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Category: Top stories

How a pyrolysis firm handles EnergyBag plastics

Published: January 27, 2021
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Nexus truck and tanks.

The CEO of Nexus Fuels told Plastics Recycling Update how his company uses its pyrolysis technology to convert the mix of post-consumer plastics collected at the curb into chemical and wax products. | Nexus Fuels

For the past two years, difficult-to-recycle plastics have been collected in Cobb County, Ga. through the Hefty EnergyBag program. A downstream processor recently described what happens to that material.

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Reuters: Renew Oceans project shuts down

Published: January 20, 2021
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Plastic waste lines the banks of the Ganges river in Calcutta, India.

Unnamed sources told Reuters that Renew Oceans captured only one metric ton of plastic waste from the Ganges River, far short of publicly stated goals. | photo stock india/Shutterstock

This article has been updated.

A touted initiative from the Alliance to End Plastic Waste ceased operations in India nearly a year ago, and it’s not expected to be revived.

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Tight trucking market will persist well into 2021

Published: January 20, 2021
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Many hauling trucks parked in a lot.

With fewer available drivers comes less available trucking supply, leading to higher prices and potential disruptions in trucking availability for those in the recycling industry. | Vitpho/Shutterstock

A driver shortage that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to create challenges for moving recyclables this year, analysts say.

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Basel plastic regulations cause ‘fight for feedstock’

Published: January 13, 2021
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Cargo ship with terminal in background.

Scrap plastic traders are facing challenges from increased freight rates and cancellations of bookings by shipping lines as Basel regulations are implemented. | Mariusz Bugno/Shutterstock

Industry experts say overseas buyers are struggling to source scrap plastic after new restrictions on the global trade of recovered plastic began taking effect.

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Slew of food-contact PET approvals issued

Published: January 13, 2021
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Empty PET drink bottles on a blue background.

Approvals were given to two technologies to recycle post-consumer PET bottles into new food and drink packaging. | alenka2194/Shutterstock

A European authority gave the thumbs up to using Starlinger and EREMA technologies to recycle post-consumer PET for use in food and drink packaging.

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Our top 10 stories from 2020

Published: January 6, 2021
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Sabic logo on website, seen through magnifying glass.

Details on chemical recycling ventures from virgin plastics producers, including SABIC, drew attention last year. | Casimiro PT/Shutterstock

The past 12 months certainly gave plastics recycling stakeholders plenty to chew on – and the action extended beyond just the uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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‘Anomaly’ year brings recycled PET market twists

Published: December 23, 2020
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Closeup of empty PET bottles.

COVID-19 and pricing pressure led companies to seek other supply lines for PET feedstock. | Pixel B/Shutterstock

A confluence of RPET market disruptions in 2020 included low prime plastic pricing and supply challenges that led end users to seek feedstock from other sources. Still, experts maintain a surge of RPET demand is fast approaching.

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Details on Circulate Capital’s Indian plastics investments

Published: December 23, 2020
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Workers at the Dalmia Polypro Industries facility.

Circulate Capital invested in Dalmia Polypro Industries, a plastic bottle recycling company based in Mumbai, India. | Courtesy of Circulate Capital.

The U.S. and Europe have had formal recycling infrastructure in place for decades. That’s not the case in India, where Circulate Capital just invested millions of dollars to boost infrastructure and reduce ocean plastics generation.

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