Recovered plastic end users Unifi and Greystone Logistics reported on increased profits recently. | Warut Chinsai/Shutterstock
Greystone Logistics is installing shredding and pelletizing equipment so it can purchase more lower-cost scrap polyethylene, as opposed to recycled resin. And Unifi is opportunistically buying PET bottle bales while it works to pass feedstock cost increases on to buyers of its recycled polyester.
Researchers found success with partial depolymerization of virgin PET and PET bottles recovered from the sea. | Rich Carey/Shutterstock
A chemical recycling research project concluded that a partial depolymerization technique can break down scrap PET in a relatively short time and under mild conditions with little energy use.
Research from the Association of Plastic Recyclers shows a 28% recycling rate for PET and HDPE bottles in 2020. | Frank Fiedler/Shutterstock
The Association of Plastic Recyclers released a report noting 21% of HDPE, PET and PP packaging is recycled in the U.S.
North American consumers will no longer see Sprite in green PET bottles as The Coca-Cola Co. works to increase bottle-to-bottle recycling. | Adnan Zain Kautsar/Shutterstock
To make recycling its bottles easier, Coca-Cola announced it will switch all of its green PET to clear PET in coming months.
PepsiCo will spend significant sums to procure recycled resin for use in consumer packaging. | PJiiiJane/Shutterstock
PepsiCo has borrowed another $1.25 billion through a “green bond,” generating more funds to buy large amounts of recycled PET for bottles.
The upcoming Indorama facility will have an annual capacity of 1.1 million tons of PET and 1.3 million tons of PTA. | StanislauV/shutterstock
After a delay of several years, construction of a vertically integrated PET plant in Texas with an annual capacity of several million tons is slated to start up again in August.
PepsiCo is increasing its use of 100% RPET bottles in several markets. | SunnyToys/Shutterstock
PepsiCo announced new objectives and shared its progress toward circular packaging targets in its 2021 environmental, social and governance report. Continue Reading
Berry brand owner Driscoll’s has worked with its clamshell suppliers to boost the percentage of RPET derived from used thermoforms. | Courtesy of Driscoll’s
Clamshell containers used by berry brand Driscoll’s last year contained an average of 9% RPET sourced from used thermoforms. Continue Reading
A digital rendering of the planned Circularix facility | Courtesy of Circularix
The former head of bankrupt reclaimer CarbonLite is launching another company, betting that virgin and RPET pricing will continue to de-couple as brands search for recycled plastic. Continue Reading
Keurig Dr Pepper’s recent sustainability report noted progress toward the company’s goal of 25% PCR use by 2025. | Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
One of North America’s largest beverage brand owners greatly increased its use of recycled resins last year, mainly by rolling out 100% RPET bottles for specific brands.