Colin Staub is a reporter at Resource Recycling. He can be contacted at [email protected].
An industry analyst recently noted that low virgin resin pricing means challenges for ensuring end users choose to use recycled plastic. | batuhan taskinkaya/Shutterstock
The coronavirus pandemic has piled on top of existing plastics recycling market strife to cause pricing fluctuations and create uncertainty about how end users will meet their sustainability commitments.
California’s governor recently suspended the state’s single-use bag ban for 60 days. | Joanna Dorota/Shutterstock
California’s single-use bag ban has been suspended for two months, with the governor citing coronavirus safety concerns. One plastics reclaimer said the move led to an immediate drop in PCR sales.
The EWS 60/210 shredder is designed for high-volume applications. | Courtesy of Herbold Mecksheim.
Herbold Meckesheim USA has released size-reduction equipment tailored for plastics recycling.
Several weeks after suspending recycling programs, some city officials have reinstated service. | Sundry Photography/Shutterstock
A handful of municipalities have reinstated curbside recycling programs that were suspended due to the coronavirus. Still, dozens of others that curtailed service remain shut down.
The new Recycling Market Development Platform will highlight companies and connect people with tools and information related to recycling. | TippaPatt/Shutterstock
More Recycling and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) this month announced the Recycling Market Development Platform, a website offering information on recycling and material use to stakeholders throughout the recycling value chain.
Circulate Capital’s April Crow (center) at the 2019 Resource Recycling Conference and Trade Show, held in August in New Orleans. | Resource Recycling, Inc./Brian Adams Photography
An ocean plastics prevention fund has $106 million in hand and is gearing up to announce its first investments in Southeast Asian waste management infrastructure.
More companies reported selling plastic bottles in California in 2019 compared to the prior year, but so far, slightly fewer said they used recycled plastic. | tezzstock/Shutterstock
Beverage container producers have reported their recycled plastic use in California for 2019. Out of 64 manufacturers, 13 companies said they used recycled plastic.
Eight out of the 10 states with container redemption systems have enacted temporary measures limiting deposit returns in some way. | Karolis Kavolelis/Shutterstock
Stay-at-home orders are hitting container deposit systems hard, leading to significant declines in the volumes of high-quality PET and other recyclables moving to material processors.
Indorama noted the company’s investments in recycling are influenced by the fact numerous brand owners are committing to incorporate more recycled plastic in their products. | barbacane/Shutterstock
Resin giant Indorama Ventures will more than triple its global RPET production capacity in the next few years, according to the company’s most recent annual report.
MRF executives have noted staffing and procedural changes to deal with the coronavirus.
As the coronavirus continues to spread, recycling facilities are increasing distance between employees, sanitizing common areas and, in at least one case, halting the practice of punching in and out on a time clock.