Three years ago, HDPE reclaimer Envision Plastics was acquired by a major packaging producer. Now, that packaging company also has a new owner. Loews Corp. has completed its acquisition of Consolidated Container Co. (CCC), a manufacturer of rigid plastic packaging in North America. Loews, a diversified company involved in a variety of industries, acquired CCC from Bain Capital Private Equity....

A Canadian metropolitan region home to 2.5 million people is considering imposing a disposal ban on expanded polystyrene. The regional authority Metro Vancouver has scheduled a June workshop to gather input on a potential EPS disposal ban in the Vancouver, British Columbia area. The goal would be to encourage EPS recycling. "Banning recyclable materials from disposal is one of Metro...

A bio-derived plastic that could replace PET in food and drink packaging has received interim recycling approval from an industry organization in Europe. The European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP), a voluntary group of experts who evaluate the impacts of new technologies on PET recycling processes, gave interim approval for polyethylenefuranoate (PEF) to be recycled through existing PET bottle recovery systems....

Apple's release of the iPhone 7 and the more advanced iPhone 7 Plus last September pushed consumers to let go of earlier models. Analysis from one industry firm shows how pricing for used phones has played out since then. Texas-based HYLA Mobile, which manages mobile device reverse logistics programs in the U.S. and elsewhere, recently released data on phone trade-ins...

TVs dominate the end-of-life stream in Washington state now more than ever. They just don't look like they used to, with fewer CRT devices and more flat-panel displays coming in the door. Recently released data for the Washington State extended producer responsibility program for electronics provides a glimpse at the changing e-scrap stream. Along with less overall weight collected, the...

Converting used plastics into ultra-low-sulphur diesel fuel yields notable environmental benefits over traditional oil drilling and refining processes, according to a U.S. lab. Argonne National Laboratory recently conducted a study of the energy, water consumption and greenhouse gas benefits of pyrolysis technologies, used to convert post-consumer plastics into fuels. Comparing ultra-low-sulphur diesel derived from post-use plastics with the same fuel...

A bio-derived plastic that could replace PET in food and drink packaging has received interim approval from an industry organization in Europe. The European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP), a voluntary group of experts who evaluate the impacts of new technologies on PET recycling processes, gave interim approval for polyethylenefuranoate (PEF) to be recycled through existing PET bottle recovery systems. PEF...

Maine’s lawmakers and governor are fighting a big battle over small containers. The legislature wants to place a deposit on liquor bottles called “nips,” but Gov. Paul LePage is vowing to fight it. As currently drafted, Legislative Document 56 would place a five-cent deposit on containers holding 50 milliliters or less. Both chambers have already voted to approve the legislation...

For years, Florida has prohibited local bans on plastic bags and EPS food-service products – or has it? A state judge recently ruled that the prohibition no longer applies and, in response, one city has passed a plastic bag ban. Coral Gables, a Miami-area city of 50,000 people, on May 9 approved a ban on thin plastic bags provided by...

For years, Florida has prohibited local bans on plastic bags and EPS food-service products – or has it? A state judge recently ruled that the prohibition no longer applies and, in response, one city has passed a plastic bag ban. Coral Gables, a Miami-area city of 50,000 people, on May 9 approved a ban on thin plastic bags provided by...