Testing with 12oz CSD bottles shows Husky's multi-layer preforms can increase shelf life by up to six weeks, while reducing PET weight by more than 20%, compared to a monolayer package. And the resulting rPET contains only trace amounts of nylon, which is formulated to limit color shift and meet the strict guidelines of the Association of Plastic R...

Revolution, a Little Rock, Arkansas-based manufacturer focused on processing recycled resin, has acquired Five Points Films, which is a regional manufacturer of cast hand and machine stretch film for commercial customers.  With the Five Points acquisition, Revolution plans to expand its presence and apply its circular approach to the stretch f...

PET is the largest rigid packaging plastic by volume in the United States. It is also the most recycled plastic in the US. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides 2019 recycle rate of ~28% for PET that follows aluminum packaging (all formats) at 35% and glass packaging at 31%. The strong commitment to increased recycled PET (rPET) con...

Closure Systems International Inc. (CSI) reveals a new tethered closure design that helps keep plastics in the economy and out of the environment. "As an active member of the U.S. Plastics Pact, Sustainable Packaging Coalition, and The Association of Plastic Recyclers, we are collaborating within our industry, our communities, and with our customer...

Right now, the U.S. Plastics Pact is the most concrete thing happening in the business world to make plastics more circular. Launched last year, it has set some aggressive 2025 goals. Later this year, it will release a list of plastic packaging it considers "problematic or unnecessary" and that its member companies should stop using. That list is b...

Aptar Food + Beverage announces its recyclable SimpliCycle™ valve will be launched within new Kraft Heinz Ketchup packaging. In addition to Heinz Ketchup, other Kraft Heinz brands including Heinz Mustard, Heinz Mashups, and Heinz BBQ Sauce, will convert to the SimpliCycle valve by the end of the year. Testing was coordinated and administered by bot...

The recent run of strong pricing, especially for HDPE natural, has caught recyclers' attention. At least one expert believes market dynamics have decoupled recycled resin and virgin prices.The price escalation is tied to booming recycled HDPE demand, especially for HDPE natural, which "always is in great demand," said Steve Alexander, president and...

The Recycling Partnership today announced a third round of grant funding through its Polypropylene Recycling Coalition, distributing an additional $1.8 million in catalytic grants to advance polypropylene recycling and reduce plastic waste in the U.S. Launched just one year ago, the Coalition has awarded grants that will improve curbside polypropyl...

A trade group representing plastics recyclers is creating a new recognition program for packaging developers that meet guidelines for recyclability. Dubbed the "Meets Preferred Guidance Review Program," the new offering from the Association of Plastic Recyclers "encourages companies that manufacture packaging materials and components, as well as fi...

For manufacturers, the circular economy can reduce certain costs. For example, in 2020 the Washington-based Association of Plastic Recyclers released a study comparing energy profiles of the environmental burden of virgin resin versus recycled resin. From the study, comparing just the expended energies of recycled polyethylene terephthalate, high-d...

Creating a circular economy for recycled plastics  The Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR) today announced a new program to recognize companies that develop packaging that meet the "APR Preferred" category according to APR's definition of recyclability outlined in the APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability. Participation in the Meets...

Sustainability continues to be one of the key drivers for companies throughout the supply chain. From suppliers to brands, most companies are striving to operate in a more environmentally-friendly way. In fact, many leading label and package printing companies have set lofty goals for sustainability in an effort to protect the environment and help ...

Sustainability is a continued discussion in all print segments, including labels. Sustainable label media options are available—from facestock and adhesive to the liner—that can be optimized for digital printing. When it comes to label media, what does sustainability mean? Features that come to mind include water dissolvable, biodegradable, recycla...

The Recycling Partnership announced that it will open its Pathway to Circularity Recyclability Framework for public comment, a first of its kind opportunity for the entire recycling value chain and other stakeholders to shape the future of recyclability. The Framework, developed in collaboration with 35 industry leaders spanning the packaging value...

AWT Labels & Packaging, an industry leader in labels and flexible packaging printing and converting solutions with headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has joined the Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR).  AWT prints and converts a significant amount of synthetic film materials for pressure-sensitive labels, as well as the printing o...

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), Farmington Hills, Mich., has granted Critical Guidance Recognition to Polyplastics USA for flexible multilayered film for stand-up pouches with 15.5% or less Topas cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), including grades Topas 9506F-500, 8007F-600, 7010F-600 and 6013F-04. The APR recognition demonstrates that Poly...

After China's crackdown on plastic exports, Cascade Cart Solutions saw a spike in the already high volumes of these materials at domestic recycling facilities. This sparked the manufacturer and supplier of recycling containers to find ways to use more material in the U.S. and create pull through demand markets. EcoCarts launched in 2020 with one la...

After a period of stagnation, there has been a swarm of merger and acquisition (M&A) activity recently, as the post-Covid landscape offers those with strong balance sheets new opportunities to invest and acquire. Issues concerning recycling and waste management are rarely far from the headlines, and last month was no exception. The North Americ...

What are the potential solutions for the recycling of plastic beverage containers? In this episode of Closing the Loop, Return-It President & CEO Allen Langdon speaks with Steve Alexander. They discuss APR's position paper on deposit collection programs for beverage containers, chemical recycling, US deposit programs and more. Listen to the&nbs...

The newly-elected Board Directors of The Recycling Partnership bring unmatched sustainability and industry knowledge, and business expertise to help lead The Partnership's work to transform the U.S. recycling system and activate a circular economy for packaging. The Partnership is the lead organization in the country that engages the full recycling...