Recycling Partnership aims to support entire value chain

While we have seen an increased focus and critical eye on plastics recycling, what has been encouraging are the efforts from the full value chain to come together, recognizing that our residential recycling system needs investment.  Progress has been made possible through full value chain and industry commitments to invest in designing for recyclability, increased community acceptance and education, new or improved materials recovery sortation capabilities, increased reclamation capacity and capabilities and increased end-market product inclusion of domestically derived recycled content. While there is still a lot of work to be done, the commitment from the industry to support plastics recycling is unwavering.  

The journey for plastics recycling is one that will take time and continued collaboration, but progress is happening.

Q: Why was it important to establish the PET and Polypropylene Recycling Coalitions? What impact have you been able to make since introducing these coalitions?  

A: [TRP’s] Materials Advancement Coalitions were established to harness the power of collective impact by bringing together members of the value chain that are committed to increasing recycling of key materials.  

The Polypropylene Recycling Coalition: Established in 2020 with the goals of increasing community acceptance of polypropylene (PP), ensuring processors can capture the material and supporting responsible end markets, to date, [the coalition’s] 60 grants have resulted in over $22 million in investments to support local recycling acceptance education and outreach and to recycling facilities to support new or improved [PP] sorting. Since the coalition’s founding, we’ve provided new or improved access to [PP] recycling to 48 million people and helped recover 57 million new pounds of valuable polypropylene annually for processing in growing domestic markets. Additionally, in just two years, key [PP] formats transitioned from a “Check Locally” [How2Recycle] label designation to “Widely Recyclable” due to the coalition’s efforts.  

PET Recycling Coalition: Established in 2022 with the goals of capturing 250 million new pounds of PET per year and increasing community acceptance of thermoforms, the PET Recycling Coalition has awarded over $5 million in grants across 23 facilities to support the recovery of over 29 million new pounds of valuable PET annually for processing in domestic end markets.  

Film & Flexibles Recycling Coalition: [TRP] launched the Film & Flexibles Recycling Coalition in 2020 to tackle the challenges surrounding this material. This type of packaging is the cornerstone of the U.S. packaging industry as it represents 21 percent of the marketplace, but only 2 percent of households can recycle it due to lack of collection, sorting, processing and end markets. Since its inception, nearly $5 million in grants have supported 19 projects to invest in innovation in end markets, new capture and sorting technology and curbside recycling access.   

Q: What are your objectives for the PET and Polypropylene Recycling Coalition in the coming year? Do you see a time when these coalitions will no longer be necessary?  

A: We recognize the landscape has shifted drastically over the past several years, with over five states passing extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies. Our coalitions are prepared to navigate emerging hurdles and opportunities and are positioned to capitalize on the opportunity to align national goals with the goals of EPR systems. Now is the time to double down on ensuring materials with a future in the circular economy are getting recycled.  

Together with producers, communities, recyclers and manufacturers, the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition is working to drive a 5 percent increase in the U.S. [PP] recycling rate by increasing community recycling program acceptance, ensuring more recycling facilities can successfully sort polypropylene, supporting responsible end markets and informing policy. Accomplishing a 5 percent increase in [PP] recycling rates requires deploying $10 million in support of education and outreach and new capital throughout 2025, strategically focused on achieving critical milestones. This funding is part of a comprehensive strategy to deploy $55 million in education and outreach and new capital to modernize recycling infrastructure and expand [PP] capture nationwide.  

The PET Recycling Coalition is continuing to work with the entire value chain to increase community recycling program acceptance of nonbottle PET to over 60 percent by the end of 2025, ensure more recycling facilities can successfully sort PET and responsible end markets are supported in an effort to capture 250 million pounds of new PET each year, and inform policy. Accomplishing this requires deploying $52 million in support of education and outreach and new capital through 2027.  

While the goal is transformational change for the residential recycling system in support of these materials, and all materials, there is continued need for investment to accomplish this change. The coalitions will continue their efforts to support investment in the national recycling system and evolve to meet the changing landscape in the years to come.  

Q: What lessons have you learned about the industry that have helped you throughout the years?  

A: The most noteworthy lesson about the industry that has no doubt supported the progress made in plastics recycling to date, and will continue to, is what is possible when the full value chain comes together to support the system. Given the size of the challenge, no one industry player can tackle it alone.  

Another important lesson I’ve learned about the industry is how improving the system for one material can improve the system for all. While our coalitions specialize in specific materials, such as [PP] and PET, progress made for each material pushes us closer toward meeting the five key requirements of an effective recycling system for all materials, which include:  

• ensuring 100 percent of packaging is recyclable; 

• allowing 100 percent of households to access recycling from their home; 

• fully engaging residents in recycling; 

• ensuring recycling facilities have the ability to effectively process 95 percent of the material; [and] 

• connecting recycling facilities to responsible end markets. 

Q: Where do you see upcoming opportunities for plastics recycling? What about challenges?  

A: Film and flexible packaging is one area where we see both challenges and opportunities. Data show this packaging represents 21 percent of the total U.S. packaging market, making it a sizable recovery opportunity, but it faces significant challenges in the residential recycling system. With low end market demand, challenges segregating the various formats for reprocessing, difficulties sorting and capturing the material at MRFs [material recovery facilities] and low community recycling program acceptance, film and flexible packaging requires significant investment to secure a future in the circular economy.  

Adding to the challenges this material faces, in California, the implementation of Senate Bill 54 has the potential to significantly disrupt current packaging systems as it will require plastic packaging formats to rapidly meet recyclability and recycling rate mandates or face bans in the state.  

To address this issue, we established the California Impact Fund as part of The Film & Flexibles Recycling Coalition’s efforts to demonstrate a pathway for this material to achieve the mandates laid out by the state. Over the next two years, the goal of this fund is to deploy $26 million, with $18 million needed immediately in 2025, to develop stable and viable market pathways for the material to be turned into new products and expand reclamation capabilities and capacity, MRF sortation and community recycling program acceptance.  

Q: What role will innovation play in addressing plastics recycling? What form is this innovation most likely to take?  

A: Data and technology innovation will continue to improve and strengthen our recycling system, especially when it comes to reducing confusion on what can and cannot be recycled. Real-time, location-specific education is a critical tool for recovering the 76 percent of what could be recycled but is instead sent to landfills or incinerators.  

For the first time, we now have the reach, data and technology to link national brand packaging with local community recycling program acceptance. Since it launched in 2024, the How2Recycle Plus label, which features [TRP’s] Recycle Check QR code, gives consumers insight into whether their community recycling program accepts the package they are scanning. Recycle Check draws from [TRP’s] National Recycling Database, which provides the most up-to-date information on which materials are accepted in community recycling programs across the country, covering 99 percent percent of the U.S. population.  

As the new label continues to hit store shelves in 2025, it will help scale adoption of dynamic labels featuring Recycle Check across How2Recycle’s more than 800 members and thousands of product SKUs and give a yes-no answer on what is accepted for recycling locally, putting real-time information at fingertips. 

Q: What misperceptions about plastics recycling generally do you wish you could debunk? What is the most effective way the industry can debunk these myths? 

A: The myth we are actively trying to debunk is the argument that recycling does not work. We recognize that, today, recycling in the U.S. is significantly underperforming. Our most recent “State of Residential Recycling Report” shows only 21 percent of U.S. residential recyclables that could be recycled are being recycled. But, when we get it right, we will realize massive environmental and economic benefits that come from recycling, including preservation of natural resources and abating effects on our climate.  

Educating people on what items are recyclable [and] how to recycle them and providing transparency into the recycling process is critical to gaining trust in the system. That’s why our team created tools such as the Recycle Check chatbot—a go-to guide to answer recycling questions—and How2Recycle Plus labels' integration of Recycle Check on physical packages. With these tools, Recycle Check allows people to scan the QR code on some of their favorite products or ask recycling questions to an online chatbot to get a yes-no answer as to whether an item is accepted for recycling in their community, eliminating confusion and barriers to participation.  

Q: How have equipment suppliers to the industry helped to advance plastics recycling?  

A: The innovation and continued evolution of equipment has been and continues to be a key component of the plastics recycling journey. Equipment suppliers have continued to refine what’s possible in the processing of plastics. Not only through equipment that can capture more material and higher quality material, but equipment that can provide additional insight into how the stream is evolving. These suppliers are key collaborators in the value chain that offer insights in support of increasing the capture of valuable material.  

Q: What advice can you offer to new professionals in plastics recycling?  

A: Joining the recycling industry can be an exciting opportunity for collaboration and to support real change in the recycling system. I have learned that even when I feel like the work in front of us is daunting, given the size of the challenge, it’s important to remember my contributions matter and add up when we all work together. I recommend any professional joining this space remember they’re not alone and this is an industry committed to pulling for system change together. No matter the focus or size of your contribution, it makes a difference.