Although additives in plastics often are viewed as problematic, researchers at Cornell and Princeton universities have developed a technique to recycle plastics containing the colorant carbon black using sunlight. 

Recycling for U.S. PET bottles in 2023 gained 4 percentage points on the year to reach 33%, the highest rate since 1996, according to a report from the National Association for PET Container Resources industry group. 

As the January inauguration approaches – and with it the prospect of hefty tariffs on Mexico and Canada –  market participants and industry analysts said any potential effects on recycled paper and containerboard markets would largely be indirect.  

New U.K. rules will require online retailers importing electronics into the country to contribute to costs associated with recycling e-scrap there, and introduce a new category specifically for vapes.

In the latest industry consolidation news, packaging producer Novolex will acquire Pactiv Evergreen for $6.7 billion, with the deal expected to close in mid-2025.

As the January inauguration approaches – and with it the prospect of hefty tariffs on Mexico and Canada –  industry reaction to potential impact is mixed. However, market participants largely agree that the implementation of such tariffs remains far from certain.  

Only 43% of aluminum cans shipped in the U.S. in 2023 were ultimately recycled, well below the 30-year average but slightly higher than in the previous three years, according to the most recent industry report.

Korea-based ITAD giant SK Tes processed more than 100,000 metric tons of IT assets last year, the company reported in its newly released 2023 sustainability report.

Although the potential effects – or even the likelihood – of threatened U.S. tariffs on Mexico and Canada are yet unknown, they've focused attention on the trade dynamics among the North American neighbors, including in post-consumer plastics.

Executives from Tennessee-based Eastman signaled uncertainty with the future of a federal grant supporting construction of their second chemical recycling plant, and apprehension about a potential trade war with China, during the company's Circular Economy Deep Dive investor meeting.