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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].

PP group issues $1.8 million to sorting facilities

Published: August 25, 2021
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PP Number 5 plastic with blue background.

Since its launch in 2020, the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition has issued a total of $4.2 million in funding. | Allexxandar / Shutterstock

The Polypropylene Recycling Coalition has awarded another round of grant funding, allowing more local recycling programs to provide curbside polypropylene collection.

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Robotics firm claims greater efficiency in a smaller package

Published: August 25, 2021
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EverestLabs robotic cell.

EverestLabs High Recovery Robot Cells performed 104 picks per minute compared to 70 on the company’s Delta system. | Courtesy of EverestLabs

EverestLabs released a robotic sorting system that the company says can perform more picks and fit in a wider range of sortation settings than what has previously been available to processors.

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Senator proposes 20-cent-per-pound virgin resin fee

Published: August 18, 2021
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U.S. Capitol building exterior.

The bill taxing virgin resin is just one of several pieces of plastics recycling-related legislation in Congress and statehouses this year. | Kurt Pacaud / Shutterstock

A national virgin resin surcharge would help improve the economics of using post-consumer plastic, according to a proposal introduced in Congress this month.

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Google explores how to capture 4.5 billion tons of plastic

Published: August 18, 2021
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Stacked bales of mixed plastics.

Google’s report noted headwinds to plastics recovery including unfavorable economics for recycled resins compared with virgin resins. | maciej nicgorski / Shutterstock

A report from Google lays out how mechanical and chemical recycling, a virgin plastic production tax, consumer incentives and more can increase plastics recovery over the next two decades.

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P&G will use chemically recycled Eastman resin

Published: August 11, 2021
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P&G company headquarters.

In addition to signing a supply agreement, Procter & Gamble (P&G) and Eastman said they will “collaborate on initiatives addressing the infrastructure needed to increase plastic recycling rates.” | Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock

Procter & Gamble plans to incorporate post-consumer plastic that’s produced using a chemical recycling process into certain packaging later this year, the company announced.

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Bag giant used 4% post-consumer resin in 2020

Published: August 11, 2021
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Retail plastic bags by a checkout station.

Novolex reported that the company’s percentage of post-consumer resin used in 2020 was flat compared with 2019.| RosaLin Zhen Zhen / Shutterstock

Novolex, a major recycler and producer of plastic bags, recently reported that the pandemic created a “challenging PCR environment” last year. But the company sees signs for demand on the horizon.

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Nebraska MRF adds plastic-lumber manufacturing line

Published: August 11, 2021
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Materials on a conveyor at a MRF.

With the planned upgrade at an Omaha materials recovery facility (MRF), sorted and processed plastics will be converted into a plastic lumber. | jantsarik / Shutterstock

Firstar Fiber is receiving a loan from the Alliance to End Plastic Waste that will help the processor convert hard-to-recycle plastics into building materials, all within the confines of the sortation site.

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Oregon governor signs packaging EPR bill

Published: August 11, 2021
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View of the Oregon captial building with greenspace in front.

Oregon will establish a producer responsibility program for packaging, printing and writing paper, and food serviceware. | Jacquie Klose / Shutterstock

Oregon will overhaul components of its recycling system and will make packaging producers partially responsible for funding recycling of their products. It’s the second U.S. state to approve such a law.

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TerraCycle and brands sued over recycling claims

Published: July 28, 2021
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TerraCycle logo

The lawsuit alleges TerraCycle is enabling brand owners to mislead the public on the recyclability of their products. | photo_gonzo / Shutterstock

A nonprofit environmental organization is suing TerraCycle and several major brands, saying the companies are misleading consumers about the recyclability of their products through mail-in collection programs. TerraCycle’s CEO discussed the company’s labeling in an interview.

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Report: Cities should prioritize PET, HDPE, PP collection

Published: July 28, 2021
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Curbside waste and recycling for collection.

A study from GAIA found that, in five selected cities, only 24% of PET, HDPE and PP was getting recycled. | Meg Wallace Photography / Shutterstock

A study published today by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives outlines familiar problems and constraints with the U.S. plastics recycling system.

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