The annual Recycling Open House sponsored by the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) concluded on August 20 after leaders at 11 organizations gave presentations about their efforts to promote the recyclability of plastic products.
The open house was the second in a two-part forum, with the first part held on August 13. The August 20 event included presentations by the American Chemistry Council, the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), The Recycling Partnership (TRP), and the Circular Action Alliance (CAA). CAA is the producer responsibility organization (PRO) handling the implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws in five states.
PLASTICS says the annual Recycling Open House is intended as an informational forum but also a “call to action for industry leaders to work together in recycling programs to improve plastics recycling.”
August 20 Session
Panelists took about 15 minutes each to give overviews about their organizations.
- Dan Felton is president and CEO at FPA, which supports and advocates for the nearly $43 billion flexible packaging industry. EPR, labeling laws, and advanced and mechanical recycling are among the issues the association follows, Felton says. FPA also supports viable pathways for end markets for post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials.
- Katherine Huded is the executive director, material systems at The Recycling Partnership. The nonprofit supports packaging that is designed for recyclability. And it concentrates partly on film and flexible recycling, including through its CalFFlex strategy. “CalFFlex, an initiative of the Film & Flexibles Coalition, is building scalable pathways for film and flexible packaging to comply with California’s SB 54, the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act,” according to its website. Huded notes that the challenges with recycling films and flexibles include the limited options for recycling them. Like others in the forum, she says it is important to increase end markets for recycled plastics.
- Shari Jackson is director, plastics sustainability and value chain at the American Chemistry Council. Jackson’s presentation included an overview of the Flexible Film Recycling Alliance (FFRA), which has among its stated goals that all flexibles should be recycled. It works with organizations across the value chain to achieve its goals.
- Neil Menezes is vice president, material services, at CAA. So far, CAA has been approved to be the PRO in California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, and Oregon. Menezes says that Oregon, Colorado, and California are furthest along in their EPR programs. In Oregon, the program has been underway since July 1, he points out. In Colorado, CAA has submitted an EPR program for approval, and it expects the program to launch next year. In California, the EPR program is expected to start on January 1, 2027. CAA’s main focus is on recycling flexible plastics because those products lack the infrastructure that other materials have for recyclability. One of its goals is to improve end markets for recycled materials, he adds.
- Paige Marie Morse is a senior adviser at the Alliance to End Plastic Waste. The alliance also has members across the value chain and works internationally to find solutions for plastic waste. Its progress report through 2024 can be found online and downloaded as a PDF. The alliance’s projects have been spread across more than 30 countries, and it intends to focus on the recycling of flexibles in the future, she says.
- Kara Pochiro is vice president of communications and public affairs at the Association of Plastic Recyclers. Reclaimers and recyclers form the core membership of the association, but stakeholders across the value chain belong to the group, including brands and trade associations. Its work includes expanding access to recycling and guiding companies to design plastic packaging and products that are compatible with recycling systems. Its services include a PCR certification and its Design® Guidefor plastics recyclability. It also offers courses for designing flexibles for recyclability.
August 13 Forum
At the August 13 Recycling Open House, six panelists from five organizations gave similar overviews about their programs. Those presentations included:
- Andy Brewer, director at PLASTICS. Brewer discussed the Flexible Film Recycling Alliance (FFRA), which is an initiative of PLASTICS. FFRA publishes the Plastic Film Recycling Directory that shows where people can find places to drop off flexible plastic film. The Polystyrene Recycling Alliance is another of PLASTICS’ initiatives.
- Paula Leardini leads the recovery pillar at the Sustainable Packaging Coalition/GreenBlue. Founded in 2002, GreenBlue works to promote a circular economy. It formed the Sustainable Packaging Coalition in 2004. Its other initiatives include the How2Recycle labeling system.
- Lora Shrake is interim executive director of the Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR). She was joined by Ally Walker, program officer at CGLR. The goal of the organization is to create the first sustainable region in the world. Its initiatives include capturing litter and removing plastics from Great Lakes beaches and waterways.
- Tracy Taszarek is a senior consultant at the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC). As its name suggests, the goal is to find ways to recycle plastic waste used in the healthcare industry. Its recycling projects have included an initiative in the Houston region that is intended to serve as a model that could be used elsewhere.
- Jay Thomas is vice president of sustainability for the Vinyl Institute and the executive director of the Vinyl Sustainability Council. Thomas says his organization is committed to finding ways to continue to promote the circularity of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is used in industries from building and construction to packaging. Thomas reviewed various projects that have included the recycling of auto mats, roof materials, windows and doors, siding, and wire and cable.
Thomas A. Barstow is senior editor of FlexPack VOICE®.