Marissa Heffernan started working for Resource Recycling in January 2022 after spending several years as a reporter at a daily newspaper in Southwest Washington. After developing a special focus on recycling policy, they are also the editor of the monthly newsletter Policy Now. Heffernan can be contacted at [email protected].
As part of the settlement, Keurig cannot label, market, advertise or otherwise represent the cups as recyclable without a qualifying statement that the materials are not recycled in many communities. | zimmytws/Shutterstock
Keurig Green Mountain reached a class-action settlement with a consumer who sued over coffee pod recyclability claims, agreeing to pay $10 million and add language indicating the plastic cups are “not recycled in many communities.”
European company Fortum developed a post-consumer plastic chair to showcase how recycled plastic compounds can be used for more technical and challenging products. | Courtesy of Fortum
Several companies have announced progress toward recycled-content goals and new products made from recycled plastics. Here’s a roundup of recent developments.
Star Plastics has made a $5 million investment in a pair of twin-screw extruders to boost capacity. | Courtesy of Star Plastics
Recycling and compounding company Star Plastics installed the first of two additional extruders at its West Virginia plant to expand its capacity and product offerings.
Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act was signed into law in August 2021, creating a 12-person task force to research and evaluate recyclability claims. | Yanqiang Dai/Shutterstock
For several years, lawmakers across the U.S. have been drafting policy to address concerns about ocean plastic. In Oregon, a key recycling labeling task force elected a representative from an ocean environmental group as vice chair.
Shipping company CMA CGM didn’t specify exactly which categories of plastic scrap or waste the prohibition would apply to. | EQRoy/Shutterstock
CMA CGM Group, the third-largest ocean shipping company in the world, announced it will no longer carry post-use plastics on its ships as of June 1.
Evergreen has spent a total of $200 million on three recent acquisitions and an expansion to the company’s original Clyde, Ohio location. | Courtesy of Evergreen
To meet growing demand, PET reclaimer Evergreen recently bought a pair of facilities and added another extruder to an expansion project.
In the draft bill, deposits are set at at least 10 cents for containers under 24 fluid ounces and 15 cents for containers larger than that. | Veja/Shutterstock
West Coast lawmakers plan to introduce a national container deposit bill that one advocate says has a better chance of passing than past proposals because of wide “industry engagement.”
Ocean Legacy performs its own cleanup efforts and also serves as a collection hub for all shoreline cleanups in British Columbia. | Courtesy of Ocean Legacy
Canadian company Ocean Legacy is working to expand production of its 100% recycled ocean pellet and is eyeing U.S. markets.
The Closed Loop Local Recycling Fund will help finance facilities that are modular and much smaller than a traditional facility, with a cost between $1 million and $2 million. | Courtesy of Revolution Recycling at Twin, Steamboat Springs, Colo.
A $35 million investment from PepsiCo Beverages North America will help Closed Loop Partners reach more people living in recycling deserts.
Research estimates that in 2020 in Europe, 2.4 million tons of PET was recycled into 1.7 million tons of flake. | Menzl Guenter/Shutterstock
The European PET market is making progress toward a circular industry but needs to improve collection rates, according to a new report.
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