In April, Plastics Recycling Update readers were drawn to a story on how much PCR bottlers in California used last year, as well as stories on tariff effects, recycled plastic markets and which companies received FDA letters of no objection for their resins.
The list below shows our top stories published in April in terms of unique page views.
1 | Most major bottlers upped PCR use in California last year
Newly released data shows many major bottlers increased their post-consumer PET use in beverage containers sold into California last year, surpassing the state’s 15% minimum recycled content mandate for that year and putting them on track to hit the expanded mandate for 2025.
2 | Tariff chaos bobs, weaves throughout recycled polymers market
After many weeks of shifting narratives and uncertainty, participants in recycled polymer markets are working to navigate the new tariff environment, in which buyers and sellers as well as customs officials struggle to align federal mandates with on-the-ground implementation.
3 | Analysts detail uncertainty for recycled plastics
Analysts from market intelligence firms emphasized the lack of solid footing and stiff competition from virgin resin and imports as key challenges for the plastics recycling market, during sessions at the recent Plastics Recycling Conference.
4 | Blue Polymers, Polyfit, many others receive FDA letters
Two dozen companies received the go-ahead from the Food and Drug Administration to use recycled plastic in food-contact packaging during the second half of 2024. The companies span North America, Africa, Europe and Asia, and their processes include mechanical and chemical recycling.
5 | US Plastics Pact formalizes PCR approach in new report
In its most recent report, the U.S. Plastics Pact outlined numerous market-based and policy solutions for existing challenges that may inhibit adoption of PCR in plastic packaging, including collection infrastructure and virgin resin oversupply.
