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Feds issue slew of food-contact recycled plastics letters

Published: August 26, 2020
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PET plastic bottle in a person's hand.

The U.S. FDA recently approved a number of recycling technologies for converting PET into use for food and drink packaging. | RecycleMan/Shutterstock

The FDA gave Indorama Ventures the green light to use a depolymerization technology to produce RPET for food and drink packaging. The agency also gave nods for other PET, HDPE and PP recycling processes.

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Shipping shakeup continues as China’s extended ban nears

Published: August 26, 2020
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Cargo ship on the water.

Despite the upcoming ban, the Chinese government continues to approve permits for more recovered paper to enter the country. | hxdbzxy/Shutterstock

Another major container ship operator says it’s ending scrap shipments to China as that country prepares to widen its prohibition on imports of recovered material. Meanwhile, insurance providers recently analyzed the Chinese policy and its ramifications for shipping lines.

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Asian film processor details new ‘credit’ funding system

Published: August 19, 2020
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Film processing at Myanmar Recycles.

Myanmar Recycles has customized a wash line with more than a dozen different washing steps along the way. | Courtesy of Myanmar Recycles.

A film recycling company in Myanmar is among the first to take part in a global plastic credit system, which could direct financing from corporations to help the recycling firm expand its capacity.

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Here are the latest film and non-bottle rigid recycling stats

Published: August 19, 2020
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Plastic bags for recycling.

Just over 1 billion pounds of post-consumer bag and film plastics were recovered in 2018. | Pavel Kubarkov/Shutterstock

The amount of U.S. film and non-bottle rigids collected for recycling decreased in 2018, but domestic processors took in more of the material, according to More Recycling.

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An ambitious recycling policy proposal could go local

Published: August 19, 2020
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Plastic waste collected piled high in a trash bin.

Sen. Tom Udall and Rep. Alan Lowenthal recently outlined how components of their national recycling act might be adapted to fit different states. | DeawSS/Shutterstock

Two members of Congress who have pushed for EPR, a national deposit system and more are now encouraging state and municipal lawmakers to introduce their own versions of the legislation.

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Plastic exports drop 18% in first half of 2020

Published: August 12, 2020
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Cargo ship at port.

The U.S. exported 635 million pounds of scrap plastic during the first half of the year, down 18% year over year. | Halawi/Shutterstock

New trade figures show lower year-over-year exports of recovered plastic from January to June. The decline was largely driven by less material going to India.

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Oregon deposit return rate increased in 2019

Published: August 12, 2020
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Empty plastic bottles for recycling.

By material type, the percentage of plastic containers redeemed through the Oregon deposit program increased more than other materials in 2019. | Picsfive/Shutterstock

Consumers in Oregon last year returned 86% of all beverage containers covered under the state’s container deposit program, according to newly released figures.

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