Weekly News Bulletin: Jul. 24-30, 2006

 

New York City Council Approves Ambitious Waste Plan

By a vote of 44 to 5, the New York City Council approved a contentious and ambitious waste management plan that has been two years in the making. The crux of the 20-year plan addresses the nearly $1 billion annual city waste problem by calling for increased reliance on both barge and rail to cut the use of hauling trash by truck within the city by 3.5 million miles annually. Four planned marine transfer stations that will cost $360 million to build, aim to reduce hauling distances and distribute the burden among the five boroughs. Addressing criticism over ever-increasing waste exports, the city will create an Office of Recycling Outreach and Education...Read More »

 

 

Waste Services To Exchange Assets With Allied Waste in Florida and Arizona

Waste Services Inc. (Nasdaq: WSIID) will pay $61 million for Allied Waste's South Florida operations and, in a separate deal, sell its Arizona business to Allied Waste for $53 million in cash with a potential future payment of $2 million. The company hopes to achieve cost savings by internalizing a portion of the operations into its JED Landfill in central Florida. It includes an 800 ton-per-day transfer and a materials recovery facility servicing Miami-Dade county. The net impact of the transactions is expected to contribute between $7 million and $8 million of EBITDA on an annualized basis. The Florida acquisition follows a trend begun in early 2004 when Waste Services (then called Capital Environmental Resource Inc.) purchased other assets from Allied Waste in northern and central Florida for $120 million...Read More »

 

 

Waste Industries USA to Release Second Quarter Earnings and Host Conference Call

Waste Industries USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: WWIN) plans to announce second quarter earnings after the close of the market on August 1, 2006. Company management will discuss these results with investors and other interested parties via a telephone conference call on the following day: Wednesday, August 2, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time...Read More »

 

 

EPA Revises Recycling Standards for Cathode Ray Tubes

The U.S. EPA hopes to encourage the collection and recycling of used cathode ray tubes (CRTs), most commonly found in TVs and computer monitors, by streamlining hazardous waste management requirements. Under the new provisions, used but unbroken CRTs will not be regulated as hazardous waste unless stored for more than a year. The EPA believes that the low risk of lead releases from unbroken CRTs justifies the simplified standards...Read More »

 

 

AIG Highstar Announces Recapitalization of Advanced Disposal Services

AIG Highstar Capital, a leveraged buyout fund sponsored by American International Group Inc. (AIG), said will help recapitalize Advanced Disposal Services Inc. in a transaction valued at $470 million. The deal aims to replace existing shareholders, restructure debt and position the company for future growth. Advanced Disposal is a non-hazardous solid waste company based in Jacksonville, Florida...Read More »

 

 

Ohio EPA Awards Large Expansion to the American Landfill in Stark County, OH

The Ohio EPA granted an expansion permit to Waste Management's American Landfill in Waynesburg Ohio (Stark County). The permit allows the landfill to expand up to 160 acres laterally and 178 acres vertically. The expansions over 395.8 acres will enable the company to accept up to 84.4 million cubic yards of additional trash and extend the life of the landfill by at least 18 years. An environmental group, Citizens Against American Landfill Expansion, pledged to fight the permit in court if necessary...Read More »

 

 

Clean Harbors to Release 2Q Earnings on August 8, 2006

Clean Harbors, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLHB) plans to release second quarter earnings during a conference call it will host on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time...Read More »

 

 

China to Invest $175 Billion For Better Environmental Protection

China's State Development and Reform Commission's Environment Department expects to spend $175 billion (or 1.5 percent of GDP) on environmental protection in the next five years. In elaborating on its 11th Five Year Plan for the years 2006 to 2010, the Commission said it plans to spend money on water pollution control, improving the air quality in cities, disposing solid waste, harnessing soil erosion and improving the rural environment...Read More »

 

 

RBRC Reports Increase in Recycled Rechargeable Batteries Collected

The nonprofit Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) said that collection data for the first six months of 2006 reveals significant recycling improvement and that a total of 2.4 million pounds of rechargeable batteries were collected in the U.S. and Canada, marking an overall 6.4 percent increase from the same period in 2005. The company continues to add to its roster of 34 thousand sites participating in its "Call2Recycle" program...Read More »

 

 

American Ecology Posts Record Operating Income of $7.5 Million in 2Q

American Ecology Corporation (Nasdaq: ECOL) said that net income for the second quarter, ended June 30, 2006, rose to $4.9 million, or $.27 per share, from $3.7 million or $.21 per share a year ago. Operating income rose 27 percent to a record-high of $7.5 million from $5.9 million a year ago. Similarly, revenue for the second quarter of 2006 increased 96 percent to $29.9 million, up from $18.8 million a year ago. The company will host a conference call on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 at 9 a.m. Mountain time to discuss the results...Read More »

 

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