Tag Archives: industry groups

Corporate giants face internal pressure on plastic

Published: May 25, 2022
Updated: May 25, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

Phillips 66 shareholders voted to support a resolution asking the energy company to detail its market risks of continuing to invest in virgin plastics. | Courtesy of Phillips 66

This story has been updated.

A slight majority of shareholders at Chevron Phillips’ parent company recently voted to support a resolution on shifting toward more recycled plastic use, while 37.4% of ExxonMobil shareholders voted in favor of a similar resolution. Amazon shareholders vote on a similar resolution this week.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged brand owners, industry groups |

Industry reacts to passage of Colorado packaging EPR bill

Published: May 18, 2022
Updated: May 18, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

Various household packaging and recyclable materials.

Colorado is the third state in the U.S. to pass a packaging extended producer responsibility bill, and the first in the 2022 legislative session. | Arturs Budkevics/Shutterstock

While many industry leaders praised the recent passage of a Colorado bill establishing extended producer responsibility for printed paper and packaging, others are calling for Gov. Jared Polis to veto it.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged EPR/stewardship, industry groups |

Plastics recycling report draws mainstream notice

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: May 11, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

HDPE plastic bottles arranged on yellow background.

Plastics recycling is drawing mainstream media attention in the wake of recent data showing low and declining recycling rates in the U.S. | lary_bird/Shutterstock

A recent report on plastic recycling rates from The Last Beach Clean Up and Beyond Plastics has attracted the attention of several large news outlets and the mainstream public, but industry leaders said the data is misleading and counter-productive.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged collection, industry groups, PET |

West and East Coast states make moves in carpet EPR

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: May 11, 2022
by Jared Paben

Van filled with rolled carpeting for recycling or disposal.

A bill passed in New York establishes goals for carpet recycling and post-consumer content, requires the creation of a collection network and more. | Steven Belanger/Shutterstock

New York is close to becoming the second state to require producers to fund carpet collection and recycling. Meanwhile, California regulators approved carpet fees that vary based on recycled content.

Posted in News | Tagged California, challenging materials, EPR/stewardship, industry groups, legislation |

Plastics labeling needs consistency, clarity

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: May 11, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

Speaking during the “Tensions in Recyclability Labeling” session at the Plastics Recycling Conference were (from left to right) Erik Grabowsky of Arlington County, Va., Steve Alexander of the Association of Plastic Recyclers, Heidi Sanborn of the National Stewardship Action Council and Karen Hagerman of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. | Brian Adams Photography/Resource Recycling, Inc.

Consumers are confused and frustrated by recycling label systems in the U.S., and it will take a group effort to fix the problem, panelists told Plastics Recycling Conference attendees.

Posted in News | Tagged brand owners, industry groups, legislation |

EPR and packaging-reduction bill introduced in New York

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: May 11, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

The introduction of the EPR bill came after lawmakers stripped a prior EPR program out of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposal. | Paul Brady Photography/Shutterstock

An extended producer responsibility bill that has the support of environmental activists was recently introduced in New York, while a Colorado EPR bill moved to the Senate floor.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged EPR/stewardship, industry groups, legislation |

Polyethylene film recycling plant coming to Minnesota

Published: May 4, 2022
Updated: May 4, 2022
by Jared Paben

A number of prominent names are financing Myplas USA’s first U.S. polyethylene film recycling plant, to be located in Rogers, Minn., outside of Minneapolis. | Joyce Blessthink/Shutterstock

Brand owners and other private and public entities are investing millions of dollars into a plastic reclaimer’s project to build a 170,000-square-foot film recycling facility in the Upper Midwest.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged brand owners, converters, film, HDPE, industry groups, LDPE, processors |

US plastic recycling numbers continue to fall

Published: April 26, 2022
Updated: April 27, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

Broken down by scrap type, a study found that bottles, non-bottle rigid plastics and other plastics all saw declines individually in 2020. | TeuNg StyLe/Shutterstock

The U.S. is processing more of its scrap plastic domestically, but the overall weight of plastic recycled in 2020 dropped just under 6% from 2019, according to an annual industry report.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged collection, industry groups |

ExxonMobil, others roll out chemical recycling updates

Published: April 26, 2022
Updated: April 26, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

Exxon Mobil corporate sign and landscaping.

Packaging companies recently announced they will purchase recycled resin produced through ExxonMobil’s chemical recycling technology. | Katherine Welles/Shutterstock

Multiple companies announced they will be increasing their use of chemically recycled plastics in pursuit of their recycled-content goals, and a consumer goods group said it supports chemical recycling.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged industry groups, research, technology |

Diversity, equity and inclusion vital to future operations

Published: April 26, 2022
Updated: April 26, 2022
by Marissa Heffernan

A presenter at NERC’s Spring Conference encouraged recruitment managers to implement specific practices to reduce bias in hiring decisions. | fizkes/Shutterstock

Diversity, equity and inclusion are no longer add-ons, but a necessary part of any serious company, panelists at the Northeast Recycling Council’s Spring 2022 Conference said.

Posted in News | Tagged industry groups |