Recently released data shows that a major increase in MSW generation outpaced modest recycling progress. | Colleen Michaels/Shutterstock
The U.S. recycling and composting rate took a significant dive in 2018, falling from 35% to 32%, according to new figures from the federal government. The drop was partially due to a change in how the rate was calculated.
A collapsing market for printing and writing papers has led to a few mill conversions. | Siwakorn1933/Shutterstock
Nine Dragons is shifting toward recycled packaging at a U.S. mill, citing an “unprecedented” decline in demand for printing and writing paper. The company is just one of several paper producers responding to changing markets with mill conversions.
Bales of plastic material for sortation at the Pacific Northwest demonstration facility. | Jared Paben/Resource Recycling, Inc.
Following a similar demonstration in the Pacific Northwest last year, industry stakeholders are launching an initiative to recover additional material from the municipal stream in New York and four other states.
The average price of mixed-paper bales jumped up by 21% this month, and natural HDPE has notched another record value.
Glass recycling stakeholders produced a video for America Recycles Day explaining the material’s role in a circular economy. | Fototocam/Shutterstock
Glass bottle maker O-I uses “Green Bond” money to buy cullet, stakeholders explain the glass recycling process to the public, and the Glass Recycling Coalition releases its latest industry survey results.
Recyclable paper bags make up a significant portion of the 68% of paper that is recycled in the United States. | Fuss Sergey/Shutterstock
Walmart grew its recycled plastic use across product packaging lines from less than 0.5% in 2018 to 9% in 2019. | Chekyravaa/Shutterstock
Some of the largest packaged goods and retail firms increased their use of recycled plastic in 2019, but they have work to do to hit 2025 targets, according to an Ellen MacArthur Foundation update.
CalRecycle plans to release final redemption data for the first six months of 2020 in the coming weeks. | anmbph/Shutterstock
This story has been updated with new redemption figures from California’s recycling agency.
Advocacy organization Consumer Watchdog recently noted the COVID-19 pandemic has slashed California’s beverage container recycling rate. But the state’s recycling agency called that analysis “inaccurate.”
Vietnamese imports of U.S. mixed paper dropped to 74,000 short tons in 2018, then to 45,000 in 2019. | Domicile Media/Shutterstock
Vietnam, a relatively small market for U.S. mixed paper, will no longer allow imports of the material beginning in 2022. The restriction does not appear to affect OCC, which the U.S. ships to Vietnam in far greater quantities.
