Truth

California milk cartons may lose their coveted recycling symbol, the one with the chasing arrows, potentially threatening the existence of the ubiquitous beverage containers.

In a letter Dec. 15, Waste Management, one of the nation’s largest waste companies, told the state the company would no longer sort cartons out of the waste stream for recycling at its Sacramento facility. Instead, it will send the milk- and food-encrusted packaging to the landfill.

Marcus Nettz, Waste Management’s director of recycling for Northern California and Nevada, cited concerns from buyers and overseas regulators that cartons — even in small amounts — could contaminate valuable material, such as paper, leading them to reject the imports.

The company decision means the number of Californians with access to beverage carton recycling falls below the threshold in the state’s “Truth in Recycling” law, or Senate Bill 343.

And according to the law, that means the label has to come off.

The recycling label is critical for product and packaging companies to keep selling cartons in California as the state’s single-use packaging law goes fully into effect. That law, Senate Bill 54, calls for all single-use packaging to be recyclable or compostable by 2032. If it isn’t, it can’t be sold or distributed in the state.

The labels also provide a feel-good marketing symbol suggesting to consumers the cartons won’t end up in a landfill when they’re discarded, or find their way into the ocean where plastic debris is a large and growing problem.

On Tuesday, the state agency in charge of waste, CalRecycle, acknowledged Waste Management’s change.

In updated guidelines for the Truth in Recycling law, recycling rates for carton material have fallen below the state threshold.

It’s a setback for carton manufacturers and their customers, including soup- and juice-makers. Their trade group, the National Carton Council, has been lobbying the state, providing evidence that Waste Management’s Sacramento Recycling and Transfer Station successfully combines cartons with mixed paper and ships it to Malaysia and other Asian countries including Vietnam, proving that there is a market. The Carton Council persuaded CalRecycle to reverse a decision it made earlier this year that beverage cartons did not meet the recycling requirements of the Truth in Recycling law.

Brendon Holland, a spokesman for the trade group, said in an email that his organization is aware of Waste Management’s decision, but its understanding is that the company will now sort the cartons into their own dedicated waste stream “once a local end market is available.”

He added that even with “this temporary local adjustment,” food and beverage cartons are collected and sorted in most of California, and said this is just a “temporary end market adjustment — not a long-term shift away from historical momentum.”

In 2022, Malaysia and Vietnam banned imports of mixed paper bales — which include colored paper, newspapers, magazines and other paper products — from the U.S. because they were so often contaminated with non-paper products and plastic, such as beverage cartons. Waste Management told The Times on Dec. 5 that it has a “Certificate of Approval” by Malaysia’s customs agency to export “sorted paper material.” CalRecycle said it has no regulatory authority on “what materials may or may not be exported.”

Adding the Sacramento facility to the list of waste companies that were recycling cartons meant that the threshold required by the state had been met: More than 60% of the state’s counties had access to carton recycling.

At the time, CalRecycle’s decision to give the recycling stamp to beverage cartons was controversial. Many in the environmental, anti-plastic and no-waste sectors saw it as a sign that CalRecycle was doing the bidding of the plastic and packaging industry, as opposed to trying to rid the state of non-recyclable, polluting waste — which is not only required by law, but is something state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta is investigating.

Others said it was a sign that the Truth in Recycling law was working: Markets were being discovered and in some cases, created, to provide recycling.

“Recyclability isn’t static, it depends on a complicated system of sorting, transportation, processing, and, ultimately, manufacturers buying the recycled material to make a new product,” said Nick Lapis, director of advocacy for Californians Against Waste.

He said this new information, which will likely remove the recycling label from the cartons, also underscores the effectiveness of the law.

“By prohibiting recyclability claims on products that don’t get recycled, SB 343 doesn’t just protect consumers. It forces manufacturers to either use recyclable materials or come to the table to work with recyclers, local governments and policymakers to develop widespread sustainable and resilient markets,” he said.

Beverage and food cartons — despite their papery appearance — are composed of layers of paper, plastic and sometimes aluminum. The sandwiched blend extends product shelf life, making it attractive to food and beverage companies.

But the companies and municipalities that receive cartons as waste say the packaging is problematic. They say recycling markets for the material are few and far between.

California, with its roughly 40 million residents, has some of the strictest waste laws in the nation. In 1989, the state passed legislation requiring cities, towns and municipalities to divert at least 50% of their residential waste away from landfills. The idea was to incentivize recycling and reuse. However an increasing number of products have since entered the commercial market and waste stream — such as single use plastics, polystyrene and beverage cartons — that have limited (if any) recycling potential, can’t be reused, and are growing in number every year.

Fines for municipalities that fail to achieve the required diversion rates can run $10,000 a day.

As a result, garbage haulers often look for creative ways to deal with the waste, including shipping trash products overseas or across the border. For years, China was the primary destination for California’s plastic, contaminated paper and other waste. But in 2018, China closed its doors to foreign garbage, so U.S. exporters began dumping their waste in smaller southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia and Vietnam.

They too have now tried to close the doors to foreign trash as reports of polluted waterways, chokingly toxic air, and illness grows — and as they struggle with inadequate infrastructure to deal with their own domestic waste.

Jan Dell, the founder and CEO of Last Beach Cleanup, released a report with the Basel Action Network, an anti-plastic organization, earlier this month showing that the Sacramento facility and other California waste companies were sending bales of carton-contaminated paper to Malaysia, Vietnam and other Asian nations.

According to export data, public records searches and photographic evidence collected by Dell and her co-authors at the Basel Action Network, more than 117,000 tons or 4,126 shipping containers worth of mixed paper bales were sent by California waste companies to Malaysia between January and July of this year.

Dell said these exports violate international law. A spokesman for Waste Management said the material they were sending was not illegal — and that they had received approval from Malaysia.

However, the Dec. 15 letter suggests they were receiving more pushback from their export markets than they’d previously disclosed.

“While certain end users maintain … that paper mills are able to process and recycle cartons,” some of them “have also shared concerns … that the inclusion of cartons … may result in rejection,” wrote Nettz.

Dell said she was “pleased” that Waste Management “stopped the illegal sortation of cartons into mixed paper bales. Now we ask them and other waste companies to stop illegally exporting mixed paper waste to countries that have banned it.”

WHEN boxer Jake Paul decided to propose to speed skater Jutta Leerdam on a tropical beach in St Lucia, he secretly flew her parents in as an extra, loving surprise.

In a touching social media video watched by millions of fans, the US influencer can be seen embracing his future in-laws, with his new fiancée jumping for joy in the stunning Caribbean background. But as the couple excitedly plan their wedding, we can reveal the ice queen’s parents Monique and Ruud Leerdam have deep concerns about their future son-in-law’s controversial past – and why their fears could leave the romance in tatters.

Our insider admits Monique and Ruud have had to adjust to their daughter’s newfound fame, which went stratospheric after she began dating her celebrity fiancé, one of the most recognisable social media personalities in the world.

And it’s the ‘celebrity circus’ surrounding the couple that they fear could distract their daughter from remaining at the very top of her sport.

The insider explained: “They were really surprised when she started dating Jake – she went from being well-known to a huge star overnight.

“Things really changed, she became a celebrity as well as an athlete, which is something they are not used to. 

It’s been a bit of an adjustment for them getting used to it all.

An Insider

“The last thing they want is for her to be distracted by him and for it to affect her career.”

“Jutta is incredibly close to her parents,” added the insider of the close-knit relations. 

“They are both sport stars as well and are a very ambitious, clean-cut family.”

UNLIKELY MATCH

At first glance Jake, 28, and Jutta, 26, are from completely different worlds. 

Born in Ohio, Jake is one of the most infamous YouTubers of his generation, the notorious prankster who became a Disney child star after he gained millions of followers on the now defunct Vine app, thanks to his pranks and sketches with his equally famous big brother Logan Paul. 

Today, the multi-millionaire is focused on his boxing career, achieving notable wins against legend Mike Tyson and former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr.

British two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is lined up as Jake’s next opponent, in a lucrative bout which will take place in Miami tonight.

Born in the seaside city of ‘s-Gravenzande which sits in the south of The Netherlands, Jutta’s passion for sport became evident at a much younger age than her fiancé.

The sporting superstar began speed skating on the frozen tracks around her hometown when she was 11 and went on to specialise in long-track sprint events. 

Jutta won a speed skating silver medal in the 1,000m at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, a distance in which she holds the Dutch record, and she is a seven times World Champion in her sport. 

And with her celebrity on the rise thanks to her engagement to Jake, the talented star this week announced a deal with Nike, SKIMS, the collaboration between the sporting giant and Kim Kardashian.

“Being one of the best speed skaters in the world requires an intense training regimen,” the brand wrote to accompany a polished TikTok video announcing the deal, which sees Jutta follow in the prestigious footsteps of tennis legend Serena Williams.

LOVE AT FIRST DM

Jutta’s career was already riding high when Jake slid into her DMs back in 2023, asking her to appear on his podcast.

The rest was history and no-one was more surprised than the speed skater.

“I never, ever expected to date him, like never,” she said of the unlikely love story in the Netflix documentary series Countdown: Paul vs Tyson. 

“Of course, I didn’t know a lot about him.

“I could only scroll on his Instagram and form an opinion like the whole world does.”

Jake was equally smitten, calling Jutta a ‘superwoman’ and the ‘most amazing woman there is’. 

And by March this year, he was ready to propose to his ‘gamechanger’ with a diamond ring worth a cool $1 million.

The besotted couple are expected to tie the knot next summer, following the 2026 Winter Olympics and Jake is said to be close to Jutta’s parents, with her dad Ruud calling him ‘my son’ and happily declaring ‘we’re related now’ at the proposal. 

“I come from a very loving family, with lovely parents, a brother, a sister and a younger sister,” Jutta once told the Masters Expo website, going on to explain the origin of her name.  

“I owe my name to my father. He used to be very good at windsurfing. 

“In his day, the German Jutta Müller was the It girl of windsurfing; blonde, pretty, a winner… 

“Everyone was crazy about her. That’s why my father liked that name so much.”

Jutta’s celebrity has been in ascendance since she met the love of her life, something which has caused her parents concern.

“Jutta has so much potential and while they can see Jake adores her, they are just worried about her getting caught up in the circus of it all,” says our insider.

A TROUBLED PAST

To fully explain the reason for the family’s concern, a look back at Jake’s past is needed, for unlike the Leerdams, the influencer cannot be described as ‘clean-cut’.  

Influencer Jake has previously told how his own parents Greg Paul and Pam Stepnick, who are divorced, were ‘very strict’ with their children growing up, alleging his father physically abused him.  

Jake was 16 when he began posting on Vine back in 2013, with his success bagging him a role in the Disney Channel’s series Bizaardvark, which saw him play a character called Dirk who took dare requests.

The teenager, who moved to West Hollywood when he became famous, was fired when a local news station interviewed his less-than-impressed neighbours about his YouTube stunts that included starting a massive fire in his backyard and building a waterslide to shoot people into his pool. 

Sued for $2.5 million by the company who owned his house and fired from his TV gig, Jake turned to other business ventures where he quickly got himself into hot water once more.  

He launched a series of paid for videos called Edfluence, which promised to give fans the secret to becoming influencers, but this was quickly branded a scam for money by fellow creators. 

Brash and outspoken, Jake has previously gotten into trouble for making content branded too sexual and violent for his young followers and in 2015, he was caught using racial slurs in a freestyle rap at music festival Coachella. 

Previous relationships have also proved controversial for the influencer, including two allegedly faked for publicity marriages, the first to his ex Erika Costell and the second to YouTuber Tana Mongeau.

Another fake girlfriend, Alissa Violet, accused Jake of emotional and mental abuse and in April 2021 influencer Justine Paradise and model Railey Lollie both came forward with allegations of sexual assault against Jake, which he vehemently denied in full.

The seemingly unrepentant star threw a huge party in Calabasas, California, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, later branded the deadly virus a ‘hoax’ in an interview with The Daily Beast and urged his followers to back President Donald Trump when he stood for re-election. 

“It is a concern,” says our source, referring to Jutta’s parents’ take on Jake’s shocking past behaviour. 

“They didn’t know much about Jake but are now very much aware of his past.

“He doesn’t always have the best press and no parent wants their child associated with that.”

Jake could very easily end up being cancelled and they don’t want her going down that path

An Insider

The influencer insists his ice queen has ‘brought the best out of me as a human’ but even if Jake’s bad boy image is firmly behind him, high-profile couples are notorious for struggling to stay the distance.

Jake is based in a stunning $13 million mansion in Puerto Rico, with a private jet and several pricey motors at his disposal, while Jutta’s sports frequently takes her around the globe. 

Despite their hectic schedules, the influencer has spoken of his desire to start a family with his future wife on his BS Podcast and she calls her fiancé the ‘man with the best heart’ and ‘the most romantic guy in the world’. 

Here’s hoping the unlikely pair have found their happy ever after – and they finally get a unanimous decision.

FOR years Molly-Mae Hague was the influencer who up-and-coming social media stars aspired to be like – she had the huge brand deals, the hunky fiancé and millions in the bank.

But fast forward to today and the 26-year-old’s aesthetically pleasing life is no longer top of the wish list. In her place are a host of ‘real’ women with some serious career goals and leading the way is social media star Meagan Wells. Here, insiders tell us how being the so-called ‘anti-Molly’ has helped the rising mogul, the truth behind rumours she’s ‘sold out’ and what really happened with her former bestie, Asher Mary Lou.

More than half a million fans have been closely watching Meagan’s every move since she burst onto the scene in 2021 – sharing her Slimming World journey.

She describes herself as “Your Midsize Geordie bestie,” who puts confidence for curvy women at the forefront of her brand.

It saw many young girls flock to her as a source of inspiration as she shared her fashion hacks and body battles with her fans in her typical down-to-earth manner.

If she wants a boob job then she’s more than entitled too.

Insider on her changing look

In a surprisingly bold move just last month, Meagan made her intentions clear as she declared: “In a world full of Molly-Mae’s be proud to be a Bridget Jones.” 

The post raised eyebrows with her fans, and one of Meagan’s followers told The Sun: “She has always advocated for positivity but her Bridget Jones and Molly-Mae comment felt seriously misguided.

“There was such a clearer way she could have compared herself to a Bridget Jones-type without having to discourage anyone from following in Molly-Mae’s path.

“Many of us have been speculating in our group chats if she was simply using Molly’s name as she knows it will get her attention and likes.”

Meagan was quick to explain herself, telling her followers: “This isn’t shade to Molly-Mae. It’s the Molly-Mae effect on social media which is the side of social media that is all about perfectionism, clean girl, minimal aesthetics and if you feel you don’t sit in that (me), you are seen also.”

But behind the scenes things were really changing for Meagan and as her fame rose, she started to shed her girl-next-door image.

One fan questioned how honest her posts are, writing: “You’ve posted before about all the face/hair editing software you use on your face.”

While her weight has always been a hot topic on her socials, suddenly Meagan seemed slimmer than ever and then in September she shocked people when she decided to get a boob job. 

There were also trips to aesthetic clinics and getting her lips done and suddenly she looked a far cry from the girl who started off desperate to lose weight. She was a size 18 at her biggest and a 10 at her smallest.

Whilst no one could fault Meagan wanting to get fit and healthier as she embarked upon her own personal journey – the loyal fans who were with her at the start have now admitted to feeling “cheated”, accusing her of turning into everything she proclaimed she would never be.

Over the summer she posted a video in her bikini showing people how to pose on the beach but her followers were quick to point out that of course she looked good – with a full face of glam.

“I’m fairly certain any pose will work for you. Simply because you are a goddess,” remarked one.

And someone else added: “It helps that she is absolutely gorgeous anyway.”

But insiders tell us Meagan would be horrified by the suggestion that  it’s all a bit of an act, explaining: “There has never been any secret about her wanting to look her best – and if she wants a boob job then she’s more than entitled too.

“People need to remember she is growing up in the public eye and of course her style will evolve.

“She knows people were surprised by her new boobs, but she’s engaged now and just wants to look and feel her best. She’s got big plans for the future.”

Another source speculated: “Influencers will often do what it takes to stay relevant, and when they are offered  things it’s hard to turn it down. She might be allowed to change and grow, but it’s understandable why people might feel let down.”

Having seen her fame soar over the past few years, Meagan decided to launch a podcast with close pal and growing influencer Asher Mary Lou – Talking Thirty.

It started in November 2023, to much fanfare, and over the course of the year they bashed out three series by September 2024.

“They don’t even follow each other now – it was a real cut off.”

Insider on her fall out from Asher

During their last episode of the series, they joked it would be their last one ever, which turned out to be foreshadowing because it then disappeared without a trace – and even their Instagram has now been removed. 

They claimed to be too busy to record it any more, but the urgency with which they removed it from their bios suggested something much deeper going on.

Insiders tell us: “The girls grew close very quickly and decided to do the podcast pretty soon after meeting.

“But they realised they don’t actually have the same values and there was one row in particular, which they now both refuse to talk about, which made them end the friendship.

“They don’t even follow each other now – it was a real cut off.”

Meagan’s foray into podcasting might not have lasted long, but she has now set her sights on transitioning into the traditional celebrity world of TV, like many of her fellow Instagram influencers and TikTok stars.

Just this month, she shared a reel about her dreams of landing a spot on This Morning as part of a “Manifesting Morning TV” post.

Meagan told her followers how she’d undertaken a TV presenter course in the hopes of honing her skills.

Our insider added: “She’s very clear about what her goals are – like with everything she’s been very honest about what she wants career-wise.

“She’s not necessarily taking the traditional influencer route like Molly did and she’s determined not to lose herself along the way.”

Despite the worries and concerns, Meagan has long provided a safe space for her fans who have struggled with body image issues.

She has never shied away from showing off her body hang-ups which is far more than can be said for many Instagram influencers.

And while there may be questions about if she’s sold out and become skinny, she’s forging her own path – reaping the rewards of her fame and followers.

The Sun has contacted Meagan Wells’ representative for comment.

We’ve all wondered what goes on behind the galley curtain 35,000ft in the air. From the reality of mid-air romances to the one divisive passenger habit that crew members actually love, a flight attendant has spilled all the secrets

For many, the life of a flight attendant is the ultimate daydream: jet-setting to exotic locations, waking up in a new country, and calling the world your office.

But behind the glamorous Instagram posts and the crisp uniforms lies a reality of strict safety protocols, secret signals, and the constant management of hundreds of personalities in a metal tube. Grace Hampson, an international flight attendant, has opened up about what really happens on board.

From debunking myths and to confirming a few surprises along the way, Grace – whose father was a pilot – reveals the truth behind what some may think is the dream job.

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The mile high club myth

It is the oldest cliché in aviation history: doing the deed in the airplane bathroom. But according to Grace, if you are hoping to join the “Mile High Club,” you are likely to be disappointed.

While she admits it isn’t a “total myth,” the reality is far less exciting than the films suggest. “It doesn’t happen often like people think,” Grace tells Sky News.

Between heightened post-9/11 security measures and flight attendants who are trained to vigilantly patrol the cabin, getting away with it is “near on impossible.”

So, while the fantasy persists, the likelihood of sneaking two people into a cupboard-sized toilet without an awkward interception by the crew is slim to none.

The ‘cringe’ habit

There is one passenger behaviour that divides the internet like no other: clapping when the plane lands. It is often mocked as “cringe” or unsophisticated by frequent flyers.

However, Grace confesses that while she has to maintain a professional, stony face, she is actually a fan. “I try to play it cool when passengers clap as the plane lands,” she says, “but deep down, I love it.”

For her, it’s not about the passengers being easily impressed; it’s a moment of recognition for the colleagues up front. “We fly with some talented pilots and they deserve the applause for getting us all there safely.”

The one thing you should never do

While the clapping is secretly appreciated, there is one habit that causes the crew a genuine headache: the mid-boarding seat swap.

We’ve all seen it – someone spots an empty row and tries to jump into it before the doors close. Grace warns that this isn’t just annoying; it’s a safety issue.

“We need all passengers to take their allocated seat for take-off,” she explains. The aircraft’s weight and balance are precisely calculated based on where passengers are sitting.

If everyone starts playing musical chairs, it can affect the plane’s stability. Her advice? Sit where you are told, wait until the seatbelt sign is off, then ask to move.

Being called ‘waitresses’

Perhaps the biggest frustration for crew is the lingering “waitress in the sky” stereotype. Grace stresses that while serving chicken or beef is part of the routine, it is secondary to their real purpose.

“We can deal with a large number of emergencies that have the possibility of emerging in the air, with fewer resources than you would have on the ground,” she notes. From medical incidents to turbulence – which she says she handles calmly to reassure passengers – the crew are safety professionals first, servers second.

Grace’s Insider Travel Hacks

After years of flying, Grace has picked up some elite travel habits:

• The Best Time to Fly: Tuesdays and Wednesdays are cheapest, and morning flights are best because they are less likely to be delayed.
• The Secret Language: Yes, the crew use signals. If you see a subtle hand gesture down the aisle, they are likely signalling for a “top-up of tea or another serving of chicken.”
• Packing: Roll, don’t fold. And stick to a colour palette so you can mix and match outfits without overpacking.

So next time you fly, keep your seatbelt on, don’t try to sneak into the bathroom with your partner, and feel free to clap when the wheels touch the tarmac.

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