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Tag Archives: industry groups

Experts discuss trade-offs of recycled-content mandates

Published: January 12, 2022
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Empty PET bottles for recycling.

A recent webinar brought together experts to cover the benefits and complications of recycled-content mandates.| Monticello/Shutterstock

Recycled-content laws are a tool for driving post-consumer resin demand. But what if producers are given too many outs, feedstock is in short supply, or the mandates actually result in greater environmental harm?

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Brands report on their 2020 recycled plastic usage

Published: December 22, 2021
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Scott brand packaging

Kimberly-Clark used 2.5% recycled plastic in packaging in 2020, up from 1.9% the previous year. | DCStockPhotography/Shutterstock

A group of brand owners that includes McDonald’s, Kimberly-Clark and others increased their use of recycled plastic over the past couple of years, but they’re still not on pace to hit their goals, according to a report.
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MacArthur Foundation: Coca-Cola and others boost PCR use

Published: November 17, 2021
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Unilever company logo on building in Warsaw, Poland.

Unilever reported a 6-percentage-point increase in its post-consumer resin usage in 2020, outpacing most other large brand owners. | Konektus Photo/Shutterstock

Global packaged goods companies disclosed their post-consumer resin usage for 2020, and most of the biggies reported purchasing more recycled plastic than the year before.

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APR: Industry input crucial to implementing state bills

Published: November 3, 2021
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Aerial view of the California state capitol building in Sacramento.

An in-depth regulatory development process will be needed to implement a California bill regulating the use of the chasing arrows symbol on packaging. | Merge Digital Media/Shutterstock

Three West Coast states have signed sweeping recycling bills. Now the real work begins to hash out the details on how the policies will affect the plastics recycling industry.

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US PET bottle recycling rate continues to sink

Published: November 3, 2021
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PET bottles for recycling.

Data shows that in 2020 PET bottles notched a 26.6% collection rate in the U.S., down from 27.9% in 2019. | Torychemistry/Shutterstock

Demand for RPET increased 10% in 2020, but it was accompanied by a decrease in PET bottle collection, according to an annual report from the National Association for PET Container Resources.

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Lobbyists report on federal recycling proposals

Published: November 3, 2021
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US Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

Legislators in Washington, D.C. are working on two infrastructure bills that could have plastics recycling implications. | LLoughran/Shutterstock

A proposed virgin plastics tax of 20 cents per pound has been axed from the Democrats’ social infrastructure bill, according to an industry lobbying firm.

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Starbucks and McDonald’s add $10 million to NextGen Consortium

Published: October 20, 2021
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Plastic cutlery on white background.

The NextGen Consortium is directing funds toward the recycling of PP used in foodservice settings, as well as other projects.| George Ruangdech / Shutterstock

Two food and drink giants will put millions more into an effort aimed at recycling polypropylene foodservice products, among other sustainability efforts.

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Pollution impacts are just a piece of environmental justice

Published: October 13, 2021
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Truck

U.S. EPA official Carlton Waterhouse told an audience at the Northeast Recycling Council’s fall conference that social equity is integral to sustainability. | Sirisak Baokaew/Shutterstock

Carlton Waterhouse, a key U.S. EPA waste official, says moving toward a circular economy is not enough. Instead, society needs a “circular economy for all.” Continue Reading

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