Editor’s Note: Film and flexible packaging will be featured in sessions at the 2026 Plastics Recycling Conference, Feb. 23-25 in San Diego, California. Register now!
An industry group has published its first progress report, as it works to accelerate recycling rates, expand access to plastic film recycling and improve consumer education to help enable circular flexible packaging.
The Flexible Film Recycling Alliance (FFRA) is funded by the Plastics Industry Association and is working toward scaling US flexible film collection and recycling systems.
The report noted several accomplishments from 2025:
- Launch and rapid growth of the Plastic Film Recycling Directory. The groups said the director has had more than 170,000 unique users, and features more than 20,000 drop-off locations in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
- Targeted efforts in California, where the group successfully advocated for alternative collection systems to be included through partnership and coalition building
- Prioritized a robust verification framework to ensure confidence and accountability across the recycling system. FFRA said it has made substantial progress toward a verification program scheduled to launch in the second quarter of 2026, to ensure recycling data and outcomes are credible, traceable and transparent
FFRA members include Accredo Packaging, Danone, Dow, the Flexible Packaging Association, Freepoint Eco-Systems, Kraft Heinz, Nova Circular Solutions, Novolex, Printpack, Ridwell and others.
“FFRA’s progress shows what’s possible when industry aligns around a shared goal and speaks with a harmonized voice,” said Kurt Kurzawa, senior director of sustainability and packaging at PLASTICS and leader of FFRA. “We’re proud of the momentum we’ve built from expanding access to film recycling to strengthening trust through verification and, in the year ahead, we’re focused on taking that next step by further advancing verification to ensure credibility and accountability across the system.”
“FFRA’s first Impact Report shows what’s possible when manufacturers, retailers, recyclers, and policymakers work together toward a shared goal,” said Patrick Krieger, senior vice president of sustainability and policy at PLASTICS. “In 2025, FFRA made meaningful headway from expanding access to film recycling nationwide to shaping policy outcomes that better reflect how recycling systems actually work. This progress reinforces that collaboration, data, and practical solutions are the path forward for scaling film recycling in the US.”
