The U.S. EPA is considering changing the calculation methodology for determining the nation’s recycling rate. | Rokas Tenys/Shutterstock
If a process breaks down scrap plastics into chemicals that are later used to make new plastic, should the federal government consider that “recycling?” What if the end product is a fuel that is combusted?
The REMADE Institute issued funding to projects exploring a variety of plastics recycling technologies. | Olivier Le Queinec/Shutterstock
A federal initiative focused on energy efficiency in U.S. manufacturing recently selected more than a dozen plastics recycling projects to support. They include efforts advancing PET recovery, mixed-plastics processing, chemical recycling and more.
Bales of plastic material for sortation at the Pacific Northwest demonstration facility. | Jared Paben/Resource Recycling, Inc.
Following a similar demonstration in the Pacific Northwest last year, industry stakeholders are launching an initiative to recover additional material from the municipal stream in New York and four other states.
Using data from 2016, researchers found the U.S. could be the third largest generator of mismanaged plastic waste.| Rafeed Hussain/Ocean Conservancy
Despite having a robust plastics collection infrastructure, the U.S. is one of the largest contributors to ocean plastics worldwide, according to new findings from well-known plastic waste researchers.
Federal funding has been announced for research looking into sorting scrap plastic and using enzymes to clean material, among other recycling-related efforts. | paul prescott/Shutterstock
Research focused on improving scrap plastics sortation received funding from the REMADE Institute. Meanwhile, the organization will provide up to $35 million for its next round of grants, with priority placed on plastics.
Just over 1 billion pounds of post-consumer bag and film plastics were recovered in 2018. | Pavel Kubarkov/Shutterstock
The amount of U.S. film and non-bottle rigids collected for recycling decreased in 2018, but domestic processors took in more of the material, according to More Recycling.
Based on the lab-scale research, the Plastics Industry Association is now working with several companies to use a recycled-PE binder in asphalt on privately funded roadways and parking lots. | Marcel Derweduwen/Shutterstock
Research shows post-consumer PE film could improve the stiffness and resistance of polymer-modified asphalt at less cost than the co-polymers that are typically used.
Researchers in Florida have noticed a gradual increase in contamination rates in recent years. | Blueee77/Shutterstock
Materials recovery facilities in Florida have historically landfilled about one-quarter of the weight that comes in the door, according to a study commissioned by the Florida Recycling Partnership Foundation.
