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Author Archives: Colin Staub

About Colin Staub

Colin-StaubColin Staub is a reporter at Resource Recycling. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Stakeholders talk recycling fixes before Congress

Published: September 29, 2021
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Elizabeth Biser, of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality

Elizabeth Biser of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality described the importance of strong state support for materials recovery during a hearing last week.

U.S. senators last week heard about how stronger end-market demand, state support for materials recovery, technology advancements and more can strengthen the U.S. recycling system.

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Judge ends Greenpeace’s labeling suit against Walmart

Published: September 22, 2021
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Walmart logo on shopping cart in store.

A U.S. District Court judge ruled that Greenpeace lacked standing to sue the world’s largest retailer over recyclability labeling in California. | Harun Ozmen / Shutterstock

A California court has dismissed a legal complaint Greenpeace brought against Walmart, ruling that the activist group itself was not deceived by labels indicating the corporation’s plastic packaging is recyclable.

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Lawsuit takes aim at Walmart’s plastic recycling labels

Published: December 16, 2020
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Greenpeace sign on a brick building exterior.

A lawsuit from Greenpeace seeks to force Walmart to change its labeling and conduct a “corrective” advertising campaign. | nitpicker/Shutterstock

Environmental activist group Greenpeace this week accused Walmart of falsely labeling items as recyclable. Walmart and How2Recycle are defending their labeling practices.

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California is back at the center of plastics recycling debate

Published: September 15, 2021
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Calif. capitol building in Sacramento.

A bill approved by California legislators has substantial implications for how common plastic packaging items are labeled, and it could have significant recycling implications across the nation in the coming years. | Feoktistoff / Shutterstock

Producers would need to meet strict criteria to use the “chasing arrows” symbol on their plastic packaging in California under a bill approved by lawmakers last week. An industry group says the move will harm polypropylene recycling.

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Chemical recycling operations plan expansions

Published: September 15, 2021
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LyondellBasell facility with sunset in background.

Global plastic producer LyondellBasell has announced it will produce chemically recycled resin in the U.S. | Flagmania / Shutterstock

Three companies that use chemical recycling technologies, including LyondellBasell and BP, recently took steps to enlarge their footprints or product lines.

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Greenpeace: Recycling used as plastic industry ‘smokescreen’

Published: September 15, 2021
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Greenpeace website logo on screen under magnifying glass.

Greenpeace framed a new report as an examination of how packaging stakeholders and others have failed to reduce their reliance on single-use plastic. | SergioVas / Shutterstock

A report this week from environmental group Greenpeace takes brand owners and industry groups to task for promoting recycling as the primary solution to plastic waste issues.

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Demand for recycled content drives processor acquisition

Published: September 15, 2021
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Signing documents at a business meeting.

Westlake Chemical Corporation on Sept. 10 announced its acquisition of Dimex, a Marietta, Ohio-headquartered reclaimer. | fizkes / Shutterstock

A manufacturer cited consumer interest in recycled products as a factor in the company’s recent acquisition of Dimex, a post-industrial PVC recycling firm.

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Amid dispute, details emerge on CarbonLite’s demise

Published: September 9, 2021
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A gavel and book on a wooden desk.

In court recently, former CarbonLite CEO Leon Farahnik’s attorneys elaborated on the financial conditions that led to the company’s bankruptcy. | Bragin Alexey / Shutterstock

Companies owed money by CarbonLite say the PET reclaimer’s failure came amid “gross financial mismanagement,” and they want an in-depth investigation. CarbonLite’s lawyers pinned the closure on a lack of brand owner support and other factors.

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California bill deems some exports ‘disposal’

Published: September 9, 2021
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export containers

Legislation awaiting the governor’s signature would classify mixed plastics that are generated in California and exported from the U.S. as “disposal” rather than “recycling.” | Sumrit Tesrumphun/Shutterstock

California lawmakers have approved a bill that would no longer allow scrap plastic that is exported to be considered recycled. The legislation now heads to the governor for final consideration.

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Digital watermark project advances in Denmark

Published: September 9, 2021
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Material on a conveyor inside a sorting and processing facility.

A pilot project at a facility in Denmark is being backed by a number of packaging and recycling stakeholders. | Nordroden / Shutterstock

A European materials recovery facility will install sorting detection equipment to identify digital watermarks on plastic packaging.

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