Surveys consistently show that Americans support recycling and want better recycling programs, but there is a considerable amount of misinformation about what happens to recyclables once they are collected. With that in mind, it makes sense that some people might try to find out for themselves whether their local recycling programs are, in fact, wo...

Raising doubts about the efficacy of plastic recycling isn't doing anything to stop virgin plastic production, but it may be doing a lot to keep plastic out of recycling bins. In the current dialogue around how to reduce plastic waste, a troubling trend has emerged. Too often, plastic production and consumption gets conflated with plastic recycling...

The Association of Plastic Recyclers' (APR) Chief Policy Officer, Kate Bailey, joins Recycled Content host Kara Pochiro to focus on battling the misinformation being spread regarding plastic waste and recycling. Kate and Kara break down major headlines and claims regarding the plastic recycling industry that are often aimed at taking down the plast...

Last week, the White House released a new report, "Mobilizing Federal Action on Plastic Pollution: Progress, Principles, and Priorities." The report is a product of the Interagency Policy Committee on Plastic Pollution and a Circular Economy (IPC). The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) issued the following statement in response to the report: ...

Canada's leading Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) – Circular Materials (CM), Éco Entreprises Québec (EEQ) and Recycle BC (RBC) – have launched a nationwide Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) to procure plastics packaging sortation and recycling services. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs are already in place or bei...

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) applauds the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and Chairman Tom Carper (D-DE) and Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) for convening this week's important hearing on "Efforts to Improve Reuse and Recycling." Coming just weeks after the celebration of Earth Day — an annual reminder...

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) issued the following statement at the conclusion of the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) on plastic pollution: "APR commends the substantial progress made in Ottawa to reduce plastic pollution through a global instrument. The message remains clear that these UN negotiat...

The Recycled Content Podcast welcomes back Emily Tipaldo, Executive Director of the U.S. Plastics Pact, for a sit-down with show host and VP of Communications & Public Affairs at APR, Kara Pochiro. With the Pact turning four, as well as Earth Day and INC-4 just around the corner, the two discuss the meaning of the current moment in the plastic ...

The world is in a battle against plastic waste. Alongside reduction and reuse, recycling is a vital strategy for winning that battle. Every year, recycling keeps billions of pounds of plastic out of oceans and landfills. On Earth Day, we remember that when we recycle more, we can all use less - less of the Earth's finite resources and less energy t...

Recycling works. It is essential, along with reduction and reuse, in the ever-evolving landscape to create a circular economy. As an international non-profit and the only North American organization focused exclusively on improving recycling for plastics, it has remained the focus of APR's work for over 30 years. We stand at a pivotal moment, where...

The global treaty recognizes the importance of plastics recycling as an essential solution to reduce plastic pollution, but more work is needed to invest in and incentivize the business of recycling so recyclers can outcompete virgin plastic in the marketplace. In a few short weeks, nearly 170 countries and thousands of stakeholders will gather in ...

Ahead of the 2024 Plastic Recycling Conference, Recycled Content is back with a new episode hosted by the Association of Plastic Recycler's (APR) VP of Communications and Public Affairs, Kara Pochiro as she sits down with Steve Alexander, President & CEO of APR, and Maite Quinn, a lead member for Resource Recycling's Plastic Recycling Conferenc...

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the U.S. Plastics Pact issued the following statement in response to the Center for Climate Integrity's recent report on plastics recycling: "APR and the U.S. Plastics Pact know that recycling works. Recyclers take in post-consumer plastic packaging from every community recycling program across the cou...

Host and APR's VP of Communications and Public Affairs, Kara Pochiro, is joined by Stephanie Baker, Director of Market Development for KW Plastics' Recycling Division. Kara and Stephanie discuss how KW got its beginnings from the disposal process for automotive battery casings and has now turned into a closed loop recycling business in Alabama, rev...

A great new blog post published this week by Dr. Kate Beers, a polymer scientist who leads work on the circular economy for the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), says "Plastics and polymers are an essential part of life, but we can be more thoughtful about how much of them we use and discard." Live...

APR is pleased to announce that three of our top leaders have received an important industry recognition. Steve Alexander, APR President & CEO; Kate Bailey, APR Chief Policy Officer; and Curt Cozart, APR Chief Operating Officer, were included on Plastics News' inaugural list of Notable Leaders in Sustainability. Plastics News recognizes Steve, ...

APR President & CEO, Steve Alexander, is back on Recycled Content with host Kara Pochiro to discuss and reflect upon 2023. The two give updates on their predictions and resolutions from earlier this year, talk about the current state of the recycling industry, and how APR is a key component of progress made. Steve and Kara break down the recycl...

Host and APR's VP of Communications and Public Affairs, Kara Pochiro, is joined by Bruce Magnani, APR's Legislative Advocate in California, and VP of Houston Magnani Associates. Kara and Bruce start by breaking down the basics of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and California's SB 54 that focuses on packaging. The two discuss the EPR wave th...

Today, November 15th, the Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR) is excited to mark the 26th annual America Recycles Day, the only nationally recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States. This day is especially important to APR as a U.S.- based, international non-profit and the only North American organizati...

Steve Alexander Testifies on Plastic Recycling Issues Before U.S. Senate Subcommittee  On Thursday, September 28, 2023, APR President and CEO Steve Alexander was invited to testify at a hearing before the United States Senate Environment and Public Works Committee's Subcommittee Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Reg...