research & news
Report: Texas criteria for polluted site cleanup ‘significantly weaker’ than neighboring states
Texas Tribune: A report by TCE Fund says the standards Texas uses to determine how much — and whether — to clean up contaminated sites are ‘significantly weaker’ than those of neighboring states and the federal government.
Franchise Agreements & Recycling in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex – 2018
TCE Fund’s Franchise Agreements and Recycling in DFW report examines municipal solid waste and recycling hauling contracts in the DFW region and provides insights for public officials who are looking to improve waste reduction and minimization.
Dallas-Fort Worth State of the Region Recycling Report – Winter 2018 Update
TCE Fund’s 2017 Winter 2018 Update to its DFW State of the Region Recycling Report examines the latest data on resource management, case studies, and public data to identify a path for zero waste in North Texas.
Op-Ed: Why Texas should ban plastic bags
Houston Chronicle Op-Ed: Plastic pollution is a serious problem. Let’s stop holding on so tightly to plastic bags — we’re better without them, and there’s no time like the present to act.
At long last, all Dallas apartments will have to offer recycling
Dallas Morning News: The City Council voted unanimously to approve the new recycling mandate, which is meant to help push Dallas toward its “zero-waste” goals and divert materials from landfills.
Most Austin city parks lack recycling though donations funded bins in biggest parks
Politifact: TCE’s handout says that “as many as 293 out of 300” Austin city “parks have no recycling, including almost every neighborhood park.” We rate the statement TRUE.
Will PARD ever get enough money to implement recycling in the parks?
Austin Monitor: Resolution passes to recommend that in 2019 City Council fund the initiative to expand the recycling program in city of Austin parks and recreational facilities.
Clean up of San Jacinto Waste Pits moving forward
Houston Chronicle: A plan for designing the cleanup of the San Jacinto Waste Pits has been agreed upon by the Environmental Protection Agency and the companies responsible for the contamination.
Silent Spills: For Crosby residents, a ‘bitter taste’ about Arkema, and little help from government
Houston Chronicle: When it became clear that the chemicals stored at Arkema’s Crosby plant were going to catch fire, emergency personnel evacuated residents within a 1.5 mile radius of the site. Despite this evacuation, chemicals were released into the air and the water during the accident.
Middle schoolers aim to make Houston plastic bag free
Houston Chronicle: Caoilin Krathaus and Lila Mankad, 12-year-old friends and classmates at Hogg Middle School, are sixth-graders on a campaign to save the world.