The Trump administration has included Canada's Zero Plastic Waste Agenda among foreign trade barriers, drawing criticism from a Canadian advocacy group and caution from the country's chemical industry.

In its most recent report, the U.S. Plastics Pact outlined numerous market-based and policy solutions for existing challenges that may inhibit adoption of PCR in plastic packaging, including collection infrastructure and virgin resin oversupply.

With PCR requirements increasing rapidly, companies throughout plastics value chains face similar challenges in controlling feedstock supply, scaling up supply and managing capital costs. This sentiment was clear during a Plastics Recycling Conference session as well as a recent industry interview. 

Legislators in Rhode Island have introduced bills to create a bottle bill for the state as well as an extended producer responsibility program for packaging. 

Global polymers heavyweight LyondellBasell provided updated timelines for some of its U.S. recycling projects amid progress toward 2030 plastics goals in a recent report.  

With PCR requirements increasing rapidly, companies throughout plastics value chains face similar challenges in controlling feedstock supply, scaling up supply and managing capital costs. This sentiment was clear during a Plastics Recycling Conference session as well as a recent industry interview. 

Dramatic federal funding cuts have affected at least two plastics recycling efforts, contributing to a major project being canceled in Pennsylvania and forcing an accelerated timeline for self-sufficiency at an Alaska composite lumber operation.

With the arrival of the benchmark year of 2025, two industry giants announced challenges and progress in meeting the ambitious plastics-related goals set for this year.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst recently conducted a pilot project using a small-scale automated recycling system created by rStream, a robotics-based startup founded by two alumni. 

Belgian battery specialist company Umicore added on-again, off-again tariffs to a list of economic woes that included slower-than-expected adoption of electric vehicles and a global market slowdown, during a recent capital markets update.  "Now, we all know that since the start of 2024, the world around us has changed quite significantly. One day, we have tariffs; the other day we...