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Author Archives: Marissa Heffernan

About Marissa Heffernan

Marissa HeffernanMarissa 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].

Canadian chemical company unveils 100% recycled PE resin

Published: October 25, 2022
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Bag made with NOVA Chemicals recycled resin.

For NOVA Chemicals’ latest recycled resin product, PE is sourced from distribution center flexible film, a blend of back-of-store stretch and front-of-store consumer drop-off. | Courtesy of NOVA Chemicals

NOVA Chemicals launched a 100% mechanically recycled PE resin for use in films such as shrink, e-commerce, heavy-duty sacks and protective packaging.

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Dow overhauls circular plastics goal

Published: October 18, 2022
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Dow company building in Houston.

Revised objectives for the company come on the heels of various internal reorganizations and international partnerships aimed at more robust circularity. | JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock

Chemical giant Dow has updated its “Stop the Waste” goal to “Transform the Waste” and now plans to produce 3 million metric tons of circular and renewable plastic annually by 2030, tripling its previous target.

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Study confirms Digimarc Recycle improves sortation

Published: October 18, 2022
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TOMRA Digimarc Scanner

The study demonstrated 99% accuracy for the detection and sortation of films and flexibles. | Courtesy of Digimarc

A Canadian group’s study of Digimarc Recycle’s digital watermark showed that it does in fact improve accuracy for sorting flexible plastic packaging. 

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Scientists combine chemistry, biology to recycle mixed plastics

Published: October 18, 2022
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Lab science scene with dropper and tubes.

A tandem chemical and biological process that draws from decades-old studies on chemical oxidation can be used to break down a variety of plastic types. | PowerUp/Shutterstock

Researchers have developed a way to turn mixed polymer plastics into a single chemical product, which could potentially eliminate the need to sort plastic by type prior to recycling.

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Chemical recycling studies explore feedstock, benefits

Published: October 18, 2022
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Mixed plastics baled for recycling.

A Eunomia report commissioned by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste aimed to set requirements for pyrolysis feedstock. | paul prescott/Shutterstock

Two recently released reports investigated the benefits of chemical recycling and dug into setting feedstock requirements for pyrolysis.

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Companies take different paths to address e-plastics

Published: October 11, 2022
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Megan Tabb and Lee Clayton.

Megan Tabb and Lee Clayton of Synergy/RePolyTex were among the presenters of the e-plastics focused session at the 2022 E-Scrap Conference. | Big Wave Productions/Resource Recycling, Inc.

Two businesses with unique approaches to meeting the goal of domestically processing plastics recovered from electronics shared their plans at the 2022 E-Scrap Conference.

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Global company looks to recycling in ESG push

Published: October 11, 2022
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ESG letters and symbols on wooden blocks.

Leaders with Hillenbrand discussed the company’s ESG efforts, including a recycling equipment manufacturer acquisition. | d.ee_angelo/Shutterstock

Sustainability and environmental, social and governance plans are typically multifaceted, but a recent acquisition by Hillenbrand brought recycling to the forefront for the manufacturing conglomerate.

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Shareholders of food industry giant push to reduce plastic use

Published: October 4, 2022
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General Mills company sign outside of company facility.

General Mills shareholders have voted to ask the company to report on if and how the company can reduce plastic packaging. | melissamn/Shutterstock

A majority of General Mills investors voted in favor of a proposal asking the company to reduce its use of plastic packaging and issue a report on it.

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