On September 17, 2014, both the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) and the National Waste & Recycling Association (NW&RA), released comments regarding the new EPA standards found within the Standards of Performance for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills.

It is important to note that the NW&RA and SWANA represent the private and municipal/public waste and recycling industries in the US. Both departments are concerned about the affects of the new ruling, which has sparked joint comments from both of them respectively.

A new memorandum of understanding was signed between the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The new agreement will create better communication between the agencies when any employee or worker claims they have been discriminated against or coerced to work in unsafe conditions.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (or EPA) has added seven new hazardous waste sites to Superfund’s National Priorities List (NPL).

These sites expose materials that can potentially harm people and the environment. Aside from these, the EPA has recommended another five new sites to the list.

Superfund is the government’s initiative tasked to probe and tidy up the country’s most complex and abandoned lethal waste sites in order to protect the health of the people as well as the environment.

The International Civil Aviation Organization’s Dangerous Goods Panel has recently suggested a ban be placed on the use of all lithium metal batteries on passenger airlines.

This comes on the heels of serious concern for Certified Hazmat Air Cargo Carriers and their contents. However, it is believed that air carriers can benefit from a more secure and regulated policy.