Waste Management & Recycling

Streator, Ill. – September 13, 2026 -- Illinois American Water has invested $26.5 million over the past five years into its Streator Water Treatment Plant and distribution system, upgrades that serve roughly 7,600 customers, the company said following a legislative tour of the facility.

Ultraviolet disinfection system adds $4.1 million in treatment capacity

The company installed a new ultraviolet treatment system at a cost of $4.1 million, adding disinfection capability designed to treat bacteria and microorganisms that could be present in raw water drawn from the Vermilion River, the plant's source water.

Filter improvement project worth $3.7 million completed in 2024

A separate $3.7 million project upgraded two aging water filters and added a new structure over the plant's sedimentation and flocculation basins to protect the equipment from weather exposure. Construction on that project was completed in 2024.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- PLAN-B NET ZERO AG and river-cleanup company everwave have tied clean-energy subscriptions directly to plastic removal, letting customers convert monthly add-on payments into a fixed volume of waste extracted from rivers before it reaches the ocean.

Impact tariffs convert 1 euro into 1 kilogram of plastic removed from waterways

Under the partnership, active since 2026, customers on PLAN-B NET ZERO's impact tariffs can add between 1 and 5 euros per month. Each euro funds the removal of one kilogram of plastic waste from rivers by everwave, before it enters the sea. "That's not about sacrifice or activism, it's a system that simply works in the background and still moves something," said Bradley Mundt, founder and CEO of PLAN-B NET ZERO.

Joplin, Mo. – September 09, 2026 -- Missouri American Water has completed a $34.5 million acquisition of the City of Neosho's water and wastewater systems, adding roughly 5,400 water customers and 5,400 wastewater customers to its regulated base.

Deal brings 25 Neosho employees under Missouri American Water

The transaction, unanimously approved by Neosho City Council on September 09, 2026, and cleared by the Missouri Public Service Commission on September 09, 2026, transfers 25 employees who previously served the systems to Missouri American Water.

Company commits $35 million for infrastructure over five years

Subject to PSC approval, Missouri American Water plans to invest approximately $35 million in the Neosho systems over the next five years. Planned work includes facility upgrades, replacement of water and wastewater mains, leak-detection technology, and wastewater treatment compliance with federal and state standards.

Aachen – September 08, 2026 -- The Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU) will award its 2026 German Environmental Prize, worth €500,000 in total, to Hamburg environmental lawyer Dr. Roda Verheyen and membrane-filter engineer Dr. Klaus Vossenkaul, founder and CEO of Membion. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will present the prize on Sunday, October 25, at a ceremony in Aachen, marking the 34th edition of one of Europe's highest-endowed environmental awards.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - April 13, 2026 - Umicore, the Brussels-listed materials technology and recycling group, maintains structured provisions and ongoing remediation programs to address legacy pollution inherited from predecessor mining and smelting companies Union Minière and Vieille-Montagne, whose combined operating history spans more than 125 years. The company frames this environmental liability as a core governance responsibility, allocating dedicated financial reserves annually audited under applicable accounting standards. Remediation scope and timelines are complex, and Umicore acknowledges the work ahead remains substantial. The approach carries direct implications for investors, regulators, and communities adjacent to legacy industrial sites.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - April 13, 2026 - Umicore's Hoboken refinery in Belgium has completed a multi-decade environmental and operational transformation that repositioned one of the world's largest metal recycling facilities from a source of community health concern to a benchmark for sustainable industrial co-existence. With origins dating to 1887, the site now processes several hundred thousand tons of materials annually, extracting more than 20 metals through closed-loop processes that directly address global raw material scarcity - a strategic pivot with measurable consequences for battery supply chains, urban mining economics, and industrial permitting models across Europe.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – Sep. 23, 2025 - Global Circular Economy Event to Showcase Innovative Solutions and Industry Leaders

The Areal Böhler in Düsseldorf is set to transform into a global circular economy hotspot on March 12-13, 2025, as the Circular Valley Convention 2025 brings together leading players and thought leaders from across business, science, politics, and society. This premier event aims to collaboratively develop groundbreaking solutions for the future of the circular economy through an innovative combination of conference sessions, expo exhibitions, and strategic networking opportunities.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING – July 24, 2024 – The Plastic Waste Free World Conference & Expo 2024 (PWFWE2024) is set to convene a global assembly of industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers at the Koelnmesse in Cologne,Germany, on November 13-14, 2024. Organized by Trans-World Events Ltd., PWFWE2024 will provide a vital platform for addressing the pressing global issue of plastic waste and driving the transition towards a sustainable,plastic-waste-free future.

PWFWE2024: A Catalyst for Change