In the first quarter of 2023, Malaysia took in less than half the scrap plastic it did one year earlier; meanwhile, Bangladesh received just over four times as much. | Chenxueting/Shutterstock
U.S. companies exported 10% less scrap plastic during the first quarter of 2023 than they did a year earlier, and there were some dramatic changes in where material was flowing. Continue Reading
A cup made of recycled PLA, produced by Coexpan and TotalEnergies Corbion, recently passed form, fill, seal testing. | Courtesy of TotalEnergies Corbion
TotalEnergies purchased a Spanish plastics reclaimer. Meanwhile, a joint venture involving TotalEnergies announced it is now marketing a recycled PLA cup.
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The multifaceted recycling company posted an increase in sales but a decrease in income, due to an increased cost of sales and higher operating expenses. | Gonzo/Shutterstock
TerraCycle US’s total sales surged last year, with a particular improvement in the sales of recycled plastics and other materials. Continue Reading
More honesty in recyclability labeling could save brands the trouble of going to court – without costing them much in sales. | Ivan Alex Burchak/Shutterstock
After Keurig Green Mountain reached a class-action settlement in a case concerning the company’s K-Cup recyclability claims, the plaintiffs anticipated the brand owner would end up paying consumers $1.25 million.
The city of Tuscon plans to use ByFusion’s blocks to expand a women’s shelter, among other projects. | Courtesy of ByFusion
A company that turns hard-to-recycle plastics into construction-grade building blocks signed a four-year contract with the city of Tucson to expand drop-off collection and further develop local manufacturing.
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The recently launched certification standard, SCS-103A, sets thresholds, ranging from 5% to 50%, for recycled content in various categories of products. | DC Studio/Shutterstock
Environmental and sustainability certifier SCS Global Services launched a recycled-content certification for the electrical and electronic equipment industries that verifies the total percentage of recycled materials in products. Continue Reading
Prices for bales of natural HDPE, color HDPE and PP have all continued increasing over the past month, though other plastics have seen values stay relatively flat. 
Collection trucks parked outside of Waste Expo in New Orleans last week. In sessions, leaders from various haulers and facility operators discussed recycling policy. | Dan Leif/Plastics Recycling Update
At Waste Expo last week, executives from several materials recovery facility operators and private-sector recyclers detailed concerns about material ownership and “stranded assets” as recycling policy evolves. At the same time, some MRF leaders voiced clear support for extended producer responsibility frameworks. Continue Reading