According to founder and CEO of ISB Global Chris Williams, new US legislation supporting the development of the circular economy can drive growth for waste and recycling firms.
UK-based business ISB Global, which stands for Integrating Systems and Business, provides software to the waste management and recycling sector.
The company’s founder has said that US waste management companies can supplement their main income by selling waste materials to the secondary market once they ensure they’re compliant with state regulations.
However, in a blog post, Williams called for all states to tighten regulation of waste disposal. Williams also discussed how waste management companies stand to benefit from local governments that prioritise the circular economy.
Williams acknowledged that inconsistent legislation across states presents compliance challenges but he also underlined how waste management businesses can actually profit from the uptick in demand for recycled materials such as paper, timber and certain metals.
A growing circular economy also creates a considerable commercial opportunity for these companies.
He writes in the blog post: “Legislation to improve recycling rates is being implemented at a state and federal level across the USA. This doesn’t just affect consumers and businesses – it also affects the organisations that collect, sort and process waste materials. They have to show that they can handle more stringent recycling requirements and that they are disposing of the waste they collect responsibly.
“That said, a growing circular economy also creates a considerable commercial opportunity for these companies. Instead of collecting waste and sending it elsewhere, they can generate new income by selling materials such as metals and timber into a secondary market. The increased legislative requirements come with significant potential for growth, with proper planning in place.”
Williams continued that organisations who embrace policy changes and invest in infrastructure, such as anaerobic digestion (AD) plants and materials recycling facilities (MRFs) with the associated technologies to speed sorting like AI, Robotics and Optical Recognition, will both gain financially and be at the “forefront of new and emerging opportunities” from with the circular economy.