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Author Archives: Antoinette Smith

About Antoinette Smith

Antoinette Smith started working for Resource Recycling in June 2024 after spending several years covering commodity plastics and supply chains, with a special focus on economic impacts. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Eastman, Indorama pin hopes on pent-up demand

Published: November 18, 2025
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PET water bottle necks.

Tennessee-based Eastman and Thailand’s Indorama Ventures painted bearish pictures of the PET landscape, to different degrees. | Tezzstock / Shutterstock

Key takeaways

  • Eastman PepsiCo offtake volumes delayed into 2026
  • Kingsport facility “stretching” capacity amid Texas delay
  • Indorama expects polyester weakness to continue into 2026

Tennessee-headquartered Eastman expects to meet contractual volume requirements with capacity expansions at its flagship PET recycling plant in Kingsport while deciding how to proceed with a second US facility, CEO Mark Costa said during a recent quarterly earnings call.  Continue Reading

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Canada PROs unite to align packaging design

Published: November 18, 2025
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Five producer responsibility organizations plan to complete harmonized package design guidance, anchored for plastics in the APR Design Guide, by the end of 2026. | Gary718 / Shutterstock

Five Canadian producer responsibility organizations are joining forces to provide clear, consistent guidelines to make packaging design recyclable, with plastics guidance anchored in the Association of Plastic Recyclers Design Guide.  Continue Reading

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EU recyclers warn Commission of industry collapse 

Published: November 12, 2025
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More than 100 recycling stakeholders urged the European Commission to address unfavorable market economics, a scenario that provides foresight into what may occur in North America. | NGCHIYUI / Shutterstock

More than 100 recyclers issued a call, coordinated by a Dutch consultancy, for the European Commission to take immediate action in addressing the causes of the current industry crisis – itself a window into what may await the North American recycling sector. 

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Food-grade PP makes inroads in Americas

Published: November 12, 2025
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In its pursuit to advance food-grade recycled PP, the NextLoopp initiative is finding progress slower in the States, but still moving forward. | Meaw_stocker / Shutterstock

The Americas branch of a European initiative to advance incorporation of food-grade PP resin has achieved several initial milestones in recent weeks, though progress is slower than in Europe, according to the group’s president.

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WM closure spotlights film recycling challenges

Published: November 4, 2025
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Stretch film on rolls at the manufacturer.

As the overall recycling sector struggles, plastic film stakeholders are bearing the brunt of the industry’s challenges. | Dmitry Markov152/Shutterstock

Editor’s note: Some industry sources for this story were granted anonymity due to the sensitive nature of market relationships. 

Key takeaways

  • Bale pricing resists supply/demand fundamentals
  • Cheap virgin resin proliferates while demand stumbles
  • Adoption of recycled content delayed amid uncertainty

Two weeks after the closure of WM’s plastic film recycling operations, market players have been left to process what the development means for the overall industry.

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EU to drive global demand for recycled plastics

Published: November 4, 2025
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A new study from ICIS and a Chinese industry association also predicted that the role of chemical recycling will increase amid PPWR implementation. | Alones / Shutterstock

A new study from commodity intelligence firm ICIS and a Chinese industry association explores the impacts of European regulations on global demand for recycled plastics in packaging, automotive and textile applications.

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Virgin PE producers maintain high run rates despite downturn

Published: November 4, 2025
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In recent quarterly investor calls, several major PE producers provided a survey of the current landscape for virgin resin and gave a glimpse at what the near future may hold. | Richard Frazier/Shutterstock

Key takeaways

  • Global production shifting to newer, more efficient plants
  • Outages, upstream add support for price increase hopes
  • Packaging sector ‘resilient’ despite changing consumer behaviors

For the past three years, virgin PE resin has caused severe headaches for North American recyclers who are unable to compete with pricing pushed down by vast oversupply amid a steady stream of new capacity amid lower-than-expected demand. Continue Reading

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APR applies pressure on PET imports, tariffs

Published: October 23, 2025
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Nick Laneville, senior associate at Hogan Lovells in Washington, DC, at the APR fall member meeting Oct. 22, 2025 | Photo courtesy Tan Sackett/APR

As pressure builds and the recycling industry faces an existential crisis, speakers at the fall member meeting for the Association of Plastic Recyclers highlighted mounting efforts that focused on finding trade remedies. Continue Reading

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APR alliance aligns global packaging design guidance

Published: October 23, 2025
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The APR Design Guide for recyclable packaging is now available in Spanish and Mandarin, and includes modifications to suit variations in recycling infrastructure. | Pavlo Lys/Shutterstock

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) has published its design guide in both Mandarin and Spanish, to help reinforce ongoing commitment to global alignment of guidelines for plastic packaging design for recyclability.  Continue Reading

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WM closes Natura PCR film operation in Texas

Published: October 22, 2025
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In a statement, the company called the closure of the plastic film processing plant temporary, amid challenging macroeconomic conditions. | Courtesy of Natura PCR

Hauler WM has shuttered its Natura PCR plastic film processing operations in Texas only months after starting up a new $150 million plant, amid lackluster market conditions.  

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