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Plastics wait to be washed, ground and used as a concrete additive at a local startup, Surpstone. Attendees toured several local businesses using recycled materials. | Marissa Heffernan / Resource Recycling
Extended producer responsibility, community engagement and chemical recycling were all hot topics for Colorado service providers, business owners and municipal representatives at a recent conference. Continue Reading
The Biodegradable Products Institute had previously appealed to CalRecycle for a five-year extension to give the market more time to adapt. | Black Salmon/Shutterstock
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery has pushed back the effective date for a state law on labeling compostable packaging materials to mid-2027. Continue Reading
Major fiber end user Smurfit Westrock anticipates some, but not substantial, demand recovery for containerboard and consumer fiber packaging this year. | trainman111/Shutterstock
Price increases helped recover fiber end users’ bottom lines over the past quarter, even as questions about corrugated packaging demand swirled in the wake of multiple high-profile U.S. mill closures. Continue Reading
Material acceptance at MRFs varies widely by locality, but several stakeholders explained the factors behind such wide-reaching decisions. | StoyanYotov/Shutterstock
Several MRF operators recently provided insight into how their facilities decide what materials to accept, during a discussion on bridging the disconnect between brand owners and MRFs. Continue Reading
Eunomia and the Story of Stuff Project found the state would need about $1.9 billion in capital investment over 12 years to meet stated targets, and provided sample scenarios. | Rokas Tenys/Shutterstock
Consulting firm Eunomia and the Story of Stuff Project have published a feasibility study on how a reusable beverage system in California could be integrated into the state’s existing deposit return system. Continue Reading
On opposite sides of the country, Maine and California are both adjusting their bottle bills. | Billion Photos/Shutterstock
California is finalizing the implementation of changes to its deposit return system for beverage containers, while Maine legislators sent a bill to the governor that would delay previous passed changes. Continue Reading
A recent report shows declines in pizza box demand, raising questions about the stability of OCC markets. | Mikhailov Studio/Shutterstock
A decrease in demand for pizza boxes could disrupt a key OCC end market, according to new research. Continue Reading
Grant funds that were made available by the Inflation Reduction Act have been subject to reconsideration under the Trump Administration. | Michael Warwick/Shutterstock
Cullet end users Gallo Glass and O-I were among the Department of Energy grant funding recipients who had their awards canceled last month, including one for a project that would directly expand recycled glass capacity. An industry group criticized the funding cuts. Continue Reading
Around 200 regulators, extended producer responsibility advocates, manufacturers and others gathered at the 2025 Product Stewardship Forum to talk about EPR. | Dan Holtmeyer/Resource Recycling
Extended producer responsibility policies for all sorts of materials — packaging, paint, batteries, vapes — are riding a wave of momentum across the U.S. and are poised to continue expanding to more states, several industry leaders said at the 2025 Product Stewardship Forum outside of Chicago last week. Continue Reading