Editor’s note: Learn more about film recycling trends and many other topics at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference on March 24-26 in National Harbor, Maryland.
More than a year after a long-running public-facing film and flexible packaging drop-off directory went dark, a new consumer guide to film recycling has emerged from the Plastics Industry Association.
The association on Jan. 13 launched the Plastic Film Recycling Directory, a public searchable guide that helps users find nearby options to recycle film and flexible plastics. It’s the second recent effort to create a searchable database cataloguing drop-off recycling locations, joining a similar resource managed by recovered film end-user Trex.
The new website is a project of the industry association’s Flexible Film Recycling Alliance, and it comes nearly 14 months after the sunset of the Film Drop-off Directory, a resource that was hosted at BagAndFilmRecycling.org and was managed by consulting firm Stina Inc. That guide had been financially supported by the American Chemistry Council and the Plastics Industry Association, but both groups had stopped funding it before it was taken offline.
At the time, Stina CEO Nina Bellucci Butler told Plastics Recycling Update the guide was removed because it lacked the funding to ensure it was up to date and accurate.
That remains a challenge in maintaining such a directory, the Flexible Film Recycling Alliance explained in detailing its methodology.
“While we prioritize collecting data direct from film recycling collection partners, we haven’t been able to connect with all locations offering these services,” the organization wrote on the site. “As a result, some location data has been aggregated from a variety of sources. We understand this approach may result in some outdated or inaccurate information – such as changes in collection practices or site closures – however, we believe more options is ultimately more beneficial for consumers seeking recycling solutions.”
The group added that throughout 2025 it will work with third-party verification providers to audit both collection sites and the process of transporting material from that site to the downstream recycling operation.
“Starting later in 2025, verified locations will be marked with a checkmark to indicate that the location’s information and recycling practices have been reviewed,” the group wrote. “As we learn more, we anticipate the release of an annual performance report on flexible film recovery efforts.”
The methodology is particularly important because the guide comes at a time of increased scrutiny on drop-off film recycling. ABC News and Bloomberg both in 2023 published investigations that used tracking devices to verify whether plastic film left at drop-off collection sites actually was being recycled. Both investigations found mixed results, with some plastic appearing to end up in landfills and other material making it to a processing facility.
Additionally, in 2024 a report authored by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, USPIRG, scrutinized Amazon’s use of flexible plastic packaging, looking specifically at how the material is handled when it enters the drop-off collection system.
At the same time, other efforts are at work to improve drop-off collection education and access. Major recovered film end user Trex maintains a network of drop-off options that it calls NexTrex, which provides a large feedstock channel for the company. In September, Trex rolled out a searchable online database highlighting NexTrex collection locations, similar to the new directory.
A version of this story appeared in Plastics Recycling Update on Jan. 15.
