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Fiber companies begin to shift away from price indexes

Published: February 4, 2025
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Fiber packaging at the factory

Two fiber companies recently announced they are moving away from established price indices. | Mark Agnor/Shutterstock

This story has been corrected. 

Packaging Corporation of America will stop linking its customer agreements to third-party pricing indexes, becoming the second major packager to announce similar intentions due to frustration with the leading index. Continue Reading

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Plastics, recycling industries speak out on tariffs

Published: February 4, 2025
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shipping exports

Between January and November 2024, Mexico provided 18% of the 1.285 million metric tons of bottle-grade and film-grade PET resin, while Canadian volumes accounted for 7%, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission. | November Studio/Shutterstock

U.S. President Donald Trump implemented 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, effective Feb. 4, then delayed them, creating a rapidly changing trade landscape that furthered uncertainty in the recycling and plastics industries.  Continue Reading

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Fast fashion company starts chemical recycling project

Published: February 4, 2025
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Shein’s interest in chemical recycling comes as the company works toward a goal to increase annual recycled polyester use from 7.9% to 31% in its apparel by 2030. | Graffitimi/Shutterstock

Editor’s note: Learn more about textile recycling and many other topics at the upcoming Textile Recovery Summit, part of the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference on March 24-26 in National Harbor, Maryland. 

Global clothing e-commerce retailer Shein has developed a chemical recycling process alongside a Chinese research university and is planning to start up a facility in June, producing 6.6 million pounds per year of chemically recycled polyester for use in its apparel. Continue Reading

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Greif closures affect recycled fiber consumption

Published: February 4, 2025
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Close up of paper rolls at the mill.

The announced closures will reduce Greif’s overall containerboard capacity by 100,000 tons and its uncoated recycled paperboard capacity by 90,000 tons. | Safakcakir/Shutterstock

Greif is shutting down a recycled paperboard machine in Georgia and shuttering an uncoated recycled paperboard mill in Massachusetts, citing high operating costs and significant capital investment needs.  Continue Reading

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How a national deposit could drive can recovery

Published: February 4, 2025
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A report from the Container Recycling Institute explored deposit return systems at various levels, aluminum can design and markets and material loss over the recycling process. | Mikkel H. Petersen/Shutterstock

A national deposit return system would raise the U.S. UBC recycling rate to 85%, an analysis from the Container Recycling Institute found. Continue Reading

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Zeldin confirmed as EPA administrator

Published: February 4, 2025
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The U.S. EPA carries out a variety of recycling industry-supportive work through its Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery. | Tada Images/Shutterstock

There are few indications how incoming U.S. EPA administrator Lee Zeldin might shift the agency’s solid waste and recycling work, but he won the support of multiple recycling industry associations, and stakeholders say he likely brings an understanding of local solid waste management challenges. Continue Reading

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Right-to-repair movement continues to grow

Published: January 31, 2025
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Looking across all product categories, right-to-repair legislation has been introduced in 49 out of 50 states in the past few years. | maxfrost/Shutterstock

The momentum behind consumer electronics right-to-repair bills that has been building since 2021 doesn’t seem to be ebbing, with 10 bills introduced so far this year and supporters anticipating far more to come. 

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