US recycling rates rise despite drop in bottles

Although US plastics recycling has risen overall, diverging trends among materials reflect the existential struggle recyclers are facing and highlight the need for policy solutions, two industry organizations said in releasing new industry data. 

Total volumes recycled were at 5.13 billion pounds in 2024, higher by 114.9 million or 2.3% from 2022, according to the data, released July 16 by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the US Plastics Pact. More findings are available on a dashboard from analytics firm Stina, which gathered the data.

“The industry has proven it can recover more than 5 billion pounds of post-consumer plastic, but holding steady isn’t the goal,” said Steve Alexander, president and CEO of APR. 

“Plastic recycling is poised for significant growth as a proven solution to reduce plastic waste and strengthen domestic manufacturing, but today’s marketplace continues to favor low-cost virgin plastic over recycled materials. To unlock the next phase of growth, we need policies that create stronger demand for recycled plastics and support investment across the recycling value chain.”

Compared to 2022, categories that increased in volume included film and other plastics, while PET, HDPE and PP bottles fell amid domestic recycling challenges.

Plastic film saw the most significant increase, primarily due to the PE Retail Mix Film category, which includes commercial film and consumer-returned material. And while bottle volumes decreased, other material from commingled collection, including PET thermoforms and PP rigids, increased.

The new biennial data is based on the results of surveys conducted by Stina and the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR). The study represents the most accurate measure of the volumes of post-consumer plastics recovered for recycling in the US based on data from facility operations, APR said in a statement.

Survey responses described a market that remained under pressure throughout 2024, leading up to the wave of PET recycling plant closures in 2025 and 2026. Elevated bale prices, soft demand for PCR and persistently low virgin resin prices compressed recyclers’ margins and discouraged capacity investments, the findings indicate.

Still, the data reinforces the commitment to recycle plastics domestically. Nearly 94% of the plastics recovered for recycling – 4.81 billion pounds – were processed by reclaimers in the US, Canada and Mexico. US reclaimers alone acquired 4.35 billion pounds, indicating that substantial domestic recycling infrastructure is already in place. 

“The findings reinforce that a stronger recycling system depends on every part of the value chain working together,” said Crystal Bayliss, executive director of the US Plastics Pact. “This type of data consistently shows that plastic recycling works every day, and residents and businesses should feel confident putting recyclable plastics in their recycling bins. By designing packaging for circularity, strengthening collection systems, and expanding demand for recycled materials, we can turn incremental gains into lasting, system-wide progress.”

The study findings also align with strategies outlined in APR’s recent report on rebuilding and protecting North American recycling, including increased investment, improved collection and sorting systems, strengthening demand for recycled plastics, and implementing policies that support long-term market growth.

Systemic data gaps

APR also pointed out that the study highlights the lack of requirements for reporting US plastic recycling figures, and as such a national recycling rate cannot be calculated consistently. 

However, as seven states implement EPR programs for packaging, additional reporting should provide a more robust picture of recycling performance and help inform future investments and policy discussions, APR said.   

APR owns Resource Recycling, Inc., publisher of Plastics Recycling Update.