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Industry reacts to passage of Colorado packaging EPR bill

Published: May 18, 2022
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Various household packaging and recyclable materials.

Colorado is the third state in the U.S. to pass a packaging extended producer responsibility bill, and the first in the 2022 legislative session. | Arturs Budkevics/Shutterstock

While many industry leaders praised the recent passage of a Colorado bill establishing extended producer responsibility for printed paper and packaging, others are calling for Gov. Jared Polis to veto it.

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Composite decking companies expand, boosting PCR demand

Published: May 18, 2022
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Cedar Poly facility exterior.

Cedar Poly in Tipson, Iowa was just acquired by UFP Industries. | Cedar Poly website

Recycled-plastic decking manufacturers are responding to strong markets for their products by expanding production capacity, including UFP buying reclaimer Cedar Poly and Fiberon breaking ground on a facility in Tennessee.

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McKinsey weighs in on chemical recycling potential

Published: May 18, 2022
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Research charts on table with pen.

The report discusses investments that would need to occur in terms of scrap plastic collection and sorting, existing impediments to scaling up chemical recycling and more. | David Gyung/Shutterstock

If $40 billion were invested in chemical recycling technologies and certain constraints were resolved, chemical recycling processes could satisfy 4-8% of total polymer demand by 2030, according to a new analysis.

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Plastics recycling report draws mainstream notice

Published: May 11, 2022
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HDPE plastic bottles arranged on yellow background.

Plastics recycling is drawing mainstream media attention in the wake of recent data showing low and declining recycling rates in the U.S. | lary_bird/Shutterstock

A recent report on plastic recycling rates from The Last Beach Clean Up and Beyond Plastics has attracted the attention of several large news outlets and the mainstream public, but industry leaders said the data is misleading and counter-productive.

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EPR and packaging-reduction bill introduced in New York

Published: May 11, 2022
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NY state capitol building.

The introduction of the EPR bill came after lawmakers stripped a prior EPR program out of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposal. | Paul Brady Photography/Shutterstock

An extended producer responsibility bill that has the support of environmental activists was recently introduced in New York, while a Colorado EPR bill moved to the Senate floor.

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Robotics provider begins operating its own facilities

Published: May 11, 2022
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Closeup of residual bale from a MRF.

Secondary-sortation sites run by AMP Robotics are targeting a wide variety of materials that come from MRFs and other sources. | Courtesy of AMP Robotics

AMP Robotics is now breaking and sorting materials recovery facility residual bales at secondary-sortation operations in Colorado, Georgia and Ohio.

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Polyethylene film recycling plant coming to Minnesota

Published: May 4, 2022
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Stacks of rolled plastic film for recycling.

A number of prominent names are financing Myplas USA’s first U.S. polyethylene film recycling plant, to be located in Rogers, Minn., outside of Minneapolis. | Joyce Blessthink/Shutterstock

Brand owners and other private and public entities are investing millions of dollars into a plastic reclaimer’s project to build a 170,000-square-foot film recycling facility in the Upper Midwest.

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Federal study finds 86% of US plastic landfilled in 2019

Published: May 4, 2022
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Landfill scene with machinery and material.

Federal researchers found study also found that only about 5% of discarded plastic in the U.S. was recycled in 2019, while 86% was left in landfills and 9% was burned to generate electricity. | Huguette Roe/Shutterstock

A study from the U.S. Department of Energy estimated the amount of plastic discarded in the U.S. in 2019 was 44 million metric tons, higher than other estimates.

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Recycling startups report resolution to legal issues

Published: May 4, 2022
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SEC logo on building in Washington, D.C.

An SEC fact-finding investigation into PP recycling startup PureCycle recently concluded without further action. | AevanStock/Shutterstock

PET recycling startup Loop Industries agreed to pay millions of dollars to settle a lawsuit from investors, and regulators have ended their investigation of PP recycling startup PureCycle Technologies without taking further action.

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