European recycling capacity growth slowed markedly in 2023, an industry report found. | Fahroni/Shutterstock
A combination of decreasing post-consumer resin demand, high energy costs and stiff competition from both virgin and imported recycled resin struck a blow to Europe’s reclaimers in 2023, according to an annual industry association report. Continue Reading
The Vinyl Sustainability Council reported an annual estimated North American PVC recycling figure of 1.1 billion pounds, which includes both post-industrial and post-consumer. | Warin Keawchookul/Shutterstock
Plastics recycling firms continue to process about 958 million pounds of post-industrial PVC and 142 million pounds of post-consumer, non-packaging PVC each year, together accounting for an estimated 27% of annual North American PVC waste generation, the Vinyl Sustainability Council said this week. Continue Reading
On Nov. 27, the Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Plastics demanded the right to speak at plenary sessions, after being denied the usual time allotted for civil society members to share their views. | Kiara Worth/International Institute for Sustainable Development
Negotiations for a global, legally-binding treaty to address plastic pollution will spill over into another meeting, but participants noted the need for a seismic shift to reach the finish line after a fifth round of United Nations negotiations splintered along similar lines as the last four.
The strategy is organized into six objectives that address plastic at all stages of its lifecycle. | g0d4ather/Shutterstock
The U.S. EPA released its National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution, and recycling industry stakeholders responded with support and a call to make sure industry experts are involved with implementation.
HydroBlox creates permeable blocks and slabs of 100% PCR that act as drainage and channel water away from roads, parking lots, yards and other areas. | Photo Courtesy The Recycling Partnership
Bolstering end markets for hard-to-recycle materials is a slow process, but The Recycling Partnership’s Film and Flexibles Recycling Coalition recently released a case study highlighting a success story in HydroBlox.
Delegates at the fifth U.N. Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting Busan, South Korea, consult informally between sessions. | Kiara Worth/The Earth Negotiations Bulletin
The fifth and final United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting started in a whirlwind in Busan, South Korea, on Nov. 25.
The Trump presidency promises decreased regulation and likely less funding for environmental initiatives. | LLoughran-Shutterstock
Following Donald Trump’s win in the 2024 presidential election, the plastics and chemicals industries are processing what may lie ahead in an environment that is likely to have drastic reductions in regulation and an emphasis on fossil fuels.
The largest brand owners in the world together used an average of 14% post-consumer resin in their packaging last year, a 2 percentage point increase over 2022. | Photka/Shutterstock
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s 2023 report indicated a year-over-year decrease in both virgin and overall plastic use from signatory companies. That came from companies incorporating more post-consumer resin, combined with lower overall consumer demand due to economic challenges.
Packaging suppliers including TC Transcontinental, Tetra Pak, Amcor and Orbis shared insights on incorporating PCR at the 2024 Pack Expo International in Chicago. | Antoinette Smith/Resource Recycling
The broad theme of sustainability was a central focus at Pack Expo International in Chicago this week, encompassing package recyclability, PCR content and legislation. Continue Reading
The latest draft, called a “non-paper,” was released by Luis Vayas Valdivieso, chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution, convened by the United Nations. | Bascar/Shutterstock
A new draft of the U.N.’s global treaty on plastics has sparked disappointment from environmental groups after leaving some of the most contentious issues unaddressed. Continue Reading