California sent a handful of bills to the governor’s desk, including bills on plastic film and the deposit return system. | Natalie Board/Shutterstock
Several states end their legislative sessions in late summer, including Massachusetts and California, and in the final days several bills relating to plastics recycling passed both legislative chambers.
Average prices for blended residential commodities rose by 5% to 6% during the quarter, according to data collected from 15 MRFs in the Northeast. | Warut Chinsai/Shutterstock
Average commodity prices for April-June 2024 were higher by about 40% on the year, marking their highest level since the second quarter of 2022, according to the latest MRF Values Survey Report from the Northeast Recycling Council. Continue Reading
The 2024 U.S. elections are the subject of a four-session webinar series held by the Recycled Materials Association. | Phil-Pasquini/Shutterstock
The next occupants of Congress and the White House likely will bring changes to corporate taxes, project permits, worker protections and other industry concerns no matter who wins this year’s elections, legal experts said last week during the first of four webinars hosted by the Recycled Materials Association about the 2024 races. But uncertainty still reigns when it comes to who will win, what they’ll be able to accomplish and how states and courts will respond. Continue Reading
Professors and students developed a process to turn both PE and PP into propylene monomer. | Afanasiev-Andrii/Shutterstock
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed a chemical process to vaporize PE and PP into the feedstock monomer propylene.
The Association of Plastic Recyclers updated its Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability to note that packaging containing degradable additives, nutrients and supplements are no longer considered recyclable. | Josep Curto/Shutterstock
Degradable additives, nutrients and supplements will boot packaging into the non-recyclable category, according to an update to the Association of Plastic Recyclers’ Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability.
The maker of composite decking and other architectural elements used less recycled material but expanded its recycled PVC collection program. | Courtesy of Azek
Chicago-based composite decking company Azek used about 16% less recycled material in fiscal 2023 than in the previous year, according to its latest sustainability report.
The National Recycling Coalition is seeking feedback on its draft policy, which discourages the labels of “advanced” or “chemical” for non-mechanical recycling. | Roman Zaiets/Shutterstock
The Policy Committee of the National Recycling Coalition has published a draft policy called “Chemical Recycling Is Not Recycling” and is seeking review and comment. Continue Reading
Non-compostable produce stickers, multi-material plastic packaging and degradability additives have been added to U.S. Plastics Pact’s list of problematic and unnecessary materials. | Neungstockr/Shutterstock
With the U.S. Plastics Pact on track to eliminate its initial 11 problematic plastics by 2025, the group decided to add three more items to the list. Continue Reading