The resin identification codes on packaging tell you what kind of plastic it is. Please remember that you still need to check your local recycling rules to see which types are accepted for recycling in your local area. The resin code is not a "recyclable" symbol. Resin codes also help plastic reclaimers know what is coming into their recycling faci...

Did you know that recycling doesn't end at the bin? If you're like most people, you probably already recycle your empty containers at home and on the go. Thank you! Recycling is such an important step to keep valuable materials out of the landfill and in the economy, preventing pollution while creating green jobs. Now it's time to complete the cycl...

Success Despite Unprecedented Challenges: An Overview of the Past Year at APR For many of us, last year's Plastics Recycling Conference was the final in-person event attended before the onset of COVID-19 and what proved to be a year full of challenges that no one could have predicted. The distribution of vaccines brings us optimism for the end of t...

Our hosts Steve and Kara are back to discuss the value and benefits of post-consumer resin (PCR), APR's PCR Certification Program, and the importance of distinguishing between "post-consumer" materials and "post-industrial" materials for labeling purposes. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, SoundCloud, or anywhere else you get your...

Steve is joined today by Dan Leif and Tonya Oyala, Resource Recycling's Managing Editor and Sponsor/Exhibitor Manager, respectively. Dan, Tonya, and Steve discuss the upcoming Plastics Recycling Conference, now in its 16th year, which is the focal point for the increasingly complex and international plastics recycling industry. Tune in for more inf...

We're back and jumping into the deep-end to kick off a new year of podcasting! Liam Donovan and Anna Burhop, members of APR's DC lobbying team at Bracewell's Policy Resolution Group, join your host Steve Alexander to discuss how the 117th Congress' roster will impact recycling policy and how APR can continue to advocate for meaningful, bipartisan s...

2020 has certainly been a challenging year for the plastic recycling industry, but we at APR are proud of our industry's accomplishments this year in the face of the pandemic. Tune in to this Year in Review episode for a dive into all the unique challenges we've tackled this year and what we are looking toward in 2021. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spo...

Joining the Recycled Content podcast this week is Emily Tipaldo, Executive Director of the U.S. Plastics Pact. Emily and Steve discuss the Pact's goals for the future of plastic recycling and the circular economy, her experience in the world of plastics, and bringing transparency and accountability into this vital space. Listen on Apple Podcasts, S...

Today's episode features an excellent interview on the generation of demand for recycled plastic with APR's Director of Market Development, Ali Briggs-Ungerer. This discussion serves as a great primer on the world of plastic recycling and how the circular economy is driven, while also covering APR's Demand Champions campaign and how companies can p...

We're back with an excellent interview diving into what the current results of the 2020 election mean for the near future of plastic recycling. Liam Donovan and Anna Burhop, members of APR's DC lobbying team at the Bracewell's Policy Resolution Group, join to discuss the ins and outs of the 2020 election, insights on the Georgia runoffs, and what t...

Reduce, reuse, recycle – we've all heard it a hundred times. This year, the need to reduce what we buy and the value of reusing and repairing what we can has hit home. But everything has an end to its useful life, and that is where recycling comes in. Recycling is a necessary and important part of sustainability that prevents waste and reduces the ...

APR President and CEO Steve Alexander answers questions about a new law in California that sets minimum post-consumer resin content requirements for plastic bottles. What is AB-793? AB 793 is a new law in California, passed unanimously by the California legislature and signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom on August 28, 2020, that req...

In 2017 there was a perfect storm for the plastics recycling industry in the United States.  With China's National Sword policy, U.S. recyclers suddenly lost a market for 65% of curbside-collected polypropylene, including nearly all bulky rigids. At the same time, a tsunami of virgin resin hit the marketplace, with over 50 million pounds (260 ...

The success of plastic recycling is dependent on consistent demand from brand companies and manufacturers. As brand companies continue to publicly state a wide variety of sustainability commitments that commonly include increased postconsumer resin (PCR) content and design for recyclability, it would seem the two industries could naturally work han...

APR President Steve Alexander is joined this week by Don Loepp, Editor of Plastics News and Editorial Director with the Crain Polymer Group. Steve and Don talk potential federal activity on plastic recycling, compare US and European standards, and explore communications around sustainable practice. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts...

Bridget Anderson, the Deputy Commissioner of Recycling and Sustainability at NYC Department of Sanitation, joins our host Steve Alexander for a great conversation about her work at the largest municipal waste management agency in the nation. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, SoundCloud, or anywhere else you get your podcasts! ...

John Caturano, Senior Sustainability Manager of Packaging and Programs at Nestlé Waters, NA, joins host Steve Alexander for a wide-ranging conversation that covers how Nestlé is coping with coronavirus and the company's commitments to sustainability. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, SoundCloud, or anywhere else you get your podca...

Steve chats with Greg Janson, CEO of QRS Inc., a post-consumer plastic processor, to discuss how QRS is functioning in the time of coronavirus, how post-consumer processing works and the American demand for this work, and what it takes to enhance the value of post-consumer resin (PCR). Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, SoundCloud,...

The Frontline program, "Plastic Wars," revisited old, anti-recycling messages and ignored many recent successes of the plastic recycling industry fueled by technology and innovation. The program highlighted a number of challenges facing the plastic recycling industry, but failed to show how APR and our member companies are taking on – and overcomin...

We're joined this week by special guest Brent Bell, the President of Waste Management Recycle America, to talk about the impacts of COVID-19 on the recycling industry. Steve and Brent discuss how the industry is modifying practices to keep employees and the public safe and healthy, communicating effectively with your workforce during these uncertai...