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Tag Archives: research

Research, programs improve film recycling access

Published: May 21, 2025
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Stretch film on rolls at the manufacturer.

A California initiative and a nationwide study examine the accessibility of film recycling programs, and a Canadian city begins collection. | Dmitry Markov152/Shutterstock

Most Americans have access to a store drop-off site for film plastics, according to a new study by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition.   Continue Reading

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Google, Dow partner on AI to identify recyclables

Published: May 14, 2025
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Polyethylene film collected for recycling.

Researchers with Google X’s Moonshot Factory are working with product designers to recycle plastics currently considered unrecyclable. | Artgray/Shutterstock

Google X and Dow Chemical are collaborating to develop an artificial intelligence sorting system capable of identifying film plastics and mixed materials, they announced at a conference in April.

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Food-grade PP recovery primed for growth

Published: April 9, 2025
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Panelists at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference spoke about the current landscape for food-grade PP recycling, where it came from and what’s needed to improve recycling rates. | Big Wave Productions/Resource Recycling, Inc.

The technology for sorting and recycling PP back into food-grade packaging already exists, and with more value chain alignment, it is poised to take off at scale, those involved at all levels of the process said during a session at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference.  Continue Reading

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Small-format recycling within reach, Closed Loop finds

Published: February 20, 2025
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Billions of small-format plastic items are produced each year but are lost to landfills or incinerators across the board. | Golden Shrimp/Shutterstock

Editor’s note: Learn more about plastic recycling trends and many other topics at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference on March 24-26 in National Harbor, Maryland.  Continue Reading

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Researchers develop new recycling processes

Published: January 15, 2025
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Two university teams developed processes using electromagnetic waves and engineered wastewater bacteria to address plastic pollution. | Poring Studio/Shutterstock

University researchers have come up with two new methods to break down plastic waste – one for reuse and the other to rid wastewater of microplastics. Continue Reading

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Researchers use sunlight to recycle black plastics

Published: December 18, 2024
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The team from Cornell and Princeton universities leveraged the colorant carbon black and LED or sunlight to break down PS packaging to the molecular level. | NisanatStudio/Shutterstock

Although additives in plastics often are viewed as problematic, researchers at Cornell and Princeton universities have developed a technique to recycle plastics containing the colorant carbon black using sunlight.  Continue Reading

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Study: E-plastics additives present in home goods

Published: December 4, 2024
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E-plastics / Jared Paben

The study found flame retardants in some black plastic kitchen utensils that contained recycled resin. | Jared Paben/Resource Recycling

A recent study has focused public attention on household products containing plastic that the authors suggest was recovered from electronics, raising safety concerns about chemicals contained within the recycled content.

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PCR mandate, virgin cap among most effective actions

Published: November 20, 2024
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Bales of plastic for recycling.

California researchers found that mandates, production limits for virgin resin, $50 billion in plastic waste management investment and a fee or tax on plastic packaging could reduce mismanaged plastic by 91% globally. | Ulrich Mueller/Shutterstock

Using insights from an AI-generated tool, a team of University of California researchers estimated that implementing four policies globally could reduce mismanaged plastic by 91%.   Continue Reading

Group encourages public-private partnership in plastics

Published: October 16, 2024
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Researchers from varied backgrounds published a paper that aims to facilitate conversations between various stakeholders in plastics recycling. | FabrikaSimf/Shutterstock

A group of researchers hopes to foster discussion and cooperation throughout the plastics value chain with their recent paper in the scientific journal Nature. 

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