“There’s a fundamental shift happening in the global automotive supply chain,” said Robin Wiener in her opening remarks at the automotive panel held during ReMA’s Summer Meetings in Detroit, MI. The panel brought together leaders from across the automotive value chain to discuss how recyclers and automakers can work together to strengthen supply chains, support manufacturing,…
The Basel Convention’s Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG-15) convenes this week in Geneva, Switzerland, where representatives from party governments, observers, and other international delegates will gather for a series of stock-taking meetings on efforts that could further restrict transboundary movement of certain recycled materials. Adam Shaffer, ReMA’s Vice President of International Trade and Global Affairs, and…
New details about Responsible End Market (REM) requirements included in state packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws are emerging across states and ReMA members need to know how they will be impacted. To support its members, ReMA has released a new online resource (member login required) with current news and details on REM requirements, including information about the draft REM Standard released by the Circular Action Alliance (CAA), the PRO for packaging EPR in six states. The draft is open for public comment until Tuesday, July 7. ReMA recommends…
ISRI and The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) have announced the latest update to the ISRI Specifications and APR Model Bale Specifications to include updated recycled plastics specifications. Following a collaborative process between the two organizations and their members, the specifications were approved separately during October 2023 by both the ISRI Board of Directors and…
The Stina, Inc. Annual Plastic Recycling Study is currently underway to document post-consumer, post-commercial and post-industrial plastic recovered for reclamation in North America or exported overseas. Each year, Stina releases a Plastics Recycling Data Dashboard that dives into the data and numbers behind plastic recycling in the U.S. The report covers U.S. sourced post-consumer (PCR)…
On July 31, 2023, ISRI submitted comments in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) request for public comment on its Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution. ISRI’s comments applauded policies that prevent plastics pollution and promote a circular economy, as well as provided key recommendations. “Plastics are an extremely diverse, resourceful group…
On Jan. 17, 2023, the European Parliament adopted its negotiating position with EU member states on a new law to revise the EU’s Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR). The Parliament’s revisions aim to recognize the need for improved recycling and waste management capacity within the EU. The proposed revisions to the WSR would phase out plastic…
The U.S. Plastics Pact consortium has awarded its first-ever Sustainable Packaging Innovation Award to Darien, Conn.-based Smile Compostable Solutions® in the composability category. ISRI is a member of the U.S. Plastics Pact. The award showcases companies that are eliminating problematic and unnecessary plastic packaging while taking actions to ensure that 100% of plastic packaging is…
Denver-based ISRI member AMP Robotics Corp. is developing artificial intelligence (AI)-powered automation to improve recovery of film and flexible packaging in materials recovery facilities (MRFs). The Recycling Partnership (where ISRI President Robin Wiener is a board member) estimates only 1% of U.S. households have curbside access for recycling film and flexible packaging. Yet film and…
America’s manufacturing sector opens its doors to celebrate Manufacturing Day on the first Friday of October, falling on Oct. 7 this year. For the rest of the month, ISRI is spotlighting how recyclers contribute to manufacturing’s success by supplying high-quality materials, benefiting supply chains, the environment, and the economy. In a world where manufacturing is…
A pilot program in northeastern Ohio is bringing materials use and management stakeholders together to increase vinyl siding recycling rates. Since the program officially launched in September 2021, the Vinyl Siding Recycling Coalition now includes 14 collection sites and three recyclers—each ready to set up recycling and collection services. Started by the Alexandria, Va.-based Vinyl…
Recyclers since 2019 have helped Connecticut middle schoolers and their communities recycle about 2.5 million plastic bottle caps into useful kitchen drying racks and storage tubs. Last school year, 3,600 local middle school students, aided by an ISRI member and other industry participants, collected 812,000 caps as part of the One Million Bottle Cap Challenge…