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Scrap plastic exports plummet 47% this year

Published: August 7, 2019
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U.S. exporters shipped out 773 million pounds of scrap plastic in the first half of 2019. | aapsky/Shutterstock

Federal trade statistics released last week show U.S. export volumes for the first six months of 2019. Recycled plastics have seen a major drop when compared with figures from a year ago.

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Startup leverages cryptocurrency to push plastics recovery

Published: August 5, 2020
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A phone with the ZeLoop app on screen.

Users of the ZeLoop app will receive cryptocurrency for bringing materials to recycling collection sites. | Courtesy of ZeLoop.

A mobile app in beta testing seeks to reward users for properly recycling materials at drop-off locations. The company says an exchange of currency is vital to the process.

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Brightmark seeking 2.4 billion pounds of US mixed plastics

Published: August 5, 2020
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Sorted plastics at a recycling facility.

Brightmark is seeking over 1,000,000 tons of difficult-to-recycle plastics for chemical recycling. | hiv360/Shutterstock

A chemical recycling firm is on the hunt for a massive quantity of plastics Nos. 1-7, material the company plans to process at plastics-to-fuel facilities across the country.

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Brand owners report RPET usage progress

Published: July 22, 2020
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PET water bottles for recycling

Bottled water companies that use recycled plastic have recently made new investments and design choices. | iamshutter/Shutterstock

The company behind Crystal Geyser brand water opened a recycled PET plant in Southern California, and Nestlé Waters North America now averages 16.5% RPET in its U.S. containers. The following are details on recent water bottle announcements.

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Environmental group takes aim at chemical recycling

Published: July 29, 2020
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Scrap plastics baled for recycling.

Chemical recycling uses different processes to break plastics down into other chemicals, which can be used to make fuels, new plastics or many other products. | Vershinin89/Shutterstock

A report from activist organization GAIA claims processing strategies that have been heavily promoted by the polymer industry amount to a “greenwashing tactic” undermining efforts to ban single-use plastics.

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PP purification company draws more investors

Published: July 29, 2020
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Business meeting with documents on a table.

PureCycle submitted a July 14 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) indicating investors had purchased $1.45 million in equity securities in the company. | Freedomz/Shutterstock

PP recycling startup PureCycle Technologies recently raised $1.45 million in investments, financial filings show. Meanwhile, an acquisition-focused company continues to eye PureCycle.

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Industry veteran shares insights on markets and her new venture

Published: July 22, 2020
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Industry veteran Tamsin Ettefagh recently left HDPE reclaimer Envision Plastics.Brian Adams Photo / Plastics Recycling Conference and Trade Show.

Tamsin Ettefagh, who has helped lead a couple of the largest plastics recycling companies in North America, has embarked on a new consulting venture.

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Groups weigh in on federal recycled-product purchasing

Published: July 22, 2020
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plastic crates

Industry groups want the federal government to add a variety of recycled-plastic products into federal procurement guidelines. | Suttipong Prangsuwan/Shutterstock

As the U.S. EPA updates its lists of recycled-content products purchased by federal agencies, plastics recycling stakeholders are making their voices heard.

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