In This Issue:

1 | California recycled over 16 billion beverage containers in 2011

California's beverage container recycling rate stayed essentially flat last year, but still reached gaudy heights according to a recently-released report by the state's Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).

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2 | RR Conference 2012: How to get more materials recovered

Three noteworthy organizations have sprung up in the last year, all aimed at boosting packaging recycling rates through industry-driven initiatives. This compelling panel features key members of each organization who will share these group's goals and strategies for getting more materials recycled.

Under the banner of Action to Accelerate Recycling, 90 corporate, trade group, environmental and governmental leaders met in February to devise a plan to push packaging recycling levels higher. With such an impressive array of powerful members from all across the supply chain, this voluntary, action oriented initiative has the potential to drastically impact the national recycling landscape. But how do they plan to achieve their ambitious goals? Learn more about this brand-new endeavor from Beth Schmitt, director of recycling programs for Alcoa.

AMERIPEN is a new packaging trade organization with a special focus on how public policies impact the packaging value chain. Representing the broad interests of the industry � including raw material producers, packaging manufacturers, packaging users and fillers, retailers and material recovery organizations � this new organization is poised to become an integral center for influencing environmental packaging issues related to legislation and regulation.

Recycling Reinvented is a brand-new nonprofit organization committed to advancing recycling rates of waste packaging and printed material in the United States through an extended producer responsibility (EPR) model. The product of a dialogue process initiated by Nestle Waters North America and convened by Future 500, you don't want to miss Recycling Reinvented's executive director, Paul Gardner, as he outlines how the new organization will strive for brand owners of packaging and printed materials to cover the cost of managing their products.

Don't miss this critical, forward-thinking session moderated by Scott Cassel, founder and CEO of the Product Stewardship Institute. For more information on the 2012 Resource Recycling Conference, to be held at the Hilton Austin in Austin, Texas, August 28-29, including information on the Hilton Austin, session topics and the agenda, or exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities, please visitw www.rrconference.com or click on the banner below.

3 | PetroChem Wire: HIPS repro falls in April

Recent price declines seen in the generic prime markets for high-impact polystyrene were also seen in the HIPS repro market. HIPS pellet pricing was in the upper 70 cents per pound for black and white material, while mixed color pellets were in the mid 70s cents per pound range in April. These reflected drops of between two and three cents per pound.

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4 | Coke's Europe affiliate releases sustainability report

Coca Cola Enterprises has released its seventh company-wide corporate responsibility and sustainability report that outlines what the company is doing to reduce its environmental impact, among other initiatives.

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5 | NewsBits

New facilities, patents and oxo-degradable plastics in this week's NewsBits

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6 | Upcoming conferences & webinars

Click here for a complete directory of upcoming conferences and webinars!

7 | Jobs Available & Sought

MRF Manager II, Waste Management (Denver, Colorado).
Details are available here.

Plant Maintenance Manager, Waste Management (Auburn, Washington).
Details are available here.

Manager, Operations Improvement II, Waste Management (Kirkland, Washington).
Details are available here.

Purchasing Account Executive, BoRec America, Inc. (Flexible Location).
Details are available here.

Plastics Business Development, Continental Waste Management LLC (Raleigh, North Carolina).
Details are available here.

Jobs Sought
Database of job seekers available here.

If you would like to submit a job available or job sought listing, send an email to newsletter editor Henry Leineweber at [email protected].