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Resource Recycling | Plastics Recycling Update | E-Scrap News | Grants and RFPs
From Resource Recycling
June 29
International Paper will close four plants in Kentucky, Illinois and New Jersey by the end of Q3 2026, affecting 330 employees.
June 25
The Center for Sustainable Materials Management at SUNY received $3.25 million in funding from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.
The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA), Jeanologia and Looptworks signed an MOU to establish the Green Machine Circular Textile Ecosystem, to accelerate commercial-scale recycling of blended textiles.
HKRITA’s Green Machine 4.0 uses hydrothermal recycling to recover polyester from cotton-poly fabrics.
June 24
The American Forest & Paper Association released its May Packaging Papers report, showing rising total inventories and declining operating rates in unbleached packaging papers.
Liberty Tire Recycling reported a material recycling rate of 81% for 2025, higher by 2.7% on the year. The company also recently raised $10,000 for the Truckers Against Trafficking nonprofit during its May “Step Challenge,” in which 1,000 employees logged 176 million steps (about 88,000 miles).
Stewardship group PaintCare launched an AI-powered product recognition tool developed with tech company Rubbish to help consumers determine local acceptance of leftover products.
After granting camera access or uploading a photo, users can get instant feedback on whether their item is accepted for recycling, reuse, or proper disposal at a nearby drop-off site.
WM will assume a five-year recycling processing contract in Seattle in April 2027, and plans to improve its Tacoma MRF and two transfer stations in Seattle. Rabanco, a division of Republic Services, held the contract since 2007.
June 22
The Oregon DEQ published its latest waste composition study.
June 18
Cascades published its updated sustainability plan for 2026-2030.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is accepting applications for a packaging EPR board seat representing a community-based nonprofit environmental justice organization.
June 17
The Northeast Recycling Council is hosting the webinar “Beyond the Buzzwords: Understanding Bio-Based, Biodegradable and Compostable Materials” on June 22.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources released a new 15-second electronics recycling PSA.
June 12
Cascades, Greif and Sonoco each nominated $60/ton price increases for July uncoated recycled paperboard.
June 11
North Carolina’s Liberty Waste Solutions acquired Bill’s Trash Services, a residential waste collector serving the greater Fayetteville market and Harnett County.
Michigan’s Schupan Aluminum & Plastic Sales appointed Matt Webster as vice president and Kevin Roschek as senior director of divisional operations.
June 10
Eco-Products launched a new line of beverage cups including 90% recycled aluminum tumblers and expanded offerings from its Veda reusable line for closed-system foodservice, which works with Ozzi collection and tracking technology.
Aluminum producer Novelis restarted its hot mill in Oswego, New York, following an October 2025 fire.
Olmstead County in Minnesota broke ground for a new MRF in Rochester, expected to open in 2027.
June 9
An AI-designed enzymatic polyester depolymerization platform from California-based biotechnology company Rhea’s Factory was among 10 winners of the 2026 Global Change Award, the H&M Foundation‘s global program for early-stage innovation in the textile industry.
June 8
Sonoco announced July price increases of $60/ton for uncoated recycled paperboard, and 7% increases for converted paperboard products, citing strong demand and limited domestic capacity.
June 3
Mid-Valley Recycling held a grand reopening of its Fresno commercial MRF in California. The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the completion of a $12M facility investment. CP Group engineered, manufactured and installed the new commercial line.
June 2
Irish waste and recycling software firm AMCS Group named Eric S. Walsh as its new CEO.
The New York City Department of Sanitation and its nonprofit partner the Sanitation Foundation unveiled five new hand-painted Mack collection trucks.
June 1
The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released its annual Paper Industry Capacity and Fiber Consumption Survey, showing a decline in production and capacity for 2025, while operating rates were stable.
Nashville Waste Services launched nine New Way Sidewinder automated side loader trucks to help support waste and recycling collection across the fast-growing city.
The Northeast Recycling Council announced that commodity values increased in Q1 despite a continuing decline in PET bale values.
The SWANA MN/ND chapter is accepting applications for student scholarships through Aug. 7, 2026.
Veolia closed its $3 billion acquisition of Clean Earth hazardous waste services from Enviri.
From Plastics Recycling Update
June 29
European chocolate maker Cabrellon is adding 25% Tritan Renew copolyester from Eastman in its chocolate molds.
The company previously used polycarbonate, and is adapting to the EU’s restriction on BPA in food-contact materials.
Calgary-based PlasCred secured a 15-year lease for a Canadian National Railway site, for its proposed chemical recycling facility.
June 24
TetraPak released its sustainability report, indicating EU recycled polymer purchases in 2025 increased by 6%, but did not disclose how this compared to its 10% goal for 2030.
June 23
Amcor produced food-contact rigid containers containing at least 20% PureFive post-consumer PP resin from PureCycle, and global packager IPL Schoeller developed tubs and lids with 25% PureFive PCR for supply to Cleveland Kitchen.
UK-based ReVentas has licensed its solvent-based dissolution recycling technology for polyolefins to engineering and technology firm KBR.
IMG Group, parent of PET film company Evertis and specialty copolyester producer Selenis, launched its Everbio Innovation Hub in Portugal, for R&D on recycled and bio-based polymer technologies.
June 19
The international InFACT project launched, to advance recycling of flexible plastic packaging, with 16 partners including Nestle, Arcus and Interzero, and led by the Danish Technological Institute.
June 18
Recycled content represented 9.2% by weight of global plastics consumption for Mars, according to the most recent sustainability report.
June 15
Amcor named Ryan Yost as president of its global flexible packaging division, following a 25-year run at Avery Dennison, and Kate Pearlman as senior VP of investor relations and treasury, after several years at Lowe’s.
June 12
Coca-Cola bottler Arca Continental published its integrated annual report, showing a bottle recovery rate near 70% and total recycled content at an average of 36.6%.
June 10
ALPLA opened a new Learning & Development Hub in Iowa City, to house its US apprenticeship program and employee training initiatives.
June 9
The American Chemistry Council, the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) and Mexico’s National Association of the Chemical Industry (ANIQ) met June 9 in Washington, DC, to discuss the future of the USMCA and the competitiveness of the North American chemical industry.
Recycling startup Denovia is working to scale up its PET depolymerization technology.
Loop Industries is receiving funding of up to CAD $2.92 million (US $2.06 million) plus advisory services from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) for its planned PET chemical recycling facility.
PureCycle and Innovia Films collaborated on successful production and trial evaluation of white, cavitated BOPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene) film, using more than 40% PCR.
June 3
Mexican Coca-Cola bottler Arca Continental opened its Vive PetStar Center in Escobedo, Nuevo Leon, to educate and engage consumers in the bottle-to-bottle model for PET recycling.
June 2
Braven Environmental abandoned its plans to build a chemical recycling facility in Texas.
Freepoint Eco-Systems suspended operations at its pyrolysis plant in Hebron, Ohio, following a letter of violation from the state EPA.
Husky Technologies named Mohammad Kanaan as CFO and Karen Stone as chief human resources officer.
June 1
The Alaska Legislature banned plastic foam foodware in restaurants and in government use.
Borouge International, chemical recycling technology firm Blue Alp and diaper maker Woosh are working on recycling disposable diapers.
Chemical recycling technology company Braven appears has abandoned plans for a plant in Texas.
Eastman achieved ISO 59014 certification through SCS Global Services for its Kingsport methanolysis facility in Tennessee.
PureCycle achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification from DQS Global for its Ironton facility in Ohio, and was admitted to Thailand’s FastPass Investment Acceleration Program.
From E-Scrap News
June 30
Egypt and Switzerland signed a $1.7 million grant to expand e-waste recycling and build sustainable, economically viable infrastructure.
ERI published its 2025 Impact Report, highlighting its partnership with ReElement Technologies, among other milestones.
Nigeria identified a major new critical minerals district in Kaduna state, with large lithium deposits that could support manufacturing of electric vehicles and modern technologies.
June 24
Tennessee-based ITAD firm S3 Recycling Solutions is expanding its California operations into a new 34,000-square-foot facility in Fullerton.
SERI is accepting nominations and self-nominations for its 2026 ReThink Awards, to be awarded this fall.
The University of Pittsburgh’s surplus department diverted more than 31 tons of e-scrap from landfills and earned $88,369 in scrap metal sales in 2025.
The university has a goal of reducing landfill waste by 25% from 2017 levels by 2030.
The EU’s WEEE Forum will focus its International E-Waste Day (Oct. 14) on recycling small electronics, such as single-use vapes, charging cables and earphones.
June 17
Blancco Technology Group appointed Tzvika Shahaf as senior vice president of product strategy.
The state government of Western Australia set aside AU $17.8 million (US $12.49 million) for investment in solar panel recycling.
June 10
Honda Motor Europe and Circularise are collaborating on digital battery passport readiness in Europe, ahead of the February 2027 implementation of the EU Battery Regulation.
June 4
Red Metals announced $10 million in seed funding and plans to build a $70 million facility in Charleston, South Carolina.
June 3
Sunnking is moving from Brockport to Bloomfield, New York.
June 1
Australia’s Ionic Rare Earths signed binding agreements to supply magnet rare earth oxides to US-based Advanced Magnet Lab, as well as a nonbinding MOU to collaborate on recycling preconsumer scrap.
Calgary-based Litus signed an MOU with Taiwan’s UWin Nanotech to collaborate on recovery of cobalt, lithium, nickel and other elements.
Scotland’s University of Edinburgh licensed its gold and copper recovery process to mineral processing company Lithium Universe.
