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An industry-crafted list of “problem” materials, California’s reusable plastic bag ban, progress on an Arizona processing plant and chemical recycling coverage were among our highest-read stories last month.

1 | US Plastics Pact adds to its list of ‘problematic’ plastics
With the U.S. Plastics Pact on track to eliminate its initial 11 problematic plastics by 2025, the group decided to add three more items to the list.

2 | California passes expanded plastic bag ban
Despite advocacy from plastic film companies, California lawmakers passed two bills that ban reusable plastic bags in the state, drawing scathing reactions from the industry.

3 | Blue Polymers breaks ground for second recycling plant
Officials broke ground on the second Blue Polymers recycling facility, in Buckeye, Arizona, on Sept. 25.

4 | Berkeley researchers vaporize PE, PP into feedstock
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed a chemical process to vaporize PE and PP into the feedstock monomer propylene.

5 | PureCycle, Alpek, others issued FDA LNOs
Nearly two dozen plastics recycling processes received a federal greenlight for food and drink applications in the first half of 2024.