Waste Management Lawsuit Over $1bn California Waste & Recycling Contract

Waste Management (NYSE: WM) has issued a lawsuit over the City Council of Oakland, California’s decision to award a $1 billion waste and recycling contract to California Waste Solutions. A report by SFGate, a sister website to the San Francisco Chronicle, said that the company is asking a judge to reject the City Council’s decision According to the report, it had been recommended that the council stick with long-time waste and recycling contractor, Waste Management, even though it proposed higher rates, as it was thought that California Waste Solutions (CWS) may have difficulties fulfilling the contract within the timeframe. However, the report said that CWS has reached an agreement with Republic Services to provide backup services. Waste Management is reported to have argued in court papers that the City Council had "unilaterally and unlawfully derailed" its process of selecting a waste and recycling contractor by dismissing Waste Management's offer and giving CWS a second opportunity to bid. According to SFGate, Waste Management contends that the council's action resulted in CWS being able to submit a late bid. To exacerbate the situation Waste Management’ attorney John Lynn Smith is reported to have said that the late bid came after the city had provided CWS details Waste Management pricing. To counter the late CWS bid, Waste Management is said to have responded with significantly reduced rate increases. However, according to SFGate, Waste Management of Alameda County’s President, Barry Skolnick, said that it would be "premature to speculate" on whether that offer would still be on offer should the company prevail in court. Read More 363,000 TPA Biogas & Recycling Facility Planned at Santa Barbara Landfill A draft environmental impact report into a planned 363,000 ton per year dry anaerobic digestion and recycling facility at the Tajiguas Landfill site has been published by the County of Santa Barbara’s Public Works Department, Resource Recovery and Waste Management Division (RRWMD). Two-Stage DVO Farm Waste Anaerobic Digestion Biogas Plant Nears Completion in California Chilton, Wisconsin based two stage anaerobic digestion specialist, DVO, has nearly completed installation and construction of a 1.4 million gallon dairy farm waste anaerobic digester in California. VIDEO: Bacardi Redesigns Bottles to Increase Recycling Bacardi has made a number of its drinks bottles easier to recycle and reduced the amount of materials used at its Jacksonville, Florida, facility.