A fire sparked June 5 at Friedman Waste Control Systems has prompted the “largest response” in the history of the Phoenix Fire Department, according to officials.

As reported by The Washington Post, the fire began around 12:30 p.m. at the Phoenix-based recycling yard and quickly grew in strength, at one point drawing more than 200 firefighters from 10 agencies across the region.

The massive blaze caused significant fire and smoke damage to multiple recycling and commercial facilities, including Friedman Waste Control Systems, a tire business and a lumber yard. Five structures in total were destroyed.

Capt. Todd Keller, a spokesman for the Phoenix Fire Department, told The Arizona Republic that roughly 20 firefighters and four engines were still putting out hot spots on June 7 at the scene before turning efforts over to Friedman officials.

Keller said Friedman officials planned to use excavators and front loaders to break open bales of compacted cardboard and water trucks and hoses to extinguish the remaining hot spots. "As they break those open, where all the hidden smoke and fire is, where it's smoldering, they can kind of take care of this themselves," he said.

Investigators will be conducting preliminary reports, according to officials, but the cause of the fire won’t be determined until the fire is completely out. Keller told The Washington Post it was primarily carboard and paper that burned in the fire.

Friedman president Morris Friedman said in an emailed statement to The Arizona Republic that no employees were injured in the fire. One firefighter suffered from a lower leg injury, however, and was transported to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

"Even though our plant is damaged, our service infrastructure remains intact, and we are open and servicing every single customer today," Friedman said in the statement, adding that the cause was under investigation by Phoenix fire officials.

Waste Today reached out to the company for comment but did not receive a response.

Rubicon, a Lexington, Kentucky-based software platform provider that offers smart waste and recycling solutions to businesses and governments worldwide, announced that the company is opening a new office space in Lexington which will now serve as the firm’s global headquarters. 

The location expands the company’s existing footprint in the state and honors its Kentucky roots, the company says. It joins the company’s other executive leadership office in New York City, which has remained in operation throughout the past year as the majority of Rubicon’s workforce transitioned to remote operations, a significant portion of which continues to be based in the Atlanta metro region. 

“Rubicon is a homegrown Kentucky company, and I am proud that the Commonwealth will serve as its global headquarters going forward,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says. “This is an innovative company that is changing the way we think about recycling and waste management and partnering with numerous other Kentucky companies and organizations to create a better future. Thank you to Rubicon for this commitment to Team Kentucky, and congratulations to Lexington and the surrounding region on this great new opportunity.” 

According to the company, expanding the company’s presence in Kentucky is a natural progression given the state’s central geographic location and it being the company’s birthplace. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the announcement by Rubicon, recently named one of the world’s “most innovative companies”  by Fast Company magazine, is significant for Lexington. 

“Promising opportunity is coming to Kentucky with the announcement of this investment and the opening of a new global headquarters,” McConnell says. “As the home to a top-tier workforce, Lexington will continue to be the perfect fit for this growing enterprise. I’d like to congratulate everyone involved in this project, and I look forward to its future success.” 

“Rubicon, through our mission to end waste, is dedicated to improving the health and vitality of communities everywhere, and our presence in the heartland of our country is critical,” Nate Morris, founder and CEO of Rubicon, says. “As we emerge from the pandemic, community revitalization projects—and the central role of small businesses in those projects—are key steps on the path to full recovery. Lexington is, and always has been, our home, and we believe that cities outside of the largest metros in the country are those that need and deserve our support and continued investment. Building on our existing presence in Lexington is a signal to our customers, our employees, and our hauler partners that we are committed to our principles not just by what we do, but by where we choose to operate.” 

The state of Connecticut recently voted to modify its 43-year-old bottle recycling bill, passing the legislation at 33-1 majority in the Senate and adding much-needed changes to the state’s recycling structure, legislators in the state say.

Established in 1982, Connecticut’s bottle deposit bill was part of an anti-litter campaign that, like many outdated recycling laws, needs to be adapted. Changes will include increased revenue from recycling additional materials, such as tea, water, sports drink and other beverage containers, causing the charge per recyclable item to shoot from 5 cents to 10 cents. Specific price raises would depend on the recyclable materials being processed. This new bill also will, according to Sens. Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) and Joe Gresko (D-Bridgeport), push for more operating redemption centers and provides more creative opportunities for recycling and beverage companies.

In an article released by the Connecticut News Project Inc., Cohen, one of the co-chairs for the Environmental Committee, says that: “It is long overdue. They’ve been getting the same handling fee since 1982, so we only have eight fully operational redemption centers operating as intended. And that’s because they’re just simply not moneymakers anymore, making it very inconvenient for consumers to redeem those nickels.”

The new model will emulate stewardship programs that have been successful in Oregon, Europe and Canada, where the goal of increasing recycling and sustainable packaging while decreasing overall cost is primary. Individuals such as Steve Changaris of the National Waste and Recycling Association, argued that the bill could eventually lead to cost discrepancies between recyclables and disposal costs for municipalities, which could cause MRF’s to lose single stream revenue. However, many support the modifications, including Sen. Joe Gresko.

“Don’t tell us that you can’t, because they do it in British Columbia. They do it in Europe. They do it everywhere else. They just never wanted to do it here because it’s going to cost them money,” Gresko says.

If Connecticut Gov. Ned Lemont signs this bill into law, the implementation of these new regulations will not take place immediately, but will occur on Jan.1, 2023 if it goes through.