted by these expensive pollution purveyors.  Fortunately the Global Anti-Alliance Incinerator's (GAIA), Ann Leonard has joined forces with the GRRN to promote zero waste as the proper alternative.

NATIONAL

Newspaper ads are making papers thicker and increasing demand, keeping prices nicely higher.

Since curbside pick up is heavily influenced by trash haulers, pick ups are being becoming more and more mingled, putting the separation almost completely in the hands of the processors.  As more materials are being collected the material recovery facilities (MRF) are becoming more sophisticated.

There has not been a new trash incinerator built in the US for years and many are being shut down instead of being up graded.  But now the latest craze for trash is landfills that re-circulate their leachate to increase bioactivity, resulting in less volume.  It's still trash and lost materials in a hole that will eventually leak.

MARYLAND

The Maryland Recyclers Coalition has been successful in urging the state legislature to re-aim its recycling goal from 25% to 40%! The voluntary resolution was introduced by Roy Dyson and was passed in both houses without a single negative vote. The compliance date is 2010 and it includes a 5% credit for reuse/reduction, an often overlooked waste avoidance practice.  This is the culmination of three years of planning and politicking by the MRC with much help from many other interested parties.

Our Mid-Shore region had MD's third highest recycling rate in '99, accounting for a 49.3% diversion. First honors went to Carroll County with 57% followed by Harford County with 51%.  In the past the Mid-shore was the leader and it is quite commendable that our rural area did so well, since MD only requires such areas to recycle 15% while requiring the more populated area to achieve 20%.  Deserved kudos should go to the Mid-Shore recycling czar, James Wood.