Materials recovery facilities (MRFs) are remarkable facilities. The most advanced facilities with top-shelf optical sorters, screens, compactors and balers that can achieve residual rates of 10 percent or lower, cranking out the maximum amounts of highly processed recycled material.

But running such facilities is not cheap. That’s an even bigger issue in today’s climate, where depressed pricing on commodities is putting a tight squeeze on returns.

That leaves recyclers with tough questions. What materials should be part of the recycling stream? How is the composition of what’s in the waste stream changing? What are the best methods? Who should bear the costs? How can municipalities—which are demanding ever higher diversion rates—share in both the upsides and the risks of the processes?

These were the fundamental themes that came up again and again throughout the 2016 Waste360 Recycling Summit, which was held this past week in Austin. The conference brought together 300 industry professionals from around the nation to tackle the key issues, challenges and opportunities facing the industry. The summit also featured the official unveiling of EREF’s “Municipal Solid Waste Management in the U.S.: 2010 & 2013” report and the announcement of the winners of the National Waste & Recycling Association’s (NWRA) annual recycling awards.

Here are some key final takeaways from the summit: