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Resource Recycling keeps you on top of critical industry trends and brings unparalleled analysis of the evolving materials stream, market turbulence, policy trends and more.

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Mill operators sound off on rising fiber prices

Published: May 14, 2024
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Old cardboard containers (OCC) collected for recycling.

Paper companies are looking to offset rising OCC costs through measures like price increases for their products. | Kenishirotie/Shutterstock

OCC end users have been paying consistently higher prices for the recovered fiber grade since last fall, and it played heavily into their discussions of first-quarter earnings this year. Continue Reading

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Glass end user O-I reports lower Q1 demand

Published: May 14, 2024
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Glass bottles for recycling.

Recycled glass buyer O-I reported selling fewer tons of glass containers so far this year. | Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Major recycled glass buyer O-I reported selling 12.5% fewer tons of glass containers during the first three months of 2024 compared with the prior-year period, driven by a decline in alcoholic beverage sales. Continue Reading

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Fiber exports down 17% in first quarter, plastics flat

Published: May 7, 2024
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shipping

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, U.S. exports of recovered paper fell and plastic exports remained steady in the first quarter of 2024. | Joyseulay/Shutterstock

Exports of U.S. recovered paper dwindled to their lowest first-quarter volume since 2002, driven by substantial declines to major buyers in Thailand and India. Plastic shipments remained steady year over year. Continue Reading

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Once a growing market, recycled pulp exports dry up

Published: May 7, 2024
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Although recycled pulp export activity has slowed considerably, Total Fiber Recovery has started up its mill in Virginia and is producing bales of dried recycled pulp for export and domestic sale. | Photo courtesy Total Fiber Recovery

In May 2018, as the global recycling industry was reeling from the Chinese government’s move to ban or heavily restrict imports of key recovered paper grades, the largest paper company in China made an investment that drew some attention. Continue Reading

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Top stories from April 2024

Published: May 7, 2024
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Readers were drawn to a discussion of the pros and cons of switching from plastic to paper packaging last month. Other hot topics included AI-facilitated data collection, EPR policy development, and the latest market prices for recyclables.
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Unilever misses recyclability goals, calls for policy action

Published: May 7, 2024
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Global consumer products company Unilever announced it will revise its sustainability goals, but also said the experience had shown that policy is needed to make real change. | DeawSS/Shutterstock

Unilever recently acknowledged it will miss its 2025 target date for key plastics recycling goals and revised its pledge to reflect that reality – but the company’s head of packaging also said the failure contributed to its support for stronger regulations like extended producer responsibility. Continue Reading

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INC-4 starts text negotiations, stalls on production

Published: May 7, 2024
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The week of negotiations had moments of both hope and frustration for delegates, who are racing against the clock to create a final treaty. | Photo courtesy of IISD/ENB Kiara Worth

The fourth meeting to draft a global plastic pollution treaty ended just after 3 a.m. on April 30 with general agreement on the need for global rules and mandates on product design, composition, performance and extended producer responsibility. 

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