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Comal Iron & Metals, a metal recycling business in New Braunfels, Texas, recently celebrated its 55th anniversary. The company, founded by the Rodriguez family, operates on 4 1/2 acres and processes various types of ferrous and nonferrous metals. Comal Iron & Metals is known for its customer service and community involvement, offering fundraising opportunities and recycling education. The family-owned business has three generations of family leadership and employs 20 people. They have set a goal to collect 20 million pounds of metal this year in honor of their anniversary. [Extracted from the article]

Consumer technology manufacturers are playing a crucial role in the development of products that fit into a circular economy. They are focused on sustainability throughout a product's life cycle, working to reduce emissions, electronic waste, and materials of concern. Manufacturers are also prioritizing reuse and recycling, with a particular emphasis on reducing the weight and materials used in their products. The Consumer Technology Circularity Initiative (CTCI) has been launched to further support industry sustainability efforts and reduce e-scrap. Companies such as Lenovo, LG Electronics, Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony Electronics Inc. are committed to innovative solutions and integrating recycled materials into their products. [Extracted from the article]

The NextCycle program, developed by Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) and funded by state and local governments, is leading the way in supporting textile recycling initiatives across the United States. With a growing volume of textile waste worldwide, transitioning to a circular economy for textiles could eliminate waste and decouple economic growth from raw material extraction. The textile recycling market is projected to reach $12.8 billion by 2032, and extending the lifespan of textiles and increasing textile-to-textile recycling could add $500 billion to the global economy. The NextCycle program has supported various organizations and startups in developing innovative solutions for textile recycling, including the Goodwill Association of Michigan, Refugee Artisan Initiative, Public Thread, NexTiles, and Ravel. These initiatives focus on waste prevention, reuse, recycling, and repurposing of textiles, contributing to the development of a more sustainable and circular textile industry. [Extracted from the article]

Ascend Elements, a battery recycling company based in Massachusetts, is working to meet the growing demand for critical metals for battery production in the US. The company has developed a unique recycling process and has opened its first commercial-scale battery recycling facility in Georgia. They are also constructing a $1 billion facility in Kentucky to produce battery materials for electric vehicles. Ascend has received funding from the US Department of Energy and has raised over $700 million from investors. The company aims to make battery manufacturing more sustainable by reusing and recycling batteries in a clean and efficient manner. They also hope to reduce reliance on China for battery materials and promote domestic battery infrastructure in the US. [Extracted from the article]

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) has rebranded to the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) in order to better communicate the industry's role in the supply chain. The rebranding effort began in 2021 with a focus on changing the negative perceptions associated with the recycling industry. The new name, logo, and messaging aim to highlight the industry's positive attributes and the value it creates. The rebranding is seen as an opportunity to raise the industry's profile and engage with stakeholders more effectively. [Extracted from the article]

Scrap Expo is returning to the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville for its third year. The event, organized by the Recycling Today Media Group, will take place on September 17-18 and will showcase equipment demonstrations and the latest machinery and technology in the metals recycling industry. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with and operate various types of equipment in a live outdoor demonstration area, as well as engage with exhibitors and speakers covering key industry topics in the exhibit hall. Scrap Expo aims to provide a dynamic and immersive experience for both industry veterans and newcomers. [Extracted from the article]

International Paper (IP) has announced its acquisition of London-based DS Smith in a deal valued at $9.9 billion. The merger is expected to close by the fourth quarter of this year and will create a global leader in sustainable packaging. The merger will strengthen IP's European footprint and recycling operations, while also enhancing its North American business. The combined company will be headquartered in Memphis, with plans to establish a Europe, Middle East, and Africa region headquarters in London. [Extracted from the article]

China is reassessing its policies on importing recycled metal, with proposed revisions at the final stage of drafting. These changes could allow for the mixing and importation of different grades of aluminum, copper, or steel scrap, aligning with international standards. China is also focused on reducing carbon dioxide emissions in its aluminum sector by using more recycled aluminum and reducing the use of traditional forms of energy. In North America, there has been a decrease in nonferrous volumes in the first quarter of the year, but there is potential for a turnaround in metal flows. Demand for recycled copper has softened, leading to a potential inventory build-up in the near future. [Extracted from the article]

Sennebogen LLC, a subsidiary of Sennebogen GmbH based in Germany, is expanding its campus in Stanley, North Carolina. The company, which has been successful in the United States for almost 25 years, credits its North Carolina-based business unit for its reach into various industries such as metal recycling, steel mills, timber, port operations, and waste management. The expansion will include additional training rooms, office space, an apprenticeship workshop, and a presentation and demonstration area. The expansion will increase the company's floor space to over 160,000 square feet. Eriez, a magnetic and recycling equipment developer based in Pennsylvania, has also invested in expanding its operations at its facility in Caerphilly, Wales. The investment includes the addition of three custom-built paint booths to improve production processes and product quality. The paint booths feature high-temperature oven drying functions and powerful duplex fans to maintain air quality. [Extracted from the article]

Italy-based company Danieli has released a new line of incline shears designed to help steel mills produce metals for recycling. The DIS inclined scrap shear is a gravity feed shear that can yield over 330 cutting cycles per hour and features hydraulic engineering. It delivers dense scrap through its heavy-duty, side-squeeze block and serrated design, applying four to five times the compression force of horizontal shears. The shears also have a quick-blade-change system and an oversized main cylinder. The DIS series shear is available with either 2,000 or 1,600 tons of cutting force and is best suited for facilities not requiring the production of bundles and bales. [Extracted from the article]

New Zealand-based scrap metal trading platform, Buddy, has launched a B2B marketplace for metal recycling that connects buyers directly with sellers. The platform aims to support the transition from manual to digital procurement processes in the metal recycling market. Buddy claims to be the first platform for scrap recyclers, by scrap recyclers, and ensures that users are vetted. The app has already attracted buyers from 19 different countries and will be launching in North America, Australia, and New Zealand this month. Buddy also provides members with access to structured data and real-time analysis through its customizable dashboard. [Extracted from the article]

Nucor announces executive changes Nucor Corp., Charlotte, North Carolina, has announced that Executive Vice President of Raw Materials Craig A. Feldman plans to retire this June after 35 years of service with Nucor and the David J. Joseph Co. (DJJ). He was later promoted to president of DJJ in 2013 and became a vice president and general manager of Nucor when DJJ was acquired by Nucor in 2008. He was promoted to executive vice president of Nucor in 2018 and continued to serve as president of DJJ until the end of 2020, when Mark D. Schaefer, another 35-year veteran of DJJ, took over as president. [Extracted from the article]