In its bid to improve the environment, the Chinese government is expected to further restrict imports of scrap plastics, although a specific timeline for action isn’t clear.
In its bid to improve the environment, the Chinese government is expected to further restrict imports of scrap plastics, although a specific timeline for action isn’t clear.
The price of post-consumer natural HDPE tumbled by 23 percent over the past month, putting the value below what it was a year ago. Other key curbside plastics have shown recent stability.
The maps below demonstrate how extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs for packaging have spread around the globe over the last decade, with programs requiring packaging makers to fund recovery systems taking root in a variety of countries.
The maps were provided by Environmental Packaging International (EPI), a consultancy specializing in environmental compliance, product stewardship and sustainability related to packaging and products. EPI, More Recycling and IHS Markit are collaborating to produce a special report exploring the impact of regulations on plastics and analyzing how well PCR supply is positioned to satisfy demand. To learn more about the project and special report, visit ihsmarkit.com/products/sea-plastics-pathway.html.
Data Sort is produced each quarter by More Recycling. For additional information, go to morerecycling.com.
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2018 issue of Plastics Recycling Update. Subscribe today for access to all print content.
Most material that’s collected in the U.S. for recycling is reclaimed in the U.S., though there is a supply/demand imbalance for some commodities.
This imbalance has traditionally been remedied through demand from the export market, but the amount of material going to export has trended downwards since 2009 and will likely continue to decrease going forward, especially in light of recent policies in China reducing imports.
We have seen a growth in domestic reclamation capacity, but we need more demand and processing capabilities for materials such as film and non-bottle rigid plastics.
This article originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of Plastics Recycling Update. Subscribe today for access to all print content.
Data Sort is produced each quarter by More Recycling. For additional info, go to morerecycling.com
The North American plastics recycling industry is facing uncertainties in terms of the future of export markets as China and other importers evolve policies.
Some plastics sectors feel the effects of these developments more than others. According to the most recent research, roughly 28 percent of recycled plastic collected in the U.S. heads to export markets.
The graph below shows how four key plastic types fit into the export total. Film and non-bottle rigids rely the most on foreign buyers – so these are the materials most likely to be significantly impacted by export undulations.
This article originally appeared in the August 2017 issue of Plastics Recycling Update. Subscribe today for access to all print content.
Data Sort is produced each quarter by More Recycling. For additional info, go to morerecycling.com
According to the most recent statistics, around 900 million pounds of polyethylene post-consumer resin (PCR) are purchased annually in the U.S. for use in new products, but 2.76 billion pounds of PE are collected for recycling.
That means collection is exceeding domestic demand by 1.86 billion pounds. However, information from buyers indicates they could use more if the PCR hits price and specification requirements – these buyers have a potential annual capacity of 2.10 billion pounds, or 76 percent of what is currently collected.
Even with the narrowing of that delta due to yield loss in the reclamation process, demand for recycled content will need to continue to increase to match collection totals.
This article originally appeared in the November 2017 issue of Plastics Recycling Update. Subscribe today for access to all print content.
Data Sort is produced each quarter by More Recycling. For additional info, go to morerecycling.com
The largest environmental benefit from plastics recycling comes when post-consumer resin (PCR) is incorporated into a new product, displacing virgin resin that would otherwise be used. To bring that somewhat abstract concept into real-world terms, we analyzed the effects of increasing PCR in one specific everyday item: plastic trash bags.
In the U.S. trash bag market, approximately 6 billion pounds of PE resin is used annually. The table below shows the details on what would happen if different levels of PCR usage were achieved in the production of these products. Note that 10 percent PCR is currently required in trash bags sold in California and one company, Revolution Bag, currently has a product line featuring 97 percent PCR.
Numbers were tabulated by More Recycling using information from several private reports as well as the U.S. EPA’s WARM calculator and extrapolation of California’s most recent waste characterization study.
Data Sort is produced each quarter by More Recycling. For additional information, go to morerecycling.com.
This article originally appeared in the February 2018 issue of Plastics Recycling Update. Subscribe today for access to all print content.
