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Editor’s Note: This is a monthly PCR resin pricing analysis contributed by commodity intelligence firm ICIS.
Most U.S. recycled plastic feedstock markets have seen dramatic downward swings through the first half of the year. According to recent earnings calls from several industry groups, H2 sales are expected to be flat, if not weaker, than H1.
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‘Break Up With Single-Use Bags’ campaign rolls out at over 1,000 Southern California stores ahead of the state’s 2026 plastic bag ban, aiming to shift habits early. | Photo Courtesy of Closed Loop Partners
A coalition of major retailers and local stores has launched a campaign across more than 1,000 Southern California locations this week to help customers kick the habit of using disposable shopping bags. Continue Reading
The producer responsibility organization in British Columbia reported a 45% plastic recovery rate in 2024. | Photo courtesy Recycle BC
Producer responsibility organization Recycle BC upped its plastic recovery rate in Canada’s southwestern province last year, and it managed nearly all of the collected plastic domestically. Continue Reading
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Editor’s Note: This is the first in a monthly PCR resin pricing analysis contributed by commodity intelligence firm ICIS. Continue Reading
PET container prices fell 30% from June to July, part of an across-the-board price decline for curbside plastics bales. Continue Reading
Natural HDPE prices have fallen 32% over the past two months, while PP has declined 56% over the same period, according to the latest monthly national average pricing report. Continue Reading
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