Marissa Heffernan started working for Resource Recycling in January 2022 after spending several years as a reporter at a daily newspaper in Southwest Washington. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Speakers at the NERC Spring 2023 Conference offered advice on achieving diversity, equity and inclusion goals. | Light Spring/Shutterstock
Hard conversations, checking unconscious bias and letting employees drive change with leadership’s support are all vital to building more diverse workforces, experts recently explained.
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Deposit containers collected in Oregon at the OBRC sorting facility outside Portland. | Dan Leif/Resource Recycling
Oregon residents turned in over 2 billion beverage containers in 2022, an 88.5% preliminary redemption rate for one of the country’s most successful bottle and can redemption systems. Continue Reading
The Envases Universales facility in Apan, Hidalgo, Mexico. | Courtesy of Envases Universales
Packaging manufacturer Envases Universales is expanding its recycling facility in Central Mexico from an annual capacity of 60,000 metric tons to 100,000 metric tons by the end of 2024. Continue Reading
ALPLA Group, Nextek and a variety of other plastics companies are making moves to get more PCR in products and on the market. | Courtesy of Cocofloss
Companies are adding more PCR to toothbrushes, electric bikes and other products as the recycled plastics industry seeks to drive market demand and shore up supply chains. Continue Reading
Residents in the Omaha, Neb. area can participate in a program to divert plastics not accepted in the normal curbside stream. | Courtesy of Hefty
Firstar Fiber’s in-house plastic-to-lumber operation is up and running, turning materials collected in orange bags at the curb into plastic composite lumber. The operation also recently survived a fire scare. Continue Reading
Environmentalists are chalking up two victories as one bill is squashed and another presses onward. | Kittiwat Chaitoep/Shutterstock
A polystyrene ban is moving on to the Illinois Senate. Meanwhile, a bill extending the timeline for a pilot chemical recycling facility failed to move out of the House in time. Continue Reading
Along with increasing PCR content and producing recyclable products, Graham also reported a reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions. | Scisetti Alfio/Shutterstock
Graham Packaging used an average of 7% PCR in its bottles and reported that 98% of its products were recyclable in 2022. Continue Reading
The push to sell more recycled PE is part of NOVA’s broader initiative to reduce CO2 emissions. | Photo Courtesy of NOVA Chemicals
NOVA Chemicals is looking to increase the amount of recycled PE it sells, improve its mechanical recycling capabilities and further explore chemical recycling technologies. Continue Reading
Workers sort PET at T3 Limited in Kenya. | Courtesy of Starlinger
Two companies recently installed Starlinger and SOREMA equipment to help boost PET recycling in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Continue Reading
Opponents of the bill argue chemical recycling is a form of incineration; supporters say it will create jobs and help address plastic waste. | 9DreamStudio/Shutterstock
A bill extending a deadline for a potential chemical recycling pilot project in Illinois is reigniting debate over how to regulate chemical recycling.