Sustainability is a complicated subject matter, however, especially when it comes to packaging. Materials that appear to be compostable, for example, might actually be compostable only in certain facilities, and the same goes for recyclables. It's important to discuss these matters with your packaging supplier to ensure that, first, you are minimiz...

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), Washington, says 138.7 million pounds of increased demand for postconsumer resin (PCR) was generated in 2021 through its APR Recycling Demand Champions Program. The announcement was made during the recent APR Member Meeting in June. First launched in 2018, the APR Recycling Demand Champions Program has in...

Accelerating growth in demand for recycled plastics. The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) is pleased to announce that its program designed to drive market demand for recycled plastics generated 138.7 million pounds of new demand for postconsumer resin (PCR) in 2021. The APR announced the latest program results, as well as the new companies jo...

At the June Association of Plastic Recyclers members meeting, speakers shared insights on policy, data collection and a shifting tone in how the sector portrays itself. Read the full article from Plastics Recycling Update.

In an effort to be a good neighbor and lessen its impact on the environment, Meijer is encouraging its customers to bring their plastic flowerpots and trays – regardless of where they originally purchased the plants or flowers – to any Meijer Garden Center to recycle. In addition to keeping plastic out of the landfill, recycled plastic uses less en...

Sustainable plastics are being held back by a variety of factors, offering opportunities for investors to drive change. With increasing frequency over the last decade, packaging companies have come under pressure for the synthetic polymers they use to make packaged goods. This pressure is mounting from several angles, including environmentalists, c...

Siegwerk has announced its most recent development for an improved deinking, especially for rigid plastic packaging which is adding a substantial value to industrial mechanical recycling. The company's deinking primers enable a smooth and reliable deinking at any hot washing condition currently used in the recycling industry. Read the full article ...

Those who call it a myth ignore the facts: The US has at least 180 facilities to reprocess billions of pounds of plastics every year, and customer demand is growing. Last week, LaMar Detert walked me through Discover Plastics, his 48-year-old plastic recycling company in Rogers, Minnesota. I was there because I wanted to double-check that it exists...

The Recycling Partnership has launched the PET Recycling Coalition, an initiative informed by industry knowledge and expertise to improve polyethylene terephthalate (PET, plastic #1) circularity. Its work will focus on four key opportunities to increase PET recycling: Increasing the capture of PET bottles;Broadening the acceptance of PET trays, cup...

UL and OceanCycle will continue collaborating to drive dialogue on standards and encourage the industry to agree on common definitions and processes ­– similar to what the Association of Plastic Recyclers achieved for post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics. Read the full article from Recycling Today. Read the full article from Sustainable Plastics. ...

I recently read the report on plastics recycling rates by The Last Beach Cleanup and Beyond Plastics and, like many of you, it certainly was not good for my blood pressure. The pitiful white flag of surrender raised by the reports' authors certainly does not speak for the tens of thousands of Americans employed by our industry who, amidst a global ...

The label and package printing industry is continuing to take strides to leave a better carbon footprint, and adhesives manufacturers are no different. Despite the current supply chain challenges that may have temporarily put sustainability on the backburner, suppliers are continuing to innovate in this space. Numerous suppliers are seeing an incre...

Two testing protocols that determine whether film packaging is compatible with the current recycling infrastructure, along with an additional resource, have been updated and published by the leading plastics recycling authority in North America. The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) has announced the publication of the updated PE Film Critical...

Working with Brand Owners and Recyclers to Achieve Recyclability Goals Two testing protocols that determine whether film packaging is compatible with the current recycling infrastructure, along with an additional resource, have been updated and published by the leading plastics recycling authority in North America. The Association of Plastic Recycl...

Large and small consumer brands are partnering with many different stakeholders in the flexible packaging ecosystem with the express goal of finding supply chains of recycled content for the near future. The themes that appear to be emerging for 2022 are strategies for scale for mechanical recyclers, upstart advanced recycling companies and advance...

Inks make up a small portion of packaging percentage-wise, but play a big role in packaging functionality, informing consumers about the contents of the packaging and promoting the packaged product on the shelf. However, inks can become a challenge when it comes to packaging recyclability, as they need to be removed to obtain clean, pure recyclate ...

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) has welcomed the news that Colorado has become the third US state to pass Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation in order to enhance the recycling of packaging and printed paper. Read the full article from Plastics in Packaging.Read the full article from Recycling Product News.

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) was pleased to learn that Colorado became the third state to pass Producer Responsibility legislation, with HB22-1355 being recognized as the strongest Producer Responsibility policy in the nation. We strongly support HB22-1355 being signed into law to create a producer responsibility program to enhance th...

Aptar Food + Beverage is an active member of the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), an international trade association representing the plastics recycling industry. APR works to provide guidance and support to help companies stay aligned with the evolving dynamics and demands, starting with designing for recyclability. This is a two-pronged ap...

Many local governments curtailed curbside recycling collection, leaving 290 million fewer pounds of post-consumer plastics recycled in 2020. Read the full article from PMM.