A California initiative and a nationwide study examine the accessibility of film recycling programs, and a Canadian city begins collection. | Dmitry Markov152/Shutterstock
Most Americans have access to a store drop-off site for film plastics, according to a new study by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. Continue Reading
After a long runup, natural and colored HDPE grades saw sharp decreases in value once again in May, joined by drops in PET and PP prices. 
Researchers with Google X’s Moonshot Factory are working with product designers to recycle plastics currently considered unrecyclable. | Artgray/Shutterstock
Google X and Dow Chemical are collaborating to develop an artificial intelligence sorting system capable of identifying film plastics and mixed materials, they announced at a conference in April.
The Association of Plastic Recyclers’ Recycling in Action initiative is encouraging MRFs to give more public tours. | Nordroden/Shutterstock
The first time I stepped inside a recycling facility, I was overwhelmed. Even with earplugs, the noise was relentless — the hum of machinery, the clatter of cans, the whir of conveyor belts. But what struck me most wasn’’t the sound. It was the sheer volume of material being sorted at lightning speed by robotic arms and optical sensors. Continue Reading
Although natural HDPE continued its recent price runup, other curbside plastic grades were flat or fell marginally in value over the past month, with PET and color HDPE seeing dips. Continue Reading
Retan/Shutterstock
As global virgin plastic production outpaces demand and utilization rate percentages linger in the low 70s, the next four years are expected to see downward pressure on the price of virgin plastics. Added to this, tariffs on U.S. plastics trade flows are likely to disrupt domestic supply chains, further complicating an already volatile market. Continue Reading
Editor’s note: Women in Circularity is a long-running series in Resource Recycling News, sister publication to Plastics Recycling Update. Series author MaryEllen Etienne will host a Women in Circularity session during the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference next week, and in the run-up to the conference, we’re introducing the series to Plastics Recycling Update readers as well. Beth Forsberg, featured in this month’s installment, will join MaryEllen during the conference session.
A warm welcome back to “Women in Circularity,” where we shine a light on women moving us toward a circular economy. This month, I was pleased to connect with a leader in textile reuse and recycling operations: Beth Forsberg. Beth is the senior vice president and chief sustainability officer at Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, with oversight of sustainability operations in the nonprofit’s San Francisco and Monocacy Valley, Maryland, regions. Goodwill is dedicated to ending poverty through workforce development and is supported by a network of popular thrift shops. Beth has 30 years of experience in the nonprofit thrift sector where oversight has included donated goods revenue, collections, retail, e-commerce, recycling and salvage. Continue Reading
Major curbside plastic grades saw across-the-board price increases in March, including an 85% jump for color HDPE and a 42% jump for PP, according to the latest national average commodity values. Continue Reading
Editor’s note: Women in Circularity is a long-running series in Resource Recycling News, sister publication to Plastics Recycling Update. Series author MaryEllen Etienne will host a Women in Circularity session during the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference next month, and in the run-up to the conference, we’re introducing the series to Plastics Recycling Update readers as well. Katie Drews, featured in this month’s installment, will join MaryEllen during the conference session.
A warm welcome back to “Women in Circularity,” where we shine a light on women moving us toward a circular economy. This month, I was pleased to connect with an expert in the delivery of community based recycling services: Katie Drews. Katie is the co-president and CEO of Eureka Recycling, a nonprofit zero-waste organization and social enterprise recycler based in Minneapolis. Katie has nearly two decades of experience in marketing and business strategy and has a track record of driving change and innovation in corporate, higher education and nonprofit sectors.
Two key curbside plastic grades rose significantly in value this month, while other grades held steady from January. Continue Reading