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Research, programs improve film recycling access

Published: May 21, 2025
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Stretch film on rolls at the manufacturer.

A California initiative and a nationwide study examine the accessibility of film recycling programs, and a Canadian city begins collection. | Dmitry Markov152/Shutterstock

Most Americans have access to a store drop-off site for film plastics, according to a new study by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition.   Continue Reading

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Industry nuance is key in adopting emerging technology

Published: May 21, 2025
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A technology-focused panel at ReMA’s 2025 conference featured Blake Gordon of Georgia-Pacific Recycling, Lisa Kagan of Buddy and Geoff Aardsma of AMCS, and was moderated by Jennifer Betts of Magnar Metals. | Photo by Colin Staub / Resource Recycling

For Blake Gordon, general manager of digital trading at Georgia-Pacific Recycling, defining next-generation technology can be boiled down to a simple question: Does it simplify something that is unnecessarily complex? If so, it’s next-gen. Continue Reading

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Clarity on future of FDA LNO program yet to emerge

Published: May 14, 2025
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Resins spilled out of a tube onto a pink background.

Following dramatic staffing cuts and an overall lack of clarity from federal officials, the future of an important program for recycled plastics remains a question mark. | StanislauV/Shutterstock

Amid sweeping federal staffing cuts, the future of a government program to assess processes to make food packaging from recycled plastics is unclear, sources told Plastics Recycling Update in recent interviews. 

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Trex, Mohawk, Indorama report Q1 earnings

Published: May 14, 2025
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Trex Facilities

Trex’s recycled plastic processing operation in Arkansas began production late in the first quarter. | Photo Courtesy of Trex

Pressures from tariffs and consumer spending slowdowns have contributed to lower revenues year over year at Trex, Mohawk and Indorama, according to their recent first-quarter reports. 

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Experts emphasize safety after ‘disconcerting’ fatalities

Published: May 14, 2025
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The safety-focused summit came after the latest federal data showed a backslide in waste and recycling industry safety. | Sirisak baokaew/Shutterstock

As recycling companies seek to improve workplace safety amid an industry-wide increase in on-the-job fatalities, experts at a recent industry summit advised managers to focus their attention on — and for top executives, even to attend — the regular pre-shift safety meetings.

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California will fund mixed plastics facility, other projects

Published: May 14, 2025
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Stacked bales of mixed plastics.

A secondary sorting facility pulling deposit containers out of mixed plastic bales was awarded funding from the state of California. | Hiv360/Shutterstock

California’s state recycling agency will provide $10 million toward a facility sorting plastics with resin codes 2-7, additional multimillion dollar grants for several major MRF retrofits, and a handful of smaller awards for localities to install recycling collection containers. Continue Reading

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Google, Dow partner on AI to identify recyclables

Published: May 14, 2025
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Polyethylene film collected for recycling.

Researchers with Google X’s Moonshot Factory are working with product designers to recycle plastics currently considered unrecyclable. | Artgray/Shutterstock

Google X and Dow Chemical are collaborating to develop an artificial intelligence sorting system capable of identifying film plastics and mixed materials, they announced at a conference in April.

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Haulers share how weather, tariffs impacted Q1

Published: May 7, 2025
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truck

Winter weather and tariffs were top of mind for five of the largest publicly traded garbage and recycling companies in North America in the first quarter of the year. | Republic Services

Bad weather in parts of the country weighed on leading recycling companies’ first-quarter earnings, their leaders said, but overall they saw revenue increases. Continue Reading

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