Industry group Plastic Recyclers Europe is asking the European Union (EU) and individual countries to include recycling in their recovery plans. | sakhorn/Shutterstock
Coronavirus shutdown impacts have converged with low virgin plastic prices to spell significant struggles for European plastics reclaimers, according to a trade association.
Connecticut will begin a phased-in deposit program resumption on May 20. | monticello/Shutterstock
Connecticut retailers will begin accepting deposit containers on a limited basis this week and will ramp up to full service early next month. COVID-19 disruptions to deposit programs continue in other states.
Despite challenges caused by the pandemic starting in March, the first quarter of 2020 showed strong sales for some businesses that use recycled plastic. | Chaosamran_Studio/Shutterstock
Three major recycled plastic consumers recently reported their business performance during the first few months of 2020. They touched on COVID-19, recycled material costs and their outlook for the future.
TerraCycle US sold $5.81 million worth of recycled plastic and other materials in 2019, well over double its net sales from the prior year. | Courtesy of TerraCycle.
This article has been updated.
A car seat recycling deal with a major retailer helped boost TerraCycle’s recovered commodity sales by over $3.5 million last year, according to a financial report.
Recycled material shipments out of the U.S. have been on the decline for multiple years due to overseas regulatory changes. | MAGNIFIER/Shutterstock
U.S. shipments of recycled plastic out of the country were down during the first quarter of 2020 compared with previous years, according to new export data.
Natural HDPE inched up this month, but most other post-consumer plastic grades are trading for lower prices.
The CDC recently released a document covering steps employees and employers in the recycling and waste industries can take to prevent the spread of the virus. | g0d4ather/Shutterstock
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a fact sheet to help keep garbage and recycling industry workers safe during the pandemic.
Campbell’s recently pledged to incorporate 25% recycled plastic in its PET bottles by 2030. | Katherine Welles/Shutterstock
Campbell’s Soup Company, which uses a variety of plastic packaging in addition to its signature steel soup cans, says its PET containers will hit a 25% recycled-content level within a decade.
NRT is currently producing about 75 mask comfort products a day, with the first 300 to be delivered to Nashville hospitals May 6. | Courtesy of National Recovery Technologies (NRT).
Normally, NRT’s 3D printer is busy producing parts for optical sorters and other recycling machinery. But amid the pandemic, the company is also using the technology to make mask straps that help out health care workers.
