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RecycleDat! again aims for Mardi Gras sustainability

Published: February 26, 2025
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Mardi Gras in New Orleans is one of the world’s largest parties, drawing 1 million visitors each year. | f11photo/shutterstock

Public events always bring their own challenges to recycling – large numbers of people on the move, visitors from out of town, a constant flow of adult beverages and other distractions, the list goes on. And Mardi Gras in New Orleans, with its 12-day, 24-7 marathon of parades and parties drawing roughly 1 million people every year, may well be king.  Continue Reading

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Oregon is first to approve EPR plan

Published: February 26, 2025
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Oregon capitol building with trees in bloom.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality announced it approved a program plan on Feb. 21. | Yanqiang Dai/Shutterstock

After several years of work, Oregon has approved an extended producer responsibility plan, laying out how packaging producers are expected to fulfill the requirements of the law.   Continue Reading

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Chemical recycling projects receive backing

Published: February 26, 2025
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PET bales stacked for recycling.

Three companies announced funding and other progress toward building chemical recycling capacity. | Menzl Guenter/Shutterstock

Several companies recently announced progress toward chemical recycling capacity, including a developing method to recycle PET that could require much less energy. Continue Reading

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Price spread between color, natural HDPE at record high

Published: February 26, 2025
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The price spread between the two grades of HDPE bales stood at 85.07 cents per pound for February, according to RecyclingMarkets.net data, the highest level the index has tracked in seven years. | Jared Paben/Resource Recycling

The price spread between natural and color HDPE reached a record high in February, as natural bales pricing increased while mixed-color bales remained near historic lows.  Continue Reading

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RPET imports raise industry concerns

Published: February 20, 2025
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Cargo containers stacked at a logistics hub.

Scrap PET imports rose faster than overall scrap plastic imports did last year, continuing what has been an emerging challenge for the domestic plastics recycling industry. | S Oleg/Shutterstock

Domestic RPET market participants have struggled to compete with inexpensive imported material for nearly two years. But the lack of a specific Harmonized Tariff System code obscures the scale of the issue even as PET’s share of scrap imports surpassed 50%.  Continue Reading

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Durable goods companies offer construction outlooks

Published: February 20, 2025
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Executives at Advanced Drainage Systems, Mohawk Industries and Azek shared expectations for 2025 housing and construction activity during recent investor calls. | Mega Pixel/Shutterstock

Editor’s note: Learn more about durable goods and many other topics at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference on March 24-26 in National Harbor, Maryland.  Continue Reading

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Oregon simplifies EPR exemption process

Published: February 20, 2025
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Plastic pallet wrap is one material that’s eligible for an exemption from the state’s extended producer responsibility for packaging program. | St.Marco/Shutterstock

The Product Stewardship Institute and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality explained the different exemptions available to producers under the state’s incoming extended producer responsibility for packaging law in a recent webinar. Continue Reading

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Small-format recycling within reach, Closed Loop finds

Published: February 20, 2025
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Billions of small-format plastic items are produced each year but are lost to landfills or incinerators across the board. | Golden Shrimp/Shutterstock

Editor’s note: Learn more about plastic recycling trends and many other topics at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference on March 24-26 in National Harbor, Maryland.  Continue Reading

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Demand, virgin pricing drive runup in PP bale values

Published: February 20, 2025
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Closeup of PP with a chasing arrows recycling symbol.

Both buyers and sellers quoted prices as high as 17 cents per pound in mid-February, citing capacity additions and competition with virgin resin for the runup. | CalypsoArt/Shutterstock

Editor’s note: Learn more about food-grade recycled PP and many other topics at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference on March 24-26 in National Harbor, Maryland.  Continue Reading

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