Sarah Metz is working to open The Fillery, a zero-waste grocery store, in Brooklyn, New York, where customers could bring their own reusable containers to the shop or purchase compostable ones to place their products in. The Fillery’s KickStarter page says that it is “a place where one fills empty containers with goods, such as grains, nuts, seeds, coffee, tea, spices, oils and the like.”

Ms. Metz is looking to open her store in 2016.

“We aim to improve the health of our community in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, and the environment by offering alternatives to the plastic entombed, chemical laden options which are ubiquitous in both pantries and landfills worldwide,” reads the KickStarter page.

Ms. Metz said that The Fillery will not just sell grocery items. It will also be a community supported agriculture (CSA) pick up spot and a learning center.

Similarly, Lyndsey Manderson, co-founder of the store Zero Market, is planning on installing a tracker to show her customers how much packaging they have kept out of landfills by shopping zero-waste.

Approximately 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in the world’s oceans every year, causing huge damage to the marine ecosystem.

According to this report, consumers purchased over one billion devices in 2015, and there are currently 3.8 billion devices in households. It predicts that processing this electrical and electronic waste will be become more challenging as devices and their components get smaller and smaller.

Key strategies to deal with this waste include refurbishment and reuse, but a more efficient and effective collection system is required. One possible solution, as per the report, is a nationwide ban on dumping e-waste in landfills.

The report was formed through surveys at 37 organisations, including trade groups, recyclers, refurbishing businesses, NGOs and consumer electronics companies. It found a 15% year-over-year rise in the number of wearable devices and mobile devices entering the market, with the average household estimated to have 24 devices.

The report forecasts that US households will generate close to 800 million used electronic units in 2020, much of which may remain in their houses for years on end.

The NCER report highlights the need to find ways for properly disposing these devices as they become obsolete and undergo rapid technological advances. It called for new collection systems that can transport the material across shorter distances, and that are better equipped for handling the materials.

Meanwhile, companies have started efforts to ensure that their devices are not dumped in landfills. States are also assessing new laws to keep up with the new technology. Nevertheless, the Basel Action Network has still found companies following irresponsible disposal practices. Given the economic opportunities involved in reusing and recycling equipment and the environmental hazards posed by improper disposal, there is significant opportunity and need for greater action in e-waste management.

As David Chiao, President of the BIR‘s non-ferrous metals division, points out in the recent BIR world mirror on non-ferrous metals: „The start of 2016 was very disappointing, but somehow expected“, which means expectations are already low. He also mentioned that, unlike many other countries, although the US economy performed well in 2015, it is already showing signs of renewed weakness. Andy Wahl of TAV Holdings calls it a roller-coaster ride, „ending fortunately on the way back up with rising oil and commodities prices“. He agrees that the start to 2016 has been weak and said „it looked like déjà vu, as markets tumbled for several days in a row. He expects a „long, rough ride in the months ahead“.

China is the country with the biggest influence on the market, as many companies have found out within the last month. Shen Dong of Omnisource Corporation explains that the Chinese government is working on reducing overproduction and overcapacity, including in the iron, steel and coal industries. It plans to set maximum production limits based on market demand. According to Dong, the government also plans on closing out-dated facilities that do not meet safety, energy consumption and environmental standards. The largest copper smelters have already agreed to cut sales by 200,000 tonnes in the first quarter of this year. Dong expects markets to be reluctant in view of current market conditions and weak demand. That view conforms with reports from Ma Hongchang a regional recycling expert. According to him, a spokesman for the general administration of customs called the trade last year „difficult and complicated“. He does not expect any changes in 2016.