Many in the U.S. may be unfamiliar with reverse vending machines, because only 10 of 50 states have deposit redemption programs. | Karen McFarland/Shutterstock
Many in the U.S. may be unfamiliar with reverse vending machines, because only 10 of 50 states have deposit redemption programs. | Karen McFarland/Shutterstock
LDPE ring carriers are an important ingredient in Avangard Innovative’s “recipe” to make high quality PCR. | Courtesy of Avangard Innovative.
Plastics reclaimer Avangard Innovative will sell millions of pounds of PCR each year to six-pack carrier manufacturer Hi-Cone Worldwide, as the companies expand their existing business relationship.
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.
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.
An initial round of investments has been made toward a major plastics sortation facility, to be located in Erie, Pa. | create jobs 51/Shutterstock
Startup recycling firm International Recycling Group is moving forward with a $100 million plastics recovery facility in the Northeast.
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.
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.
TechniSoil Industrial can process post-consumer or post-industrial PET for it’s asphalt binder product. | Courtesy of Technisoil.
A California company is using glycolysis to depolymerize PET scrap for use in an asphalt binder. The pavement it produces is stronger than traditional hot-mix asphalt.
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.
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.