A number of plastic recycling announcements have been made around the world in recent weeks. | sukiyaki/Shutterstock
From France to Kenya to Thailand, a number of companies are building new facilities, cleaning up waterways and keeping an eye on working conditions. Here’s a roundup of some recent global plastic news.
Energy prices are surging in Europe due to multiple factors, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. | MVelishchuk/Shutterstock
The European energy crisis has driven electricity prices up to 70% of plastics reclaimers’ operating expenses, and without help, they may have to close, according to an industry group.
Berry Global and Mars, Inc. have introduced candy packaging with 15% PCR. | Courtesy of Berry Global
Packaging producer Berry Global and brand owner Mars, Inc. are now putting PCR into plastic containers used for M&M’s and other confection brands.
Novolex’s new mechanical recycling equipment will produce up to 28 million pounds of recycled content per year. | Courtesy of Novolex
Novolex is investing $10 million at its North Vernon, Ind. facility to increase its recycling capacity for plastic bags and other PE film.
Waste Management reached a deal to acquire a controlling stake in Avangard’s U.S. film recycling business. | Courtesy of Avangard Innovative
The largest curbside garbage and recycling hauler in North America will acquire and scale up Avangard Innovative’s U.S. plastics recycling business.
TOP LUN Plastics Corporation received an LNO that covers the recycling of PET containers into single-layer clamshells. | Rattanapon Ninlapoom/Shutterstock
Ten companies with technologies to recycle post-consumer PET, HDPE and PP into food and drink packaging have received the federal government’s thumbs-up this year.
California’s carpet recycling rate in 2021 was 27.9%, up from 20.9% in 2020. | Colleen Michaels/Shutterstock
California’s extended producer responsibility program for carpet achieved a sharp increase in the recycling rate last year, jumping 7 percentage points from the prior year.
The commodities market downturn continues this month, with plummeting prices for bales of PET, HDPE and PP.
The president and CEO of the Flexible Packaging Association says an extended producer responsibility program for flexible packaging is the way to reduce food waste, shipping emissions and plastic in landfills. | elpashtetto/Shutterstock
