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California thermoform bill vetoed

Published: September 28, 2022
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California Governor Gavin Newsom speaking at podium.

California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have required thermoform-to-thermoform recycling. | Sheila Fitzgerald/Shutterstock

Following industry pushback, California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have mandated the use of some level of post-consumer resin in thermoform food and drink packaging. 

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WM agrees to acquire controlling interest in Avangard Innovative

Published: September 14, 2022
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Avangard's Waller, Texas facility seen from above.

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.

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FDA greenlights a dozen resin recycling processes

Published: September 14, 2022
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Plastic food trays holding fresh strawberries.

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.

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California passes bevy of recycling bills in final days

Published: September 8, 2022
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Calif. state captiol building in Sacramento.

California legislators sent a number of recycling-related bills to the governor at the end of this session. | Leonid Adnronov/Shutterstock

When California’s legislative session ended Aug. 31, a number of recycling-related bills passed just before the deadline. Here’s a roundup of bills currently waiting to be signed into law and that have already been signed. 

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Thermoform-to-thermoform bill draws mixed reactions

Published: September 8, 2022
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Thermoform containers holding eggs.

Thermoforms like those shown here often contain post-consumer material from bottles, but a California bill would require post-consumer thermoforms to be used in production of new thermoforms. | Anakumka/Shutterstock

Current debate over a California bill requiring PET thermoforms to contain RPET derived from thermoforms boils down to one question: What will materials recovery facilities do? 

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Why Phoenix is bullish on RPET despite latest pricing

Published: September 8, 2022
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PET flake with PET bottle.

Estimated to cost between $30 million and $40 million, Phoenix’s project includes constructing a 70,000-square-foot building on the site of its original Bowling Green, Ohio campus. | Korn9/Shutterstock

Phoenix Technologies International kicked off a major PET recycling expansion project right as scrap PET prices tanked. But company leaders aren’t nervous because they are confident in the long-term demand for RPET. 

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When assessing chemical recycling, ‘follow the money’

Published: August 31, 2022
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Eric Hartz speaks on stage at the 2022 Resource Recycling Conference.

Eric Hartz (center) spoke on a panel with Kate Bailey (right) at the 2022 Resource Recycling Conference. The session was moderated by Sarah Edwards (left). | Big Wave Productions/Resource Recycling, Inc.

Recent years have seen a steady stream of announcements from chemical recycling operators touting technological breakthroughs. But two industry insiders recently issued a stern reminder to the market: Don’t forget about economics.

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