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Tag Archives: technology

Industry nuance is key in adopting emerging technology

Published: May 21, 2025
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A technology-focused panel at ReMA’s 2025 conference featured Blake Gordon of Georgia-Pacific Recycling, Lisa Kagan of Buddy and Geoff Aardsma of AMCS, and was moderated by Jennifer Betts of Magnar Metals. | Photo by Colin Staub / Resource Recycling

For Blake Gordon, general manager of digital trading at Georgia-Pacific Recycling, defining next-generation technology can be boiled down to a simple question: Does it simplify something that is unnecessarily complex? If so, it’s next-gen. 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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Blue Polymers, Polyfit, many others receive FDA letters

Published: April 9, 2025
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Thermoform plastic packaging.

Letters of no objection allow companies to begin marketing their recycled resin for food-contact uses. | Konektus/Shutterstock

Two dozen companies received the go-ahead from the Food and Drug Administration to use recycled plastic in food-contact packaging during the second half of 2024. The companies span North America, Africa, Europe and Asia, and their processes include mechanical and chemical recycling. Continue Reading

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Chemical recycling projects receive backing

Published: February 26, 2025
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PET bales stacked for recycling.

Three companies announced funding and other progress toward building chemical recycling capacity. | Menzl Guenter/Shutterstock

Several companies recently announced progress toward chemical recycling capacity, including a developing method to recycle PET that could require much less energy. Continue Reading

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Three states turn to apps for recycling education

Published: January 23, 2025
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Person's hands holding and using a mobile phone.

Research from RRS found that in 2021, only 9% of U.S. recycling programs used a search app or tool for outreach, but apps appear to be gaining in popularity. | zhu-difeng/Shutterstock

Smartphones are a ubiquitous tool for many Americans, and several states have recently started using apps, including Recycle Coach, to disseminate recycling information. 

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Black plastics are hard to sort. Newer tech may help

Published: October 23, 2024
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Finland-based Specim offers a mid-wave infrared imaging that it says can provide more nuanced sorting of black plastics. | Courtesy of Specim

Black plastics are difficult to recycle due to their light-absorbing properties, which interfere with optical sensors at MRFs. But Finland-based Specim says it has a solution. Continue Reading

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Massive plastics recycling project draws federal backing

Published: July 24, 2024
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International Recycling Group has secured a guarantee for up to $182.6 million in loans from the DOE, and is looking to proceed with its long-planned project, which incorporates plastic resin production and plastic waste as feedstock for furnaces used in steel manufacture. | TKCREDIT/Shutterstock

A Pennsylvania project from International Recycling Group has gained momentum, with a commitment for a multimillion-dollar loan from the U.S. Department of Energy. Continue Reading

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