U.S.-based Association of Plastic Recyclers is launching a new global design catalog to help companies navigate various plastics recyclability guidelines around the world. APR frequently updates its own Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability, but has often talked about the difficulties for companies to navigate different guidelines around the glob...

The U.S. Plastics Pact says polystyrene and PVC packaging, opaque PET, problematic labels, and other materials should be phased out in coming years. A MRF operator called the anticipated elimination of PVC and PS packaging "two really big steps in the right direction." The U.S. Plastics Pact's list of "problematic and unnecessary materials," publis...

A recent webinar brought together experts to cover the benefits and complications of recycled-content mandates. Mark Murray of Californians Against Waste, Steve Alexander of the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and David Allaway of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality presented during the webinar, which was hosted by the Northeast R...

It has been estimated that each year, more than 100 billion pounds of food is wasted in the United States. That equates to more than $160 billion worth of food thrown away each year. At the same time, in many parts of the United States, there is a crisis caused by people having limited access to healthy & affordable food options. The waste of f...

As consumers' appetite for recycled polyester products grows, the industry is facing an unintended consequence: There may not be enough plastic available for recycling to meet the demand. An executive at recycled fiber producer SAYA explains why a lack of RPET supply poses a challenge for his industry, and he proposes steps to help address the supp...

Our host Steve Alexander is joined this week by Kate Bailey, Policy and Research Director of Eco-Cycle, to discuss her work advocating for a zero waste future, her insights on the packaging crisis, and the challenges she sees for the future of recycling and potential paths forward.  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, SoundClou...

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...

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...

Mr. S. B. Garware, Chairman of Garware Polyester Limited (GPL) observed, "Sustainability is core to our vision of making our planet healthier. As a responsible Hi-Tech performance film manufacturing company, we seek to deliver long-term economic value to our stakeholders, while continuing to contribute to the environmental and social well-being of ...

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...

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) has recognized UPM Raflatac's PE and PP pressure sensitive label materials with general purpose acrylic adhesive for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) containers as meeting or exceeding the most strict APR HDPE Critical Guidance criteria for recyclability. These white and clear PP and PE label materials com...

Global waste is expected to increase by 70 per cent over the next 30 years unless we take action now. Colgate-Palmolive has a plan In order to tackle this critical issue, corporations must make sustainability a priority by setting measurable goals, innovating, collaborating and preparing for anything. Read the full article from Forbes.

Resource Recycling and the Association of Plastic Recyclers, the organizers of the Plastics Recycling Conference, have announced that this year's event will be held in a fully virtual format April 7-8. In an email announcing the virtual venue, the organizers say it "allows for boosted participation from companies across the sector, eliminating trav...

Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials has announced its MDO and PE films have been recognized to comply with the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) Critical Guidance for HDPE recycling, and the company's BOPP and MDO films have been recognized to comply with APR Critical Guidance for Flexible PE recycling. Following the earlier APR recog...

Your brand is likely facing immense pressure to step up your sustainability game. Not only do major retailers have imminent sustainability requirements for their suppliers, but investors have a heightened focus on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) measures of the companies in their portfolios and customer scrutiny misses nothing.Sustai...

PMMI Media Group editors divided and conquered to collectively take in as much of PACK EXPO Connects as possible. Here's what they saw in the materials category. The challenges of flexible packaging are pushing new innovations. A number of these were touched on during a PACK EXPO presentation. During that presentation, Sandi Childs, Director of Fil...

Ferrero has partnered with the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) to join efforts in enhancing plastics recycling. Working closely with APR and their network of members, Ferrero will help define, develop and update design-for-recyclability guidelines that would be uniform across the industry. This latest partnership announcement follows Ferrero...

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...