This Wednesday is a red Wednesday, which normally means trash and recycling pickup, however, because of the Monday holiday, pickup will be Thursday morning. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup. They do not belong on the sidewalk after Thursday night.

In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In local AND national recycling news, Rock-Tenn Co. agreed to acquire Richmond-based rival MeadWestvaco Corp. in a deal valued at about $9.2 billion to create the world’s second-largest packaging company. MeadWestvaco outlined plans earlier this month to spin off its specialty-chemical unit, a transaction that will still proceed. Environmentalists will be watching how the new executive leadership team for the combined company will improve recycling efforts.

In international recycling news, industries are still digesting discussions from the 2015 BIR World Recycling Convention, which was held May 17-20 at the InterContinental Festival City in Dubai. Europe has gained ground on the U.S.’s supremacy as the leading supplier of recovered fiber to China, leading some to call for trade protections.