Lyme disease has been reported in every county in New Jersey, according to the state Department of Health, which is urging residents to take tick prevention seriously during the height of summer hiking and gardening season.
Adult Deer Tick Photo Credit: Scott Bauer, Wikipedia
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Farmers and composting companies say allowing plastic to be considered compost will undermine the purpose of composting, which is to improve soil and crop health. Plastics manufacturers say loosening the rules will encourage more people to compost
By Susanne Rust, Staff Writer, LA Times, July 4, 2025
Greg Pryor began composting yard and food waste for San Francisco in 1996, and today he oversees nine industrial-sized composting sites in California and Oregon that turn discarded banana peels, coffee grounds, chicken bones, and more into a dark, nutrient-rich soil that farmers covet for their fields and crops.
His company, Recology, processes organic waste from cities and municipalities across the Bay Area, Central Valley, Northern California, Oregon, and Washington — part of a growing movement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by minimizing food waste in landfills.
But, said Pryor, if bioplastic and compostable food packaging manufacturers get their way, the whole system could collapse.
At issue is a 2021 California law, known as Assembly Bill 1201, which requires that products labeled “compostable” must actually break down into compost, not contaminate soil or crops with toxic chemicals, and be readily identifiable to both consumers and solid waste facilities.
The law also stipulates that products carrying a “compostable” label must meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program requirements, which only allow for plant and animal material in compost feedstock, and bar all synthetic substances and materials — plastics, bioplastics and most packaging materials — except for newspaper or other recycled paper without glossy or colored ink.
Close-up of text on plastic cup reading Made From Corn, referring to plant-derived bioplastics. (Getty Images)1
The USDA is reviewing those requirements at the request of a compostable plastics and packaging industry trade group. Its ruling, expected this fall, could open the door for materials such as bioplastic cups, coffee pods, and compostable plastic bags to be admitted into the organic compost waste stream.
Amid pressure from the industry, the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery said it will hold off on implementing its own rules on AB 1201 — originally set for Jan. 1, 2026 — until June 30, 2027, to incorporate the USDA guidelines, should there be a change.
Pryor is concerned that a USDA ruling to allow certain plastic to be considered compost will contaminate his product, make it unsaleable to farmers, and undermine the purpose of composting, which is to improve soil and crop health.
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Alina Habba, attorney for former President Donald Trump, addresses members of the media during his civil fraud trial at New York State Supreme Court on Nov. 2, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Alina Habba’s status as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey will be up to a Pennsylvania judge, who will look into the claim by a criminal defendant that she should be disqualified from her position, according to a federal filing.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann said in an Aug. 1 filing that he denied Julien Giraud Jr.’s motion to dismiss his drug and murder case but will delay the motion to dismiss while considering Giraud’s seeking to disqualify Habba, whose office is prosecuting his case.
“I conclude that the Girauds are entitled to injunctive relief precluding Ms. Habba from participating in their prosecution if they are correct that she was appointed in violation of statute or the Constitution,” Brann said in the filing.
Giraud and his son were scheduled to go on trial on Aug. 4 in the Middle District of Pennsylvania after Giraud’s attorney, Thomas Mirigliano, got it transferred from New Jersey.
Instead, in a judicial order that accompanied Brann’s filing, the trial will be postponed for a hearing and oral argument on any challenges to Habba’s appointment to be held Aug. 15 at the United States Courthouse and Federal Building in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Giraud challenged Habba’s appointment in a July 27 filing because he claimed that her appointment was unconstitutional. He cites a 2024 ruling by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who dismissed the federal case against President Donald Trump for allegedly taking and concealing classified documents because she found the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutional, as he was supposed to be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
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A group of New York City energy efficiency companies, backed by Con Edison, has formed an employer-led coalition to address the growing demand for skilled workers in the green economy and accelerate the development of a green workforce.
The NYC Energy Efficiency Workforce Coalition, created by the New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) and The Green Launchpad, seeks to support the growth of a skilled workforce to handle the increasing demand for green jobs, particularly in clean energy and energy efficiency fields.
The coalition aims to bridge the gap between job seekers and available opportunities by connecting training providers and registered apprenticeship programs, according to Green Workforce Connect.
Faced with a shortage of trained workers, like skilled electricians and welders, the coalition plans to develop training programs to meet the current and future needs of the green economy, particularly in areas like building decarbonization and electrification.
“This Coalition is about creating the connective tissue between New York City’s clean energy goals and the people who will power them,” said Gregory J. Morris, CEO of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition. “By aligning contractors, workforce providers, and training institutions around a common vision, we’re building a durable ecosystem that equips New Yorkers, especially those from historically excluded communities, with the skills and support to access meaningful, long-term careers. It’s a strategy for inclusive economic development, one that drives decarbonization, strengthens local businesses, and builds wealth in the communities most impacted by climate and economic inequity.”
The Coalition will initially focus on three high-impact occupational tracks: energy auditing and analysis, project management, and technician roles, such as HVAC and installation technicians. These tracks were selected based on direct input from employers who identified them as both high-demand and foundational to decarbonization efforts.
Recognizing that job titles and responsibilities can vary dramatically between large implementation firms and smaller contractors, the Coalition’s working groups will develop customized guides that reflect the nuances of the NYC energy efficiency ecosystem. This includes mapping samples of non-linear career progression, such as technicians moving into program management, and clarifying transferable skills between roles.
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DuPont, along with Chemours and Corteva, has agreed to a $2 billion settlement with the state of New Jersey to address PFAS contamination at four industrial sites.
This settlement, announced on Monday, includes an $875 million payment to the state and a commitment to a $1.2 billion remediation fund for cleanup efforts. The settlement is the largest environmental settlement ever achieved by a single US state, according to the Sierra Club.
The settlement resolves claims related to PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” and other pollutants at the following four sites:
Repauno site, in Greenwich Township, Gloucester County.
Chambers Works, in Pennsville and Carney’s Point, Salem County.
The remediation fund will ensure the companies are responsible for cleaning up the contamination, and a separate $475 million reserve fund is established to protect against potential bankruptcy of the companies. The settlement comes after months of trial and is a result of the state’s efforts to hold companies accountable for environmental damage.
This settlement builds on previous successes, bringing New Jersey’s total recovery from PFAS lawsuits to approximately $3 billion since 2019. It comes amid a national focus on PFAS contamination and ongoing efforts to hold chemical companies accountable for the health and environmental risks associated with these chemicals. New Jersey has been particularly proactive in addressing PFAS contamination, being the first state to set drinking water standards for certain PFAS compounds.
This settlement is seen as a major victory for environmental protection and accountability, setting a strong precedent for future litigation and remediation efforts related to PFAS contamination across the country.
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Graphic Packaging International developed its Cold&Go paper cups for food service customers, such as Chick-fil-A, to use as an alternative to plastic cold cups.
Paper cups are for the first time part of the Recycled Materials Association’s materials specifications list, the newest fiber spec since pizza boxes were added in 2020. Graphic Packaging International praised the cups update, calling it “a major milestone in a broader movement to increase awareness and drive greater collection of paper cups in recycling systems,” according to a Monday news release.
ReMa’s ISRI specifications set standards for the quality of recycled materials and serve as a guide for scrap material buyers’ and sellers’ transactions. However, they do not mandate that recyclers must accept certain materials.
“The association’s guidelines are highly influential with waste collectors and with thousands of material recovery facilities in deciding what does and doesn’t get collected in municipal recycling and collection systems,” explained Graphic Packaging International CEO Mike Doss on Tuesday’s earnings call. “This update has particular significance to us,” considering GPI is a major user of recovered fiber and says it’s the largest producer of paper cups in North America.
The company has helped customers develop various paper cup solutions as a plastic alternative, including at food service giants Chick-fil-A and McDonald’s. In the CPG space, GPI helped Nissin Cup Noodles switch from its long-standing foam cup to a fiber version.
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