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Virgin PE producers maintain high run rates despite downturn

Published: November 4, 2025
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In recent quarterly investor calls, several major PE producers provided a survey of the current landscape for virgin resin and gave a glimpse at what the near future may hold. | Richard Frazier/Shutterstock

Key takeaways

  • Global production shifting to newer, more efficient plants
  • Outages, upstream add support for price increase hopes
  • Packaging sector ‘resilient’ despite changing consumer behaviors

For the past three years, virgin PE resin has caused severe headaches for North American recyclers who are unable to compete with pricing pushed down by vast oversupply amid a steady stream of new capacity amid lower-than-expected demand. Continue Reading

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Top 5 stories for October 2025

Published: November 4, 2025
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In a statement, the company called the closure of the plastic film processing plant temporary, amid challenging macroeconomic conditions. | Courtesy of Natura

Stories exploring the closure of a major film recycling plant, a recyclability assessment platform, ADS recycled plastic purchases, PET imports and drew reader attention in October.

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APR applies pressure on PET imports, tariffs

Published: October 23, 2025
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Nick Laneville, senior associate at Hogan Lovells in Washington, DC, at the APR fall member meeting Oct. 22, 2025 | Photo courtesy Tan Sackett/APR

As pressure builds and the recycling industry faces an existential crisis, speakers at the fall member meeting for the Association of Plastic Recyclers highlighted mounting efforts that focused on finding trade remedies. Continue Reading

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APR alliance aligns global packaging design guidance

Published: October 23, 2025
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The APR Design Guide for recyclable packaging is now available in Spanish and Mandarin, and includes modifications to suit variations in recycling infrastructure. | Pavlo Lys/Shutterstock

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) has published its design guide in both Mandarin and Spanish, to help reinforce ongoing commitment to global alignment of guidelines for plastic packaging design for recyclability.  Continue Reading

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WM closes Natura PCR film operation in Texas

Published: October 22, 2025
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In a statement, the company called the closure of the plastic film processing plant temporary, amid challenging macroeconomic conditions. | Courtesy of Natura PCR

Hauler WM has shuttered its Natura PCR plastic film processing operations in Texas only months after starting up a new $150 million plant, amid lackluster market conditions.  

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EU recyclers urge understanding of solvent-based methods

Published: October 22, 2025
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Dissolution recycling processes leave a polymer structure intact, and belong in the physical recycling category along with mechanical recycling, Plastics Recyclers Europe said. | Rene Notenbomer/Shutterstock

Industry association Plastics Recyclers Europe is looking to raise the profile of dissolution recycling, an often-overlooked process that doesn’t quite fit into common recycling categories. Continue Reading

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RecycleOn Oregon opens first drop-off hard-to-recycle site

Published: October 22, 2025
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The RecycleOn Oregon center opened this month in Ashland, the first of 140 planned for the state, in line with the state’s EPR law mandates. | Courtesy RecycleOn

Hard-to-recycle materials may soon find a new use in Oregon thanks to a first-of-its-kind recycling center now open there.

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Producers receive first bills under UK packaging EPR

Published: October 22, 2025
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PackUK has begun issuing the first EPR invoices to packaging producers, outlining payment rules, penalties and next steps toward modulated recyclability fees. |
Tartezy / Shutterstock

  • Fee modulation is based on reported 2024 data
  • Base fees expected to raise nearly $2 million in 2025
  • Industry raises concerns about transparency, fee pass-through

The administrator for the UK’s extended producer responsibility program for packaging has issued its first invoices to packaging producers, marking the start of a major shift in how household packaging waste is funded.

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