K.M.M CEO Urges Israeli Government to Incentivize Local Authorities to Boost Recycling

Rani Adler, CEO of K.M.M, spoke at Channel 14's Environmental Protection Conference, calling on the Israeli government to incentivize local authorities to increase paper recycling. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the paper waste stream to support a circular economy where waste is transformed back into usable products. Adler highlighted that landfill disposal is the most expensive waste management method, while recycling is the most cost-effective and efficient solution.

Adler detailed K.M.M's operations, which include recycling tires, paper, cardboard, and plastic, as well as providing information security services for defense bodies. The company collects waste from 100 local authorities and major commercial chains. However, he noted a challenge in household paper recycling, pointing out that the blue bin stream for paper lacks clear ownership and responsibility. He urged policymakers to issue calls for action and provide incentives to local authorities to enhance recycling efforts.

He explained that recycling conserves natural resources and enables the production of new items such as toilet paper from recycled paper and egg trays from newspaper. Adler also revealed advanced technologies used by K.M.M, including shredders that convert paper into powder and magnetic media for information security, as well as optical sensors that identify and separate newspaper paper. He stated that all paper packaging disposed of in blue bins is eventually recycled either domestically or abroad, with effective solutions available within Israel.

Adler addressed the gap between public awareness and actual recycling participation, noting that while about 80% of the population understands recycling's importance, only roughly one-third actively separate waste. He proposed incentives for the public similar to the "pay-as-you-throw" model used in Europe, where waste fees decrease with better separation. Looking ahead, Adler envisions establishing additional recycling plants, incentivizing local authorities, supporting contractors and existing facilities, and exploring entry into textile recycling over the next decade.