Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of Jackson, Michigan-based CMS Energy, is encouraging customers to turn old household items into cash through its appliance recycling program.

Consumers Energy expects to recycle more than 20,000 old refrigerators, freezers, room air conditioners and dehumidifiers this year. The energy provider started offering appliance recycling again after suspending its program in November.

"We are committed to helping our customers reduce their energy costs through a variety of energy efficiency programs. Recycling household appliances is an easy, no-cost way to do that with no hassle and many benefits," says Ted Ykimoff, Consumers Energy's director of energy efficiency programs.

Consumers Energy residential electric customers can receive $50 for each eligible refrigerator or freezer that they recycle and $15 for each room air conditioner or dehumidifier.

Working refrigerators, freezers, room air conditioners and dehumidifiers are eligible for the recycling program. Consumers Energy electric customers can go online to schedule a free pickup, typically within less than two weeks.

Consumers Energy takes steps to make sure old appliances are recycled responsibly. Environmentally harmful refrigerant and foam are recovered and reclaimed or destroyed, and metals, plastic and glass are recycled. Consumers Energy's recycling facility is a participant in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Responsible Appliance Disposal program.

Consumers Energy provides natural gas and electricity to 6.7 million of Michigan’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

Rubicon Global, a company headquartered in Atlanta that provides methods designed to improve recycling efforts, has launched a public-private partnership with the Columbus Consolidated Government in Columbus, Georgia. Rubicon says this partnership will help to improve the city’s residential waste and recycling services through the use of new technology and data analytics. 

The city of Columbus will begin using Rubicon’s proprietary cloud-based platform, including its mobile app and desktop vendor software. The technology will provide planning data to Columbus and enable it to assess its landfill diversion and recycling rates.
 
“Cities like Columbus are the backbone of our country—the places where a majority of Americans go to work, shop and increasingly live,” says Michael Allegretti, head of public policy for Rubicon. “This Smart Cities partnership will mean a more responsive and connected government that better serves the taxpayer. We are thrilled to partner with one of Georgia’s largest cities to demonstrate that technology and data can improve the quality of life in every corner of America.”
 
Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson says, “We are excited to partner with Georgia-based Rubicon Global and use their new technology to improve our waste and recycling services. It will allow us to more closely monitor and manage our operations, improve customer service and enhance quality of life.”
 
Smartphones loaded with the Rubicon hauler mobile app will be placed in the Columbus Consolidated Government Waste Collection Division’s entire fleet of waste and recycling vehicles. The city currently has about 75 vehicles that service more than 56,500 households. The Waste Collection Division also will use Rubicon’s desktop vendor portal that works with the mobile app to create operational efficiency, improve customer service and will ultimately lead to savings for taxpayers, according to Rubicon.
 
The technology also will provide the Columbus Consolidated Government with planning data, most notably by enabling real-time information on current landfill diversion and recycling rates. The data will help the city understand how to better focus its recycling education efforts, measure the carbon avoidance from recycling activities and determine vehicle emission reduction targets in Columbus’s waste fleet through route optimization and other features.
 
Rubicon says it has focused its efforts on expanding its work with municipalities. In the past few months, the company has launched technology partnerships with Atlanta and Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

Rehrig Pacific Co., a  Los Angeles-headquartered manufacturer of plastic pallets, plastic containers, roll-out recycling bins and commercial containers in the waste and recycling industry, has hired Brian Yorston as the new director of business development for its environmental team. Yorston will report directly to Scott Lukach, vice president environmental.

Prior to joining Rehrig, Yorston held several leadership roles during his 22-year history at Waste Management in Houston.

Yorston received his position with Rehrig with the help of Global Recruiters of McKinney, a worldwide executive search firm headquartered in McKinney, Texas, and its president, Tyler Frisbie.

Arconic has announced that Klaus Kleinfeld, by mutual agreement with the Arconic board of directors, has stepped down as chair and CEO of Arconic and has resigned as a board member.

Kleinfeld stepped down from these roles with the company by mutual agreement after the board learned that, without their consultation or authorization, he had sent a letter directly to a senior officer of Elliott Management that the board determined showed poor judgment.

According to Arconic, this decision was not made in response to the proxy fight or Elliott Management’s criticisms of the company’s strategy, leadership or performance and is not in any way related to the financials or records of the company. The board says it continues to believe that under Kleinfeld’s leadership, Arconic “successfully executed a transformative vision and improved business performance amid a complex market environment” and “reaffirms the strategy developed under Mr. Kleinfeld’s leadership and shared with our investors, customers and employees.”

David P. Hess, a current board member, has been appointed as Interim CEO of Arconic and will remain on the board. According to Arconic, he has decades of experience in leading aerospace and industrial businesses.

Patricia F. Russo, Arconic lead director, has been appointed as interim chair of the board. She has served on the board since 2008 and has been serving as lead director since 2015.

“The board is focused on hiring a world-class CEO to lead Arconic into its next chapter,” Russo says. “We are focused on ensuring a smooth leadership transition for our customers, employees and many stakeholders. The board is deeply grateful to Klaus Kleinfeld for his dedication and service as chair and CEO of Arconic, and previously of Alcoa Inc., and appreciates his assistance with this transition. Klaus led a complex and highly successful transformation of Alcoa Inc. that culminated in the launch of two strong, standalone companies—Alcoa Corp. and Arconic. Today, Arconic is a leading advanced manufacturer of highly engineered products with strong market positions.”

Kleinfeld says, “I have had the honor and the privilege of working with so many talented and dedicated colleagues at Alcoa Inc. and now at Arconic. Together we have accomplished a lot. Today, Arconic is well-positioned for the next phase. I am committed to supporting David and the board through this transition phase.”

Russo says, “We are fortunate to have a proven leader of David Hess’ caliber to step into the CEO role on an interim basis while the board conducts its search process for a permanent CEO. We are confident that David’s abilities and experience will ensure a smooth transition for the benefit of all of our stakeholders.”

Hess says, “I look forward to working closely with the board, senior leadership team and our dedicated and hard-working employees. Klaus and the Arconic team have built a great company and over the coming months my focus will be on continuing to serve our customers seamlessly and deliver for our shareholders.”

Elliott Management’s central objective—a CEO change—has been realized at Arconic, the company says. With the completion of Arconic’s separation transaction last November, the substantial refreshment of its board composition with 7 of its 12 directors having joined the board since the beginning of last year, and now the departure of Kleinfeld, Arconic recently has undergone a “tremendous amount of change,” Arconic says, adding, “It is Elliott Management's decision whether to continue to burden Arconic and its shareholders with its highly disruptive and distracting proxy fight or to support Arconic in facilitating an effective CEO search and a strong transition.”

Elliott Management, a hedge fund that is among Arconic’s shareholders, was seeking to place four people of its choosing onto the Arconic board and to replace the Kleinfeld as CEO. According to the Arconic board in a letter addressed to fellow company shareholders dated March 24, 2017, it members “listen eagerly and openly to the views of Arconic’s shareholders. And, indeed, we have listened carefully to Elliott: in fact, we have held nine meetings with Elliott’s representatives since 2015.”

The Arconic board says of its seven new directors, three originally were recommended by Elliott.

The board goes on to say, “As directors of the company, we have unique access to internal information and a front-row seat to the execution of the company’s business plan. We have visited operating facilities, spoken with many employees, heard from customers and suppliers and reviewed countless pages of internal documents and analyses.

“Our conclusion is clear: Arconic has the right strategy and the right team to drive short-term and long-term value for shareholders,” the board says in its letter, adding that it “made its determination about strategy and leadership after carefully considering the views of Elliott, other shareholders and outside advisors.”