Compared with the previous model, the machine provides greater swing torque and longer wheelbase.

The new Cat M320 wheeled excavator optimizes the performance and efficiency of the job site. The swing torque is 9% higher than that of the Cat M320F, allowing the job to be completed faster. Its longer wheelbase improves operational stability and improves the machine’s driving performance at speeds of 21.7 mph. According to the manufacturer, this wheeled excavator is designed to meet the needs of operators for efficient operation in a range of applications, from dirt to asphalt.

The company added that when using a series of Cat accessories, improvements in the hydraulic system have increased the efficiency of the machine. The upgrade of the machine design reduces the time required for daily maintenance, while the extended filter life and longer service intervals maximize the machine uptime on the job site while reducing the cost of ownership.

The new M320 is powered by a 129.4 kW (174 horsepower) Cat C4.4 engine that meets EU Stage V and US EPA Tier 4 Final emission standards. Cat stated that standard features that improve efficiency, such as one-button low idle with automatic engine speed control, automatic engine idle shutdown, and on-demand electric cooling fans, can save diesel and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), thereby reducing operating costs . The machine can also use B20 biodiesel.

The new M320 is equipped with a dedicated swing pump to provide consistent power. The advanced hydraulic system is designed to automatically balance power and efficiency, providing operators with more machine control to meet precise work requirements. Cat said that its unique heavy lifting mode function can increase lifting capacity to effectively handle heavy loads, thereby increasing the flexibility of the machine.

Cat says that the new M320 design, with its new, longer-life filter, can save owners up to 5% of maintenance parts. Compared with the previous filter design, the service life of the new hydraulic oil filter is extended by 50%. The new hydraulic oil filter with anti-drain valve prevents oil contamination during the replacement process, thereby improving filtration performance and replacement interval 3,000 hours. Two fuel filtration levels protect the engine from dirt particles in diesel.

M320 has centralized lubrication points and provides available automatic lubrication system options for implements and rotary systems. All SOS ports are located on the ground. The operator tracks the machine maintenance interval and filter life on the touch screen monitor in the cab to improve the efficiency of the maintenance plan.  

The standard product link technology on the M320 aims to improve fleet management and excavator services by recording and reporting key operating data and machine fault codes to key personnel. The new remote troubleshooting allows dealers to run diagnostic tests of fault codes from the office while the machine is running, potentially saving travel to the job site.

The new M320 offers two larger next-generation cab designs-the deluxe version and the premium version. All controls are located in front of the operator and are within easy reach.

The operator intuitively browses the machine functions through the new 10-inch large touch screen display with a jog dial.

The advanced adhesive bracket on the M320 cab can reduce machine vibration feedback and reduce operator fatigue

Cat said that standard rear-view and right-side cameras, as well as large cab windows with small cab pillars, help improve operator visibility on the job site. The optional 360-degree visualization system combines input from multiple cameras around the machine to provide the operator with an unparalleled view of the surrounding environment. The new flat engine hood design of the excavator also improves visibility.

The builders of a new bridge on Taconic State Parkway in Putnam Valley, New York used rock recovered from the site.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on August 9 that a $28.9 million project has been completed to build a new bridge on Taconic State Park Avenue in Putnam Valley. The project also includes the construction of ramps to and from Park Avenue, the use of modern and sustainable engineering practices to eliminate level crossings and realign Park Avenue. 

The governor’s office stated in a press release that the project was completed on time and on budget, increasing access from the community to the east and west, increasing the visibility and mobility of school buses, and improving access to emergency services.

 "Improvements to the Taconic State Parkway will make it easier and safer for motorists in Putnam Valley to reach their destinations than ever before," Governor Cuomo said. "As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads in New York, the dedicated workers of this project continue to work and complete their work on time and on budget, maintaining the historical integrity of Taconic State Parkway and advancing our commitment to meeting transportation requirements. The needs of the local community."

The project uses recycling technology to reuse on-site rock materials. New bridges and ramps require large-scale rock blasting, resulting in a large number of smaller rocks and stones. Sandblasting materials are reduced and recycled for use as backfill, subbase and stone filling. The extra rock material was towed away and used in other construction sites throughout the state.

In order to highlight the status of Park Avenue, a modern two-span bridge structure was built, whose aesthetic features imitated the appearance of existing bridges on Taconic State Park Avenue, including the appearance of steel components, decorative fences and embedded decorative features Concrete structural elements.

As part of the project, an improved drainage system was also installed. In order to accommodate the new bridges and ramps, the wetland was relocated in the project area.

Manufacturers of packaging, paper products, and food servers will be required to share the responsibility for supporting the state's recycling program.

Oregon became the second state to require packaging, paper, and food server manufacturers to share the responsibility for supporting the state's recycling program. On August 12, Governor Kate Brown signed SB 582, the "Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act", which became law. 6. Senator Michael Dembrow and Representative Janeen Sollman are the main sponsors of the bill. 

Maine Governor Janet Mills signed a similar Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law, which went into effect on July 12.

According to Oregon’s new law, brand owners who sell packaging, paper products, and food server appliances to Oregon will join the management organization and pay fees to support the improvement and expansion of state-wide recycling programs and infrastructure. Legislators said that this new packaging EPR plan aims to reduce the impact of waste on the environment and human health, keep plastics away from rivers and oceans, and take measures to address the unfair impact of waste systems on vulnerable communities.

"Through this new law, Oregon taxpayers will have a more accessible, responsible and stable recycling system," said Scott Cassel, CEO and founder of the Product Management Institute (PSI), which advocates the adoption of EPR Legislation enacts responsible recycling. "It will also provide economic incentives for manufacturers to make their packaging more sustainable, and provide local communities with funds for reuse and waste prevention programs."

Under the new system, consumer brand payments will pay about a quarter of the cost of a modern recycling system. Unlike Maine law, which covers all recovery costs, producers under Oregon law will not bear the collection costs, and residential and commercial taxpayers will continue to pay for these costs. Local authorities will maintain operational control over collection services and public education programs, while producer funding will promote improvements such as upgrades to recycling facilities, wider collection services, and easier access to educational resources.

Producers will fund their obligations by paying fees to the management organization for the covered products. These costs will be based on factors such as recyclability, the use of post-consumer recycled content, and the life cycle impact of the materials they use. The largest manufacturers also need to conduct life cycle assessments for 1% of their products every two years. 

The new law will create a unified statewide collection list and expand recycling to multi-family homes and people living in rural and remote communities. A new multi-stakeholder group, called the Oregon Recycling System Advisory Committee, will advise the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and management organizations on the key elements of the new plan, including the producer implementation plan. 

Oregon’s law requires Oregon’s DEQ to regularly study recycling opportunities and establish new licensing and certification requirements for processors to provide living wages and benefits to their employees, thereby promoting fairness and environmental justice. Recycling processing facilities also need to meet new performance standards, such as material quality and reporting, and will share responsibilities with consumer brands to ensure that the collected materials reach end markets that are socially and environmentally responsible. The cost of meeting these new standards will also be offset by producer funding.  

“It is encouraging to see extensive provisions aimed at addressing recycling unfairness and environmental justice in Oregon’s new law,” said Sydney Harris, PSI’s policy and program manager and packaging leader. "We have these elements in the PSI policy model and hope to see them included in all packaging EPR legislation."

For the past 15 years, PSI has been promoting EPR for packaging and has developed a model bill that provides the basis for legislation introduced in eight states, including Oregon, in the past two years. Oregon’s bill originated from a multi-year stakeholder engagement process led by Oregon’s DEQ to gather opinions and determine the most suitable solution for the state.

In terms of a successful EPR program, Oregon is one of the leaders in the United States. Oregon worked with PSI, state and local governments, the coatings industry, and other major players to become the first state in the United States to pass coatings EPR legislation in 2009. -Long-term EPR plan for beverage containers.

NWRA stated that the upgrade will benefit waste workers who drive on roads across the country every day.

The National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA) of Arlington, Virginia, joined other associations in writing to senators urging support for the Infrastructure Investment and Employment Act (IIJA). 

According to the NWRA press release, the investments contained in the bipartisan bill will promote the required infrastructure repairs and improvements. This includes $110 billion for roads and bridges, and $66 billion for freight rail and other critical infrastructure needs.

Darrell Smith, President and CEO of NWRA, said: “NWRA is proud to support robust investments in our infrastructure.” The waste and recycling industry and the U.S. Postal Service are the only two entities that operate at least on every road in the United States every week. Go up once. This makes the waste and recycling industry one of the most important stakeholders in the ground transportation system. We urge the Senate to pass this bipartisan infrastructure legislation.​​​ "

According to data from the American Society of Civil Engineers, increasingly worn roads make 43% of public roads in poor or medium condition, with an overall score of D.

Wood Mackenzie said that throughout the decade, the demand for batteries and grid metals may remain high.

British consulting firm Wood Mackenzie said that a newly released analysis predicts that "metals that are vital to the energy transition will occupy a central position, and demand growth will continue until 2030."

The British company, which recently acquired metal industry analysis company Roskill, also predicts that "the potential rise in'consumption awareness'" may undermine the "long-term use of primary metals."

Simon Morris, author of the new report, said that unlike the early 21st century commodity boom triggered by China's urbanization and infrastructure spending, not all commodities will have a surge in demand or pricing this time.

On the contrary, Wood Mackenzie predicts that “US$50 trillion will be invested in [global] in the next thirty years for the most significant contribution to carbon emissions in the electrification of infrastructure and modern life”, which means that “hydrocarbons will become bystanders ". . "

Although fossil fuels may not be part of the expected boom, Morris wrote, “The winning commodity of the energy transition is a group of industrial metals that will electrify society.” He later identified aluminum, copper, nickel, lithium and cobalt as 2030 Metals whose annual consumption will achieve double-digit or even triple-digit high growth.

In a case proposed by Wood Mackenzie, by 2030, the annual demand for these metals will increase by the following percentages: aluminum, 29%; nickel, 65%; copper, 85%; lithium, 130%; and cobalt, 167 %.

Metal producers, miners, investors, and policymakers face “dazzling demands for additional metals that will drive the energy transition in the next 20 years-360 million metric tons (Mt) of aluminum, 90 metric tons of copper, and 30 metric tons "Nickel" is in the case of Wood Mackenzie.

The consulting firm warned that fanatical mining activities could lead the industry to become the next environmental villain to follow in the footsteps of single-use plastics. "If metal producers are too successful in drawing attention to how much of their primary (ie, non-recyclable) metal will be used in cars, telephones, telecommunications, and energy transition infrastructure, they may find themselves a new target of consumer anger ," Morris wrote.

He continued, “If they force manufacturers to reduce the use of primary metals in accordance with government policies, then the story of the super cycle may lack'happiness from now on.' Furthermore, consumers may stop certain things more completely. Types of consumption. For example, if the'Uberization' of private transportation [promote] shifts to shared cars instead of personal car ownership, reducing car consumption, metal demand will be affected."

The consulting company found that in the short to medium term, investment in the mining and recovery of these metals may continue. "The industry has a unique opportunity to preemptively to ensure that there is supply when it is needed most," Morris concluded.