Conference report: Successful agricultural plastics recovery relies on cooperation between the many players involved. Particularly important is outreach to farmers, who are the first link in the collection chain. That was a key takeaway from the 2nd International Recycling Forum on Agricultural Plastics, according to a report by RIGK, an ag plastics recycling company that was in attendance.
Material challenge: The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and several partners are challenging the packaging industry to up its recyclability game and are offering a total of $2 million in awards. According to a press release, the New Plastics Economy Innovation Prize is divided into two components, one that focuses on product design to lessen waste and another that emphasizes packaging recyclability.
Bottle built: The EcoARK in Taiwan is a large pavilion structure constructed using 1.5 million recycled PET bottles. Architecture and design website Inhabitat profiles the building, describing how the PET bottles were processed into pellets and blow-molded into “polli-bricks,” hollow building blocks that use interlocking grooves to fit tightly together with limited adhesive use.
Quantifying impact: More than 134,000 jobs in the U.S. are in some way supported by exports in the recycling industry, according to a new analysis by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries. Released during World Trade Week this month, the report shows industry exports generate $28.85 billion in total economic benefits.
New feedstock: Pharmacy stock bottles have been singled out as a clean, high-quality source of HDPE, and the Association of Plastic Recyclers has compiled a new resource to help pharmacies take advantage of the material. APR has added the information to its How to Recycle Grocery Rigid Plastics Guidebook, which was previously reported on by Plastics Recycling Update.
