Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is a member of the Northwest Product Stewardship Council, a coalition of local governments in Washington and Oregon that have worked together for years on product stewardship and producer responsibility policies. | Christoper Boswell/Shutterstock
As Washington state lawmakers try once more to usher an extended producer responsibility for paper and packaging bill through the legislature, Seattle Public Utilities will be there to help.
The U.S. exported 14.3 million short tons of recovered fiber in 2023, down 17% from 2022. | Nickpeps/Shutterstock
U.S. recovered paper exports in 2023 reached a 19-year low, driven by major multi-year declines in shipments into key overseas markets. Recovered plastic exports dropped slightly year over year, bringing a record low for another consecutive year. Continue Reading
A lawsuit from New York State Attorney General Letitia James makes a number of allegations against PepsiCo, including failure to warn the public about the environmental impact of its products. | Pixinoo/Shutterstock
New York State’s attorney general is the latest to launch a lawsuit against a major brand over plastic, this time focused on pollution. Continue Reading
A rendering of the Republic Polymer Center set for Indianapolis. | Courtesy of Republic Services
Republic Services announced that its second plastics processing and production hub, expected to come on-line in late 2024, will be located in Indianapolis. Continue Reading
The money will go toward increasing EFS-plastics’ processing capacity. | Courtesy of EFS
Plastics reclaimer EFS-plastics will invest $17 million in recycling technologies at its locations in Pennsylvania and Alberta over two years, the company announced. Continue Reading
On top of its significant PCR use in 2023, ADS also broke ground on its Energy and Technology Center. | ADS
Advanced Drainage Systems continues to be a heavyweight in the recycled plastic arena, buying 540 million pounds of recycled material in 2023 and consuming a quarter of the pigmented HDPE bottles recovered in the United States. Continue Reading
Stakeholders and involved parties will continue to debate the precise language of the agreement. | Nexus 7/Shutterstock
The first working draft of the United Nations’ global plastics agreement lays out the broad strokes of what is intended to be a legally binding way to manage plastic pollution on land and in the oceans. Continue Reading
Many responses from environmental groups focused on the need for the U.S. EPA’s National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution to rein in the generation of new plastics. | Rich Carey/Shutterstock
The U.S. EPA asked for input on its draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution, and recycling industry stakeholders have answered. Continue Reading
A rendering of one of four Blue Polymers plants that will be built in various regions of the U.S. | Courtesy of Republic Services
Republic Services is moving deeper into plastics processing, launching a $350 million joint venture with a global polymers firm Ravago to produce recycled pellet at four U.S. facilities. Continue Reading