1. Local and Federal Governments Will Amp Up Incentives for Businesses to Go Green

Overflowing landfills and polluted oceans are continuing to be a growing concern for environmentalists. The government will amp up incentivization efforts for companies to manufacture products with less of a carbon footprint, and to recycle and reuse when disposing of waste products. At the forefront of this is a push for generating energy through waste, and the government is granting greenhouse gas credits and tax benefits to companies who are actively participating in these programs. A landfill tax on waste will further incentivize companies to find new ways to use their waste products.

2. Chemical Recycling

Chemical recycling is a process of breaking down plastics into a form that can be converted into new plastics, such as pyrolysis and depolymerization. This is a relatively new process, but it will expand and grow as new research and technologies are used to reduce contamination and improve the sorting process. So far, only a few waste recycling companies are using these methods of, but that’s expected to change throughout 2022 and beyond.

3. Less Packaging for the Win

Companies have become far more aware of the waste generated by excessive packaging. Consider Amazon, for example, who has replaced some boxes and plastic bubble wrap for easily recyclable envelopes whenever possible. Look for improved packaging such as light-weight plastic bottles, smaller boxes, packaging made from recycled materials, and flexible plastic packaging in 2022. This reduces the amount of waste produced by the manufacturer and the consumer and creates new ways to sort waste.

4. Continuing Research Into Converting Waste to Energy

The best solution to waste reduction is to find a way to use it for other things, such as creating energy. This will be done in various ways, such as anaerobic digesters that consume food waste and convert it into activated carbon. In turn, the activated carbon can be used by natural gas companies. There is a movement to make these options available onsite so restaurants and grocery stores can dispose of food waste without throwing it into a landfill.

5. Technology Comes to the Forefront of Waste Management

Automated processing and “robots” will be able to weed out recyclable materials from non-recyclables and will collect data to ensure all energy and sustainability goals are being met. Computer chips will be placed on household bins, which are then tagged when haulers tip the bins into their trucks to track household recycling efforts.

The most exciting trend for waste management technology developing for 2022 is the ability to track a product throughout its lifecycle and record data which will allow businesses to create new ways to prevent waste generation.

Clym works with our clients to find the best energy recovery applications for their waste streams, contact us today to learn more about options that are available for your facility.