Attendees ‘break a bale,’ learning about how textiles are sorted for recycling and reuse during a session at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference. | Big Wave Photography/Resource Recycling
About 2,400 industry professionals participated in the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference just outside of Washington, D.C., talking business in the exhibit hall and listening to sessions on textile recovery and broader plastics procurement and policy. Continue Reading
Across all waste and recycling facility categories, publicly reported fires in the U.S. and Canada jumped 15% from 373 in 2023 to 430 in 2024. | Mino Surkala/Shutterstock
Publicly reported fires at MRFs and transfer stations increased by 20% in 2024 over the prior year, according to an annual review by fire detection equipment supplier Fire Rover. It’s the highest yearly figure since the company began tracking fire statistics. Continue Reading
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As global virgin plastic production outpaces demand and utilization rate percentages linger in the low 70s, the next four years are expected to see downward pressure on the price of virgin plastics. Added to this, tariffs on U.S. plastics trade flows are likely to disrupt domestic supply chains, further complicating an already volatile market. Continue Reading
The rulemaking for extended producer responsibility law SB 54 was set back earlier in the month when Gov. Gavin Newsom sent the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery back to the drawing board. | Susanne Pommer/Shutterstock
A late March advisory board meeting brought dozens of public comments but little additional detail on a new timeline for California’s extended producer responsibility rulemaking. Continue Reading
Producer responsibility organization Circular Action Alliance noted it plans to open a centralized contamination audit center in Oregon, a first for the group. | Nadia Yong/Shutterstock
Extended producer responsibility programs for packaging are largely moving forward, with some innovations in Oregon, representatives from Circular Action Alliance said at a quarterly update. Continue Reading
Although color bales rose on the month, the key construction sector continued to struggle and waste import bans in Indonesia and Thailand took effect. | Lipik Stock Media/Shutterstock
March prices for HDPE natural bales rose by 10% on the month to a more than three-year high, further widening the price spread with color bales amid bearish end-use sectors and new waste import bans in Southeast Asia. Continue Reading
When Canadian polyethylene producer Nova decided to focus on mechanical recycling, less than two years after announcing it was looking at developing a major chemical recycling plant, it joined a growing list of sidelined projects. | Photo Courtesy of Nova Chemicals
The past few years have seen no shortage of ambitious announcements relating to chemical recycling, from small startups to major oil and chemical companies, as recycled content requirements increase and polymer producers struggle to harness future market direction. Continue Reading
Editor’s note: Women in Circularity is a long-running series in Resource Recycling News, sister publication to Plastics Recycling Update. Series author MaryEllen Etienne will host a Women in Circularity session during the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference next week, and in the run-up to the conference, we’re introducing the series to Plastics Recycling Update readers as well. Beth Forsberg, featured in this month’s installment, will join MaryEllen during the conference session.
A warm welcome back to “Women in Circularity,” where we shine a light on women moving us toward a circular economy. This month, I was pleased to connect with a leader in textile reuse and recycling operations: Beth Forsberg. Beth is the senior vice president and chief sustainability officer at Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, with oversight of sustainability operations in the nonprofit’s San Francisco and Monocacy Valley, Maryland, regions. Goodwill is dedicated to ending poverty through workforce development and is supported by a network of popular thrift shops. Beth has 30 years of experience in the nonprofit thrift sector where oversight has included donated goods revenue, collections, retail, e-commerce, recycling and salvage. Continue Reading
Brightmark, formerly known as RES Polyflow, is looking to sell its Indiana pyrolysis plant after financial challenges. | Frank Fiedler/Shutterstock
Chemical recycling firm Brightmark failed to make a payment on debt at its Indiana pyrolysis facility this month, spurring bankruptcy proceedings for the subsidiaries that operate the plant. Continue Reading