Recycling market in the dumps

December 2, 1:12 PMSacramento Environmental News ExaminerHarry Osibin

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A large local recycler says the worldwide economic slump is having an impact on the industry.  In a November release, Ronald Mittelstaedt, CEO of Folsom-based Waste Connections Incorporated, said, “"The precipitous drop in recycled commodity values over the past few weeks is unprecedented."

Some analysts believe part of the reduction of demand in Asia has adversely affected USA vendors.  China, for example, has largely stopped importing recycled waste from the United States.

Middlestaedt said that until demand picks up “a commodity that historically has had a value could remain a cost.”

WCI is one of the country’s largest recyclers.


The Central Valley Business Times wrote on Monday that Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and the first “official” day for Christmas shopping, “was glum for a number of online retailers.”

There were some bright spots among the clouds; online department stores, gift shops, health and beauty stores and jewelers bucked the down trend and logged some healthy increases in the number of online sales.


Some could say the Bush White House is having its own “close-out” sales.

The Bureau of Land Management, implementing administration policy, has partially backed off a scheme to open land near National Parks in Utah to oil and gas drilling.

The plans have drawn sharp rebukes across the political landscape including the National Park Service.  BLM will defer about one-third of the 93 tracts up for auction.  The remainder goes on the block as scheduled on December 19th.

Grist Magazine says the incoming Obama administration may derail the entire scheme to drill, baby, drill in fragile habitat in Utah.