Coming Together To Recycle

This article appeared in the January 2024 issue of Resource Recycling. Subscribe today for access to all print content.

The Plastics Recycling Conference (PRC), which takes place March 25-27, 2024, at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas is the largest gathering of plastics recycling professionals in North America. Each year more than 2,000 industry leaders converge at the event, and the exhibit hall features over 200 leading companies. The conference offers ample networking opportunities to help attendees make their next recycling business contact.

The session agenda for the conference is developed by a team of journalists who cover the latest developments in markets, policy, technology and more. These sessions feature industry insiders and executives offering exclusive insight on critical topics.

The exhibit hall features hundreds of sponsors and exhibitors who are setting the pace in plastics recycling and sustainability. Attendees can meet with resin traders, equipment experts, plastics processors, industry associations and more.

Here’s what a few industry leaders have to say about PRC 2024:

Stephanie Baker, Director of Market Development, KW Plastics Recycling

“As the world’s largest plastics recycler, this is the conference that we don’t miss! PRC brings together the industry’s leaders, including our raw material suppliers and core resin customers. It’s a rare opportunity to strengthen existing relationships, make new contacts and share market perspectives.”

Pete Keller, VP of Recycling & Sustainability, Republic Services

“This show is very important because we’re bringing all of the stakeholders in the plastics value chain together in one place. You’ve got petrochem, converters, manufacturers and brand owners—and then you have folks like us that are aggregating material and processing material and ultimately returning it to the marketplace.”

Roxanne Spiekerman, VP of Business Development, PreZeroUS

“PRC is where I get up-to-date information on developing technologies, resources and regulatory updates. As new restrictions on packaging materials aim to put all plastics in the crosshairs, it is vital that we continue to face these new challenges together and work toward the common good. This conference allows us to identify what is needed to build infrastructure for recycled content and work with constructive stakeholders to support the growth of plastics recycling.”

Steve Alexander, President & CEO, Association of Plastic Recyclers

“We have been working hard to bring together solutions for our plastics recycling industry, and those solutions will be in the exhibit hall and on the stage at the Plastics Recycling Conference this year. We are going to have real conversations about the challenges and talk about what we are doing as an industry to make our industry more profitable and sustainable! 2024 is going to be a year when the tides turn!”

John Caturano, Senior Manager Procurement, Nestlé

“The Plastics Recycling Conference is one of the most informative and productive venues for plastics recycling. This event brings together stakeholders who are actively collaborating on a shared goal to bring systemic change to recycling, and it’s a great opportunity to learn the latest on emerging technologies while also being introduced to market insights and policy changes. The exhibits can help solve a variety of needs, from equipment to potential suppliers, while also creating opportunities to network.”

Andriana Kontovrakis, Director of Compliance Services, RLG

“As a global leader working in the extended producer responsibility space, Reverse Logistics Group quickly realized a few years ago that attending the Plastics Recycling Conference is important for understanding and networking with stakeholders across the North American plastics recycling supply chain. The contacts and knowledge go a long way to making all of us successful!”

PRC 2024 offers three days of info-packed sessions on the latest trends in plastics sustainability. Here are a few highlights:

Resin Markets: The Big-Picture View

Joel Morales, Chemical Market Analytics

Peter Feng, Chemical Market Analytics

Carlo Barrasa, Chemical Market Analytics

Reality Check With Reclaimers

Scott Saunders, KW Plastics

Cherish Changala, Revolution

Ajit Perera, Talco Plastics

Brian King, Advanced Drainage Systems

The Switch to Paper Packaging: Fad or New Norm?

Myles Cohen, Circular Ventures