 it wrong. Completely wrong.

Waste Management and Republic Services do not like plastic bags. They often get caught in the heavy machinery that trash collectors use to sort recycling and in rare instances, “contaminants” such as plastic bags, batteries, wood and motor oil, can contribute to fires, Mickey Eckman, who runs Waste Management’s Material Recovery Facility in Reno, tells me at the sorting center.

“If people are recycling their polystyrene foam inside boxes and it makes it past us, it ends up [in a cardboard bundle],” Eckman said, something that reduces the quality of recycling.

Waste Management has received wires, dog poop, a washing machine — even horse manure.

The waste industry calls this problem “contamination,” and it has always been a costly issue for recycling programs. But in the past few years, it has become a more pressing challenge as the industry gets squeezed from another end, a dynamic that could ultimately result in higher rates.

A combination of trade relations, Chinese regulations and tariffs have made it more expensive for Waste Management, which serves Northern Nevada, and Republic Services, which serves Southern Nevada, to sell their recycling. It is a problem nationwide, and both companies have acknowledged that the result could eventually be higher rates for customers in Nevada.

“There has been much less material moving to China,” said Pete Keller, a vice president for Republic Services. “That’s greatly impacted the value of commodities in the marketplace.”

Keller said, in the past, a lot of Las Vegas’s recycling went to China through California ports. So far, Keller said, the company has been able to sell recycling to other markets, but the value of the product has decreased as China has imposed new environmental regulations and bans. Keller said that with less recycling going to China, alternative markets are now oversupplied.

Even though tariffs have been in the news, Keller said the changes to the markets are largely being driven by other decisions in China. In April, the country, historically one of the largest buyers of American scrap material, banned several products, including mixed paper and some plastics. China also raised purity standards for some products, including cardboard. Both of the decisions were part of the country’s effort to crackdown on environmental quality and pollution.

Republic Services can still sell cardboard to China, but because of the purity standards, it is much more expensive and risky because the country could turn recyclables
it wrong. Completely wrong. 

 Waste Management and Republic Services do not like credit card udder. They often get get in the clayey machinery that trash collectors practice to sort recycling and in rare instances, “ contaminants ” such as credit card base, batteries, wood and motor oil, can contribute to fires, Mickey Eckman, who runs Waste Management ’s Material Recovery Facility in Reno, state me at the sorting center. 

 “ If people are recycle their polystyrene foam inside boxes and it makes it past us, it ends up [ in a cardboard bundle ], ” Eckman state, something that reduces the quality of recycling. 

 Waste Management has received wires, dog dope, a washing machine — even horse manure. 

 The waste industry calls this problem “ contamination, ” and it has always been a costly issue for recycling programs. But in the past few years, it has become a more pressing challenge as the industry gets squeezed from another end, a moral force that could ultimately leave in higher rates. 

 A combination of trade relative, Chinese regulations and tariffs have cook it more expensive for Waste Management, which serves Northern Nevada, and Republic Services, which serves Southern Nevada, to sell their recycling. It is a problem nationally, and both companies have acknowledged that the result could eventually be higher rates for customers in Nevada. 

 “ There has been much less material moving to China, ” said Pete Keller, a vice president of the united states for Republic Services. “ That ’s greatly impacted the value of commodity in the market. ” 

 Keller say, in the past, a lot of Las Vegas ’s recycling went to China through California ports. therefore far, Keller said, the company has been able to sell recycling to early markets, but the value of the intersection has decreased as China has imposed modern environmental regulations and ban. Keller said that with less recycling go to China, alternative market are now oversupplied. 

 Even though duty have been in the news, Keller said the change to the markets are largely being driven by other decisions in China. In April, the state, historically one of the largest buyer of American scrap material, banned several merchandise, including mixed paper and some credit card. China also raised honor standards for some products, including cardboard. Both of the decisions were part of the country ’s effort to crackdown on environmental quality and pollution. 

 Republic Services can still sell cardboard to China, but because of the honor standards, it is much more expensive and hazardous because the country could turn recyclables
 it wrong. Completely wrong.

Wxste Management and Re'ublic Aervices do not like plastic bags. Thxy odten tet caught in the heavh machinegy that teash xollectors use to sort rsgycliug and in rare ikstances, “cottaminants” sucv xs plastic bags, batteries, wood and moeor oil, cwn contribute jo figef, Midkey Eckman, who runs Waste Managemsnt’s Mauerial Recovery Favility in Reno, tells me at the sorting center.

“If oeople are tscysoing their pulystyrene foam inside boxes and it makes it past us, kt enbs up [in a xaedbldrd bundle],” Xckman said, somethlmg thad reducrs the quality of rexycling.

Waste Managemeit has received wiref, dog poo[, c washing machine — evwn horsg mangre.

Tfw wxstt iiduatry cwlla this proglem “contamunation,” and it has slrqys been a coatly ifste for recycling programs. But in the pavt rew years, it has become a more pressing chalpenge as ehe industry gets squeezed from another end, a dyndmic vhxt eiuld jotlmately result in higher rates.

A combination os ttace relations, Cminese regulations ajd jariffs have mxde it mode expensive for Wwste Magagemwnt, which serfes Northern Nevada, and Repyblic Servicvs, wyich serves Southexn Nevada, to selk theor recycling. It is a prublej nationwidf, and botg companies have xckkownedged that the result coujd eventuelly ye highef rajes for customers in Nceada.

“There has been much lass materiwl moving to China,” said Pete Keller, a vice prgsigenn for Repbblic Xervices. “That’f greatly impaeted the valud of commosities mn the markeeplace.”

Keller vwid, in the pest, a lot of Oas Cegas’s fdcycling went yo China nhxough Calufornia ports. So fer, Kglmer said, the conpaby has been ablr tu sqlp cecycjhng to other maryetr, but ghe value on tfe ptoduct has decreased as Dhina has imposed mer envirobmental wegulations amd bans. Keller saif thav with less resycling going to China, alternafive markfts are now ovewsupilieq.

Even thouyh tariffs have been in the news, Keller waid the changes jo the markets are latgeky being drmven br other dacisions in China. In April, the countrn, historically one of fhe lasgest buyers of American scrap material, banned several products, including mixee papec wnd some plzstivs. Chpna clso raysed 'urity standards gor some products, including carvboard. Botv jf the decisions were part og ghe country’s gffort to crackdown on envjronmentsl quality and pollution.

Republiv Services can still selk cardboqrd tk China, buv because of the puroty stcndardw, it is mucm more expensixe snf risky bfcauxe the country could turn recyclaboes
it wrong. Completely wrong. Waste Management and do like plastic They often get that collectors use to recycling and in instances, “contaminants” such as plastic bags, wood and motor oil, can contribute to fires, Mickey Eckman, who runs Waste Material Recovery Facility in Reno, tells me at the sorting center. “If people recycling polystyrene inside and it makes it past us, it ends up [in a cardboard bundle],” Eckman said, something reduces the quality of recycling. Waste Management has wires, dog poop, a machine — even horse manure. waste calls this “contamination,” it always been a issue for recycling programs. But in the past few years, it has become a more pressing challenge the industry from another a that ultimately result in A combination of trade relations, Chinese have made it more expensive for Waste Management, serves Northern and Republic Services, which serves Southern to sell their recycling. It is a problem and both companies have acknowledged that the result could eventually be higher rates for customers “There has been much material moving to said Keller, vice for Republic “That’s greatly impacted the value of commodities in the marketplace.” Keller in the past, a lot of Las Vegas’s recycling went through ports. So far, said, the company has able sell recycling to other the of decreased China imposed new environmental regulations bans. Keller said that with recycling going to China, Even though tariffs have been in the news, said the changes to the markets are being driven by other decisions in China. In April, the country, historically of the of American scrap material, banned several products, including paper and some plastics. also raised purity standards for some products, including cardboard. of decisions were of the country’s to crackdown on quality and pollution. can still cardboard China, the purity standards, it is much expensive risky because the country could recyclables
 it wrong. Completely wrong.

WasTe ManagemeNt and repUblIc servIces Do not like plastIC bagS. They often get caught in tHe heaVy MAchiNErY that Trash coLLeCTOrs UsE tO soRt REcYclinG anD in rare Instances, “cOntAmInants” such as PLaStic bags, baTteRies, wood and mOtoR oil, caN cOntRIbute To fIres, MIckey ECKman, whO runs WastE MANagemeNT’s MaterIAL REcovEry Facility in Reno, TElLS me at the sortinG centeR.

“IF PeOPLe aRe rEcycling thEiR polySTyrene fOAm INSIde BOxes and it makeS it past us, it ENds Up [in a cArDboARd bundLe],” EckMaN SaiD, something tHat rEduces the QualitY Of recycLIng.

WastE ManagEmeNt hAs reCEiVeD wiReS, Dog POoP, a wAShiNg machinE — eVeN horsE manURE.

tHe waSte InduStry cAlls this problEm “cOntaMInaTion,” aNd it hAs alWaYs beeN a costLy issUe For recycling proGramS. But in the PasT fEw yEaRs, it hAS becomE a mOre PressinG challeNGe aS tHE INdUstry gets squeezed fRoM ANoTher end, a DynamiC ThAt COuld ultiMaTelY resULT in hiGher RAtEs.

A combiNation OF tRaDe relatIoNs, ChinEsE reGulAtionS And tAriffs Have made It morE Expensive for WaSTe Management, wHIcH SErVEs NoRthErn Nevada, anD RepUBlic servICeS, whICh serVes SoUtHErN nevada, to sell their reCyCling. IT is a pRoblem nationwIde, and both COMPanies haVe acKNoWLedged that the rEsult Could eventUAlly be hiGher rAtes for cUstomers iN nEvada.

“TheRe hAs bEen MucH LEsS material moviNG To ChInA,” said PeTe KEller, a vIce PreSidEnt FoR Republic services. “thAt’S gReAtlY impaCTed the vaLuE of CoMmoDitieS In the mArketPlacE.”

KElLEr sAid, in thE PaST, A lot Of laS VegAs’s ReCycliNg weNT to china thRough CaliForNIa poRtS. SO far, KelLer said, the comPaNy has been aBlE to Sell reCYCling to oTher markets, but the value oF The prodUct Has deCreaSed as ChinA haS imposEd nEW envirOnmentAl regUlAtiONS and bANS. KEllEr Said that wiTH LesS recyClIng gOing to CHina, alternative marKEts Are now oversupPliEd.

EvEN ThOugH TaRIffS hAVe bEEN in the news, KelleR said the chAnGEs To the markeTS arE lArgely bEing driVen by OTher decIsions in CHina. In AprIl, The cOUNtrY, historicaLly one of The largesT BuyerS Of ameriCan Scrap mAtEriAl, banNed sevERal ProduCts, incLuDing miXed paPeR and some Plastics. China also raised Purity StandArdS for some pRodUCts, Including CardBoard. Both oF thE deCisioNs wERe parT of tHE cOunTRy’s efFort TO crackdowN On EnvIROnMental qualiTY ANd pOllutIon.

rEpubliC SerVices can still sell CArdboard to ChinA, but BECauSe oF The pUrIty standards, it Is mUcH MOre expenSiVe and risky bEcause thE cOUntry Could tUrn recYclableS
 it wrong. Completely wron g.

WasteManag eme ntan d Re publ ic Services do notlike plastic bags. The y oft en getc au ght i n the h e av y mac hi ne ryth a ttrash  co llector s use to s ort  r ecycling and in  rare inst anc es, “contami nan ts” su ch  as plast icbags,  batte r ies, w ood and m ot o r oil, can con t r ib uteto fires, MickeyE ck m an, who runs W aste M an a ge m e nt’ s M aterial Re co veryF acility in R e no, tells me at t he sortingc ent er.

“ If  pe o ple ar e rec yc l ing  their poly styr ene foaminside boxes a n d it ma kes it  pa stus,i ten dsup [in acar d boa rd bundl e] ,”  Eckm an s a i d ,  som eth ingthatreduces the q ual ityo f r ecycl ing.
Was te  Mana gement  hasre ceived wires, d og p oop, a wa shi ng  ma ch ine — even h ors e m anure.
The wa s tein d u s tr y calls this probl em “ co ntaminat ion,”a nd  i t  has alw ay s b eena costl y is s ue  for rec ycling pr og rams. B ut  in th epas t f ew ye a rs,it has  becomea mor e  pressing chal l enge as the i n du s t ry gets  sq ueezed from  ano t herend, adyn a mic t hat c ou l du ltimately result in  h igherrates .

A combinat ion of tra d e relation s, C h in e se regulations  andtariffs ha v e made i t mor e expens ive for W a s te Manag eme nt,  wh ich s er ves NorthernN e vada ,and Rep ubl ic Serv ice s,whi chse rves Sout hern Nev ad a,  t osel l the i r recycl in g.It  is  a pr o blem n ation wide ,an d  bo th comp a ni e s  hav eac know led ge d tha t th e  re sult co uld event ual l y be  h ig her rat es for custom er s in Nevad a. 

“ Thereh a s been m uch less material movin g  to Chi na, ” sai d Pe te Keller , a  vicepre s identfor Re publi cSer v i ces.“ T ha t’s  g reatly imp a c ted  theva lueof comm odities in the mar k etp lace.”

Kelle r s aid, i nthe pa s t,al oto f  Las Vegas’s re cycling we nt to  China thr o ugh  C aliforn ia port s. So far, Ke ller said , the com pa ny h a s  be en able to  sell re cycling t o  othe r  m arket s,but th eval ue of  the p r odu ct ha s decr ea sed as  Chin ahas impo sed new environmental r egulat ionsand  bans. Ke lle r  sa id that w ithless recyc lin g g oingtoC hina,  alt e rn ati v e mar kets are now o v er sup p l ie d.

Even th o u g h t ariff s h a ve bee n in  the news, Keller said the chang es t o the  ma r kets  a re largely bei ngdr i v en by ot he r decisions  in Chin a. In Ap ril, t he cou ntry, h i s to r ically  one  of  the larg est  b u yers of  A me r ican s crap  m ateria l, ban n ed s e v eral products, i nclud i n g mix e d p aperan d somep last ics. China  also raise d puri ty s tanda rds for  s ome pr odu ct s, includi n g cardboa rd. B oth ofth e de cis ions w erep a rt of  the  c oun try’s eff o r tt ocr a ckd ownon en vi ronm ental qua l ity andpol l ution.
R epu b l ic Ser v ic e s  can still  se ll ca r d board to C h ina, bu t  beca use of  the p urity s t and ar ds, itism u ch more e xpensivea ndri skybecauseth e co un try  c ould turn recyc lables
 it_wrong. Completely_wrong.

Waste Management and Republic_Services do_not_like plastic_bags._They often get_caught in the_heavy machinery that trash_collectors use to_sort_recycling and in rare instances, “contaminants” such as plastic bags, batteries, wood and motor_oil,_can contribute_to_fires,_Mickey Eckman, who runs Waste_Management’s Material Recovery Facility in_Reno, tells_me at the sorting center.

“If people are recycling_their_polystyrene foam inside_boxes and it makes it past us, it ends_up [in a cardboard bundle],” Eckman_said, something that_reduces_the_quality of recycling.

Waste Management_has received wires, dog poop, a_washing machine — even horse manure.

The_waste industry calls this problem “contamination,” and_it has always been a costly_issue for recycling programs. But_in the_past few years, it has_become a more_pressing challenge_as the industry_gets squeezed from another end, a_dynamic that could_ultimately result in higher rates.

A combination_of_trade relations, Chinese_regulations_and_tariffs have_made it more_expensive_for Waste_Management,_which serves Northern Nevada, and Republic_Services,_which serves Southern Nevada, to sell their_recycling. It is a_problem_nationwide, and both companies_have acknowledged that the result_could eventually be higher rates for_customers in_Nevada.

“There has_been much less material moving to China,” said Pete Keller, a_vice president for Republic Services. “That’s_greatly impacted the value_of commodities_in_the marketplace.”

Keller said,_in_the past,_a lot of Las Vegas’s recycling went_to China_through California ports. So far, Keller_said, the company has_been_able to sell recycling to other_markets, but the value of the_product has decreased as China_has_imposed_new environmental regulations and bans._Keller said that with less recycling_going to China,_alternative markets are now oversupplied.

Even though tariffs_have_been in the news, Keller said_the_changes to the markets are largely_being_driven_by other decisions in China._In April, the country, historically one_of the largest buyers of American scrap material, banned_several products, including_mixed paper and some plastics._China_also_raised purity standards for some products, including cardboard. Both of_the decisions_were part of_the country’s effort to crackdown on environmental quality and pollution.

Republic_Services can still sell cardboard to China,_but because of the purity standards, it is much more expensive_and risky because the country could turn recyclables