According to Recycle BC, 32,804 metric tons of plastic were collected by the program, up 12.3% from the year before. | VanderWolf Images / Shutterstock
British Columbia’s producer-funded recycling system recovered 52% of plastic last year, up sharply from the year before.
Na Kyung-soo, CEO of SK Global Chemical, signs the strategic investment agreement with Loop Industries on June 23. | Courtesy of SK Global Chemical
Quebec-based Loop Industries is receiving a $56 million equity investment from plastics giant SK Global Chemical to help it grow its PET depolymerization business.
The head of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries says the group has worked closely with officials in countries around the world to ensure that exported materials meet high quality thresholds. | peresanz / Shutterstock
Metaspectral’s vision system is capable of operating at conveyor belt speeds of up to 10 meters per second. | Nordroden / Shutterstock
The government of British Columbia is helping to fund development of a high-precision scrap plastics identification technology, according to the developer.
Maine’s new law requires packaging producers to fund the recycling of their products. | Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
The governor of Maine has signed legislation establishing extended producer responsibility for packaging materials in the state. It’s the first bill of its kind to become law in the U.S.
The American Chemistry Council’s position statement comes at a time of heightened legislative activity on plastics. | Natallia Boroda / Shutterstock
A major industry group is urging Congress to adopt a national recycled plastic standard, facilitate “rapid scaling” of the chemical recycling sector, and more.
Sellers of recycled plastics have continued to enjoy strong markets, with virtually all grades seeing value boosts from June to July.
The California Statewide Commission on Recycling Markets & Curbside Recycling in late June published an expansive report with recommendations for lawmakers. | Nordroden / Shutterstock
A government-convened commission of California recycling stakeholders has outlined steps to boost markets and cut contamination. But the group’s report also leaves polypropylene off a key initial list of accepted materials, drawing quick pushback from national associations.
KDP used 2% post-consumer resin across its plastic packaging portfolio in 2020, up from 0.4% in 2019. | Pavel Kapysh / Shutterstock
A major brand owner has significantly increased its recycled plastic use in recent years. But the company still has a ways to go to hit its 2025 goal of 25% post-consumer resin use.
PET bottle labels can be problematic to the plastics recycling process, but three PET bottle label innovations recently received letters confirming their compatibility. | Ho Su A Bi / Shutterstock
The Association of Plastic Recyclers has recognized three shrink label innovations for their compatibility with PET recycling processes.