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European panel OKs PET recycling technologies

Published: December 22, 2021
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PET bottles gathered for recycling.

Several technologies for processing post-consumer PET into food and drink packaging have been approved. | srisakorn wonglakorn/Shutterstock

A food-safety panel approved 17 applications to use Starlinger, SML and Protec technologies to recycle post-consumer PET into food and drink packaging. It rejected two other requests.

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LDPE recycling firm Circulus plans ambitious rollout

Published: December 15, 2021
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Circulus facility interior.

The processing line at Circulus gives the company the ability to easily switch between processing LDPE, PP and HDPE, although its initial primary focus is on LDPE film. | Courtesy of Circulus

A film recycling company that recently opened its first facility in California aims to launch two additional plants in the U.S. next year, with more on the way in the future.

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AI helps US compounder detect recycled resin odors

Published: December 15, 2021
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Aryballe's digital nose technology

Digital nose technology developed by French company Aryballe provides consistent, AI-powered analysis while different humans experience smells differently. | Courtesy of Aryballe

Artificial intelligence is already used to recognize how different scrap plastics look. Now, a Michigan compounder is testing AI to evaluate how recycled resins smell.

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Multiple factors constraining food-contact PCR supply

Published: December 8, 2021
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Pellets spilled from tube onto blue surface.

A newly published study set out to explore the barriers and possible solutions to growing the use of recycled plastic in food-contact-suitable applications. | StanislauV/Shutterstock

Contaminating additives and declining recycling rates for food packaging are limiting growth in production of food-grade recycled resin, according to research from a consulting firm.

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ADS acquires major PP recycling company

Published: December 8, 2021
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Large diameter black drainage pipe.

ADS, a publicly traded manufacturer of plastic piping and other water management products, now has a number of plastics recycling operations under its umbrella. | Xato/Shutterstock

Advanced Drainage Systems, one of the largest plastics recycling companies in North America, has acquired its biggest supplier of recycled polypropylene.

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Amcor buys more PCR and develops sortable mini-bottle

Published: December 8, 2021
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Amcor Rigid Packaging 50-ml bottle

Amcor designed a 50-milliliter PET bottle that collapses to be wider than five centimeters, helping to prevent it falling through sorting screens at materials recovery facilities (MRFs). | Courtesy of Amcor Rigid Packaging

One of the world’s largest packaging producers boosted its purchases of post-consumer resin by about 30% last year.
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Keurig agrees to settle coffee pod recyclability suit

Published: December 1, 2021
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A box of Green Mountain Keurig coffee pods.

Keurig has tentatively settled a class-action suit regarding the company’s recyclability claims. | John Mantell/Shutterstock

Keurig Green Mountain has reached a tentative class-action settlement with a consumer who is suing the company over its coffee pod recyclability claims.

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KW Plastics adds dedicated polypropylene wash line

Published: December 1, 2021
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View of KW Plastics' new wash line for PP recycling

KW’s new PP wash line has a full capacity of 100 million pounds per year. | Credit: Scott Saunders

KW Plastics in the past month started up a polypropylene wash line that will increase its processing capacity by 100 million pounds per year. Company General Manager Scott Saunders said the line will boost efficiency.

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Plastic pollution draws federal and global attention

Published: December 1, 2021
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Flags from various nations against a blue sky background.

The U.S. Secretary of State has indicated U.S. support for a global plastics pollution treaty. | Gerain0812/Shutterstock

The U.S. has signaled support for a worldwide agreement to reduce marine plastic pollution. Meanwhile, the EU is drafting stricter export rules, a watchdog group is mapping plastic dump sites, and researchers shared findings on the greenhouse gas impacts of virgin plastic shipments.

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