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Category: Top stories

Major PET recycler reports worsening carpet sales

Published: January 18, 2023
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Calhoun, Ga.-based Mohawk Industries attributes weak demand for carpet to interest rate increases, high inflation and reduced consumer confidence in the U.S. and Europe. | Casimiro PT/Shutterstock

Flooring market conditions have worsened faster than Mohawk Industries expected, leading to longer-than-anticipated idling of its carpet factories, the company announced. Continue Reading

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Converter taps tech to use lower-grade RPET feedstock

Published: January 10, 2023
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PET bottle laying across PET flakes.

D&W Fine Pack has used RPET for roughly a decade, and is now ramping up its use of post-consumer resins in response to growing demand. | Aykut Erdogdu/Shutterstock

A multi-million-dollar equipment investment is enabling D&W Fine Pack to recycle post-consumer PET flakes into 100% recycled content food packaging. An executive at the company described the project and the benefits it will bring.

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Pyrolysis company nets $150M to drive its growth

Published: January 10, 2023
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Nexus Circular uses a pyrolysis technology to process scrap plastics into an oil that plastics producers can use to make new polyolefins. | Courtesy of Nexus Circular

Atlanta-based Nexus Circular has received a $150 million investment from a diversified global company, which will become its new owner. Continue Reading

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Seattle effort shows power of convenience on film collection

Published: January 10, 2023
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Plastic bag bales

The project, run by Return-It and the American Chemistry Council (ACC), resulted in about 94% usable plastic. | Huguette Roe/Shutterstock

In five months, Washington state residents in the greater Seattle area turned in over 25 tons of film to independent grocery stores as part of a pilot project. Continue Reading

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Maine tapping stakeholders to draft EPR rules

Published: January 6, 2023
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The Maine capitol building in Augusta.

Maine’s EPR draft rules will go to the Board of Environmental Protection to begin the formal rulemaking process in December 2023. | Yurii Prohonnyi/Shutterstock

Maine’s governor signed an extended producer responsibility law for packaging in 2021, and the state is now seeking stakeholder feedback to guide the rulemaking process. 

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Amazon and Oceana spar over retailer’s plastic footprint

Published: January 3, 2023
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Amazon Prime plastic bubble shipping mailer.

Environmental group Oceana estimates Amazon produced 709 million pounds of plastic packaging in 2021. | oasisamuel/Shutterstock

Amazon recently disclosed data on its plastic packaging footprint and sustainability efforts. But where the online giant sees progress, an environmental group sees cherry-picked numbers.

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Brands advance sustainability – but use more plastic overall

Published: January 3, 2023
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McDonald's drink cups and straws discarded on concrete.

WWF found that 34% of members’ plastic footprint was recycled, 9% incinerated, 43% landfilled and 15% mismanaged. | Kraft74/Shutterstock

In 2021, major brands increased their use of PCR and cut back on “problematic plastics,” but the amount of plastic they put on the market grew by over 5%, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

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Senate hearing digs into plastic pollution

Published: December 16, 2022
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Senate hearing room.

The Dec. 15 hearing by the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works brought four panelists together to answer questions from legislators. | Katherine Welles/Shutterstock

During a two-hour hearing, U.S. senators questioned industry experts about chemicals in plastics, marine plastic pollution and extended producer responsibility. 

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European panel approves PET recycling technologies

Published: January 3, 2023
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EFSA approved packaging from Greiner Packaging.

Greiner Packaging was one of several companies to get the go-ahead from the European Food Safety Authority to recycle post-consumer PET into 100% recycled-content food and drink packaging. | Courtesy of Greiner

A scientific review panel has given the green light to several different technologies to recycle post-consumer PET and polyolefins into 100% recycled-content food and drink packaging.

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