A drop in overall plastics collection contributed to a decline in the annual bottle recycling rate, which decreased to 27.8% in 2022. | Mohamed Abdulraheem/Shutterstock
Just over 5 billion pounds of post-consumer plastic was recovered for recycling in 2022, an annual industry report found, marking a decrease from the prior year. One trade association pointed to macroeconomic factors like inflation as driving the lower recovery. Continue Reading
SB 1013 brought more container types into the California Redemption Value system but also removed an option for retailers to choose to pay a $100 daily fee instead of accepting returned containers. | VanderWolf/Shutterstock
Formal rulemaking for changes to California’s deposit system is about to begin, and draft rules shed more light on new requirements for beverage dealers and retailers. Continue Reading
A partnership between the city of Phoenix, Arizona State University (ASU), Goodwill of Northern and Central Arizona and Hustle PHX will recycle several hundred tons of PE and PP into local end markets. | Courtesy of Goodwill of Northern and Central Arizona.
For years, recycling collection has focused on centralizing material and processing high volumes. An Arizona project is exploring other options with a micro-factory. Continue Reading
The Hawai’i Pacific University’s Center for Marine Debris Research created a Megaplastic Pollution Research Program to accelerate plastic marine debris removal and recycling in the Hawaiian Islands. | Richard Chapman – UK/Shutterstock
Marine pollution abatement, a boost to the local economy and a way to help solve the local housing crisis: A proposed project to turn marine plastic into durable infrastructure could provide all three on the island of Oahu, Hawai’i. Continue Reading
A rendering of the Republic Polymer Center set for Indianapolis. | Courtesy of Republic Services
Republic Services announced that its second plastics processing and production hub, expected to come on-line in late 2024, will be located in Indianapolis. Continue Reading
Companies such as Prairie Robotics and AMCS Group are leveraging AI to craft more robust analytics, all the way down to the individual household level. | 9dream Studio/Shutterstock
Artificial intelligence is now well established in MRFs as a tool for sorting material and dramatically reducing contamination. Now, multiple companies are taking AI to an earlier stage of the recycling process by mounting cameras on collection trucks. Continue Reading
Topics at a recent discussion of EPR programs included collection, efficiency and harmony across jurisdictions. | mi_viri/Shutterstock
Producer responsibility organizations can help drive efficiency and harmonization in extended producer responsibility programs, stakeholders suggested at a recent conference. Continue Reading
An image of Reynolds’ Hefty Recycling bag box from a lawsuit challenging the recycling-related claims. Reynolds Consumer Products says it has since made wording changes to the packaging. | Screen copy from court filings
Reynolds Consumer Products has agreed to change advertising language and pay up to $4 million to settle one of multiple lawsuits alleging its marketing of recycling collection bags is illegal. Continue Reading
Waste Management handled about 10% fewer tons of scrap plastic in 2022 than it did in 2021. | Rblfmr/Shutterstock
Waste Management handled 465,000 tons of scrap plastic bales in 2022, down from the previous year because recycling plant upgrades required temporary shutdowns. Continue Reading
Researchers at The Circulate Initiative identified several common challenges that cities face when dealing with plastic waste. | Mohamed Abdulraheem/Shutterstock
Research recently undertaken by several groups dug into how individual cities in ocean plastic hot spots are approaching materials management. Continue Reading