Dec. 16, 2011 The plastics industry is moving the major responsibility for warding off local efforts to ban or tax plastic bags from the plastics division of the American Chemistry Council to the industry´s main plastics association, the Society of the Plastics Industry Inc. Waste & Recycling News
Dec. 15, 2011 Beverage giant Coca-Cola Co. is making what it said was a multimillion dollar investment in three bio-based companies in an effort to accelerate the development of a PlantBottle made entirely from plants. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
December 16, 2011 Renewable chemicals and biofuels firm Gevo Inc. has reached an agreement with The Coca-Cola Company to supply renewable para-xylene for the beverage giant’s bottles. Environmental Leader
Dec. 15, 2011 In the last three years, the use of single use paper and plastic shopping bags distributed in Massachusetts has dropped 33% in stores participating in a joint initiative to reduce bag use with the Massachusetts Food Association, the state's Department of Environmental Protection announced. Waste & Recycling News
December 15, 2011 One city's bag ordinance could serve as a blueprint for plastic bag recycling in Illinois. The City of Highland Park recently adopted an ordinance establishing a recycling program for plastic bags in the city. Plastics Recycling Update
December 14, 2011 Recycling of expanded polystyrene has reached "a stable baseline of incremental growth and steady end-use market developments," according to recent findings. Resource Recycling
December 14, 2011 Those seemingly ubiquitous disposable plastic bottles, the ones that generated a storm of controversy over their proposed ban at Grand Canyon National Park, may now be banned by park superintendents nationwide. National Parks Traveler
December 14, 2011 Three years after making a commitment never to purchase a plastic bottle of water, Pippa Blake made use of the newly installed water fountain at Matiatia ferry terminal to refill her water container. Auckland Now
Dec. 12, 2011 Two more communities, on opposite ends of the United States, have banned single-use plastic carryout bags. Waste & Recycling News
Dec. 12, 2011 City officials in Austin, Texas, have proposed a 25-cent carryout bag fee for both plastic and paper bags at retail establishments. Waste & Recycling News
December 8, 2011 In an effort to discourage single-use carryout bags, the city of Sunnyvale is moving forward with an ordinance three years in the making that will ban the distribution of plastic bags. Mercury News
December 7, 2011 What to do with plastic bags continues to be at issue taken up by communities across the U.S., with some opting for bans and others for recycling initiatives. Plastics Recycling Update
December 5, 2011 Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility issued claim that a major beverage bottler used corporate gifts and ties to national park fundraisers to influence the National Park Service (NPS) Director, according to documents obtained by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Packaging Digest
Dec. 5, 2011 A just-released email says the director of the National Park Service feared there would be "consequences" from Coca-Cola Co. if NPS went ahead with a proposed ban on the sale of single-use plastic water bottles at the Grand Canyon. Waste & Recycling News
December 5, 2011 Universal Textile Technologies has formed a partnership with Grand Teton National Park to convert bottles from the park into backing for carpet and synthetic turf products. Environmental Leader
November 19, 2011 When one product becomes more eco-friendly, benefits abound throughout the supply chain. Must a bottle be made of plastic? This fall, Seventh Generation began a new path: Its Natural 4X Laundry Detergent is shipping in recycled (and recyclable) bottles made of cardboard, manufactured by Ecologic Brands. To see what’s saved, follow the life cycles of both containers. Fast Company
December 1, 2011 Across the country, cities and counties are instituting fees on plastic bags, or even banning them outright, in an effort to prevent pollution and raise revenue for cash-strapped local governments. Huffington Post
December 1, 2011 Jon Jarvis, the director of the National Park Service, has said that its decision to scuttle a planned ban on small plastic water bottles at Grand Canyon National Park had nothing to do with opposition from the Coca-Cola Company. The New York Times
November 30, 2011 Coca-Cola Recycling has released the first-year results of an initiative designed to tap into the abundance of recyclables consumers often toss due to a lack of collection infrastructure. Resource Recycling
November 29, 2011 A petition calling for a plastic water bottle ban at the Grand Canyon has received more than 90,000 signatures on Change.org. Waste & Recycling News
November 22, 2011 ...Unlike recycling claims, which have been regulated by the FTC, there are as yet no equivalent regulations for compostable and biodegradable plastics. There is a standard – ASTM 6400 – but it is a technical standard that requires very specific biodegradation conditions, especially when it comes to heat. Packaging Strategies
November 22, 2011 A bottle filling station for drinking water designed by Elkay, a construction fleet tracking system by Navman Wireless and a school bus converted into a market selling local produce are some of the green products to be honored at the 2011 Chicago Innovation Awards. Environmental Leader
November 21, 2011 The College of Saint Rose prides itself on a long standing commitment to taking care of the environment. One of the newest projects already in use on campus and being expanded are the hydration stations. The Saint Rose Chronicle
CRI cited: "According to the Container Recycling Institute only 14 percent of water bottles in New York were recycled in 2006, compared to 70 percent for soft drink containers."
November 21, 2011 An ad on the sidebar of my Facebook profile caught my eye: “What do you recycle?” it innocently asks. The link underneath, www.PlasticsMakeItPossible.com, is enough to make the stomach churn, but I figured that by clicking, the worst that would happen is the company would pay Facebook for a clickthrough, so I went ahead and checked out their contest. Triple Pundit
Nov. 18, 2011 A Coca-Cola initiative designed to boost on-the-go beverage container recycling collected more than 2.3 million containers -- 60% of them PET bottles -- at just three sites in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with the first year of the program nearing completion. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
Nov. 18, 2011 A bill in New Jersey would place a 10-cent fee on every carryout plastic or paper bag at every convenience store, drug store, supermarket or retail establishment of more than 1,000 square feet, beginning in 2013. Waste & Recycling News
Nov. 20, 2011 As an island community in the 21st century, Guam finds herself at a "make it or break it" point in her life. The world is quickly changing with every day and while Guam may be a little behind in such matters as pop culture and unlimited access to all and everything, Guam, and the entire Pacific region, is nonetheless on the forefront of experiencing massive environmental changes. Pacific Daily News
Nov. 17, 2011 Plastics scrap imports through China's Guangzhou customs fell by more than 80 percent in the past two months, as the local customs tighten the enforcement of a newly implemented regulation on solid waste import. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
November 17, 2011 The Association of Oregon Recyclers has released a new policy officially opposing the use of degradable additives in plastic products. Plastics Recycling Update
November 13, 2011 At the urging of the local environmental community, the Seattle City Council is considering a ban on plastic shopping bags based on a ban approved this year in Bellingham. Seattle Times
November 15, 2011 A sponsor of American Idol, rumored to be Coca-Cola, has forced the TV talent show to drop a public service announcement that features show contestants urging Americans to limit their consumption of single-use plastic containers. Environmental Leader
November 9, 2011 Weary of plastic litter, Grand Canyon National Park officials were in the final stages of imposing a ban on the sale of disposable water bottles in the Grand Canyon late last year when the nation’s parks chief abruptly blocked the plan after conversations with Coca-Cola, a major donor to the National Park Foundation. The New York Times
November 3, 2011 NRDC just formally submitted its views to the United Nations Secretariat for next year’s Rio+20 Earth Summit. NRDC Switchboard
November 9th 2011 Coca-Cola is to embark on its most ambitious sustainability initiative of any event it has sponsored with plans to recycle 80 million plastic Coke bottles at London 2012, the company announced today. GreenWise
November 8, 2011 The IBWA reports that the bottled water industry maintains a strong commitment to environmental protection, stating that bottled water waste contributes to about .33 percent of the country’s total waste. Environmental Leader
Nov. 7 2011 Monterey is on its way to joining the growing list of California communities with bans on single-use plastic carryout bags, and its neighbor on the Monterey Peninsula -- the city of Pacific Grove -- also is looking into whether a ban makes sense there. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
November 6, 2011 Two bottled water companies and a plastic bottle manufacturer are misleading California consumers by claiming their bottles are biodegradable, charged California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris in a lawsuit last week. Care2
November 4, 2011 From a small town in the heart of the Rocky Mountains to an entire country in Africa, efforts to do away with plastic bags persist. Plastics Recycling Update
November 4, 2011 The Plastics Environmental Council has announced that it is sponsoring a study to produce specifications for petroleum and gas-derived plastics that have been treated with additives to enhance their biodegradation. Plastics Recycling Update
Oct. 31, 2011 Carbondale has joined nearby Aspen, Colo., in banning plastic bags and placing a 20-cent fee on paper bags handed out at grocery stores. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
October 27, 2011 The California Attorney General announced today the state has filed a lawsuit against ENSO Plastics, Aquamantra and Balance Water for allegedly falsely claiming their plastic bottles were biodegradable. Resource Recycling
August 31, 2011 A new test protocol has been introduced to determine the impact of labels and adhesives on PET thermoform package recycling. Packaging World
October 26, 2011 The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. has approved new guidelines for bales of mixed bottles, containers and rigid plastics. Developed by ISRI's Plastics Recycling Council, the guidelines recommend contamination levels under 2 percent for all bales and says caps, closures and labels can be included with recoverable material. Plastics Recycling Update
October 26, 2011 The California Attorney General announced today the state has filed a lawsuit against ENSO Plastics, Aquamantra and Balance Water for allegedly falsely claiming their plastic bottles were biodegradable. Plastics Recycling Update
October 26, 2011 Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today filed a first-of-its-kind "greenwashing" lawsuit against three companies that allegedly made false and misleading claims by marketing plastic water bottles as "100 percent biodegradable and recyclable." California Office of the Attorney General
Oct. 25, 2011 The Plastics Environmental Council is sponsoring a research study that aims to produce the first standard specification for landfill biodegradation of plastics containing additives to enhance biodegradation. Waste & Recycling News
Oct. 24, 2011 Steve Carreras, chief buyer of recycled plastics for the Coca-Cola NURRC recycling plant in Spartanburg, S.C., the past three years, is now running the troubled plant, according to sources that asked not to be identified. At the same time, several sources told Plastics News that Coca-Cola Co. is still trying to sell the plant, which reopened on a limited basis in August. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
October 20, 2011 The U.S. could benefit by following the lead of other countries and embracing plastic-to-energy technology, according to Canadian Plastics Industry Association President and CEO Greg Wilkinson. Speaking on a broadcast of Environment & Energy Daily's OnPoint, Wilkinson, who is also an advisor to the American Chemistry Council, discussed the new ACC-backed study from Columbia University that highlights the potential of converting or refining plastics into oil. Plastics Recycling Update
October 11, 2011 Universal Textile will purchase the recyclable plastic bottles Yellowstone collects each year and convert them into a high-performance backing for carpet and synthetic turf. 1-800-Recycling.com
October 19, 2011 New technology is allowing for drink cans with a much lower environmental footprint, according to Packaging Europe. This year’s 2011 Can of the Year Award went to the Toyo Ultimate Can, which has a micron-thin polymer coating. This eliminates the needs for lubricants usually used in the can-shaping presses, which in turn means the manufacturer doesn’t need chemicals to wash off the lubricant. Environmental Leader
October 18, 2011 The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. on Oct. 5 approved some additional guidelines for mixed bottles and containers and rigid plastics, as well as changes to existing plastic scrap specifications and related information. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
October 14, 2011 The head of Mexico´s leading plastic bag-making organization says newly adopted recycling policies have given a boost to the poor and helped the economy. "Right now many people are collecting plastic bags and selling them and the price is going up," said Juan Antonio Hernández, managing director of Falcon Plastics de México SA de CV. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
October 12, 2011 A new study concludes that if all non-recycled plastics put into landfills each year were instead converted to energy, they could provide at least enough energy to fuel six million cars annually, or produce 52 million MWh of electricity, which is enough to power 5.2 million households per year. Waste Business Journal
October 2011 Most of the discussions about bisphenol A, or BPA, in this column have been about how regulatory officials and governments have reacted to the chemical’s presence in packaging. There is another forum in the debate over BPA, however: Courts. Packaging World Magazine
October 5, 2011 California's plastic bag wars continue on. A bag manufacturer is taking aim at Los Angeles County and a litigious organization seeking to protect the controversial totes says it will continue to keep the issue in court despite a recent setback. Hilex Poly Co., LLC, joined by several California residents, intends to sue the County of Los Angeles over a plastic bag ban passed by the county that went into effect in July. Plastics Recycling Update
Oct. 5, 2011 Let´s say you´re on the City Council of a coastal community where many residents are concerned about marine debris. Some of your constituents want to ban single-use plastic bags. But if you pass a ban without first doing an expensive study on the environmental impact of the decision, you´ll face a lawsuit -- and the prospect of an expensive legal battle. Waste & Recycling News
Oct. 10, 2011 Plastic bag manufacturer Hilex Poly Co. LLC has filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County that charges the county´s ban on plastic bags and 10-cent tax on single-use paper carryout bags violates State Proposition 26. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
September 30, 2011 The Save the Plastic Bag Coalition says it will file an appeal with the First District California Court of Appeal in its continuing effort to overturn the single-use plastic bag ban for unincorporated areas of Marin County that is scheduled to go into effect Jan. 1. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
September 29 2011 Join the Surfrider Foundation and Rusty as they celebrate Raptoberfest – a month long initiative to raise awareness about the harms of single-use plastics in our marine and coastal environments. Transworld Surf
CRI Cited: The Container Recycling Institute estimates Americans buy more than 28 billion single serving bottles annually, and only recycle about 20%.
September 28, 2011 The final frontiers of plastics recycling may soon be settled, with research from the U.K.'s Waste & Resource Action Programme demonstrating the possibility of recycling almost all plastic packaging generated at home – including some infamously difficult-to-process materials. Although more than 330,688 tons of plastic packaging are collected for recycling each year in the U.K., more than a million tons of that material are still sent to the landfill. Plastics Recycling Update
September 23, 2011 Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd. and ECO Plastics Ltd, a U.K. plastics recycling company, have released the name of a new joint venture for bottle-to-bottle recycling in the U.K. The new joint venture, which was first announced in March, will be called Continuum Recycling. Plastics Recycling Update
September 22, 2011 Cold-water fish gelatin has the potential to be used as an edible, biodegradable food packaging alternative, according to the results of recent research. Beverage Daily
September 22, 2011 FoodProductionDaily.com recently caught up with Innovia Film’s Alexander van t’Riet to talk about the changing fortunes of cellophane. Beverage Daily
September 19, 2011 ...Recently, Method, in partnership with Envision Plastics, was able to make prototype bottles out of a novel and potentially profound new plastic material, Ocean PCR. It is 100 percent post-consumer HDPE, 25% of which is plastic we have collected from the Gyre. Treehugger
September 19, 2011 The trademark green 7UP bottles got a little greener in Canada this summer. PepsiCo Beverages Canada unveiled the new 7UP EcoGreen bottles in July and rolled them out across the country last month. Waste & Recycling News
September 16, 2011 Biome Bioplastics of the United Kingdom has published a White Paper in support of bioplastics derived from renewable resources. ...The paper discusses issues surrounding bioplastics, including the issue of whether biodegradability is desirable or not. European Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
September 15, 2011 The college students of America have a drinking problem, but it's not what you think. A small but growing number of colleges have brought down the ban hammer on the on-campus sale of plastic water bottles. The Consumerist
September 15, 2011 A handful of local governments in California and the Rocky Mountains have banned plastic bags or are considering doing so, while the capital city of Australia is reminding residents that the controversial sacks are on their way out. Plastics Recycling Update
September 15, 2011 Another litigious saga in the ongoing wars over plastic bags has come to a close, with both sides claiming some measure of victory. The dust-up began in January of this year, when plastic bag manufacturers Hilex Poly Company LLC, Superbag Operating, LTD and Advance Polybag, Inc filed a complaint against ChicoBag asserting that the California maker of reusable totes was making dubious marketing statements that the trio of companies claimed were causing undue harm to their businesses. Plastics Recycling Update
August 26, 2011 San Francisco’s Aquarium of the Bay has opened a new exhibit to address plastic waste in the Earth’s oceans. “Perils of Plastics” is a temporary multimedia exhibition that combines playful features with hard-hitting facts and a do-it-yourself element to raise awareness and personal action, according to the aquarium. Plastic World
September 14, 2011 Filling stations are no longer just for gas. In an eco-friendly push, hundreds of U.S. colleges are installing water fountains known as hydration stations so students can refill water bottles rather than buy new ones. Some campuses are even banning the sale of bottled water. USA TODAY
September 13, 2011 Method, in partnership with Envision Plastics (the technology leader in curbside collected, recycled polyolefin plastics), has developed a novel and potentially profound new plastic material; Ocean PCR. The idea was born when, after achieving 100% post-consumer material in our packaging, we started asking ourselves a simple question: what is the ultimate post-consumer material? Envision Plastics
September 14, 2011 The ChicoBag Company, a reusable bag firm, has announced that the lawsuit filed against it by Hilex Poly Company LLC, Superbag Operating Ltd. and Advance Polybag Inc. – three of the largest domestic manufacturers of disposable plastic bags – has ended. Environmental Leader
Sep. 13, 2011 A proposed ban on the use of paper and plastic bags at retailers countywide could come closer to approval Wednesday as an obscure county board takes up the issue. Stores would still be allowed to offer thicker — and in theory more likely to be reused — paper and plastic bags with handles under a proposed ordinance before the county’s Integrated Waste Management Authority board. SanLuisObispo.com
September 13, 2011 AT&T will start transitioning to a plant-based plastic in packaging for its branded wireless accessories, the company has announced. The plastic is composed of up to 30 percent plant-based materials, sourced from sugarcane-based ethanol. Environmental Leader
September 9, 2011 The future of a bill that would ban food vendors from distributing expanded polystyrene foam containers is in flux in California. SB 568, would enact a statewide ban on food vendors, restaurants and grocers from distributing single-use EPS food containers after January 1, 2016. An exception would be made for vendors operating in a local jurisdiction that has an EPS recycling program in place by that date. Resource Recycling
September 9, 2011 A bill in California that would have banned restaurants from handing out polystyrene containers was placed on the inactive file and won´t be voted on this year, but the bill isn’t totally dead, an official said. Waste & Recycling News
September 7, 2011 In an effort to encourage residents to bring their own reusable shopping bags to the grocery store, Aspen, Colo., and two neighboring cities are one step closer to charging a fee on disposable grocery bags. Waste & Recycling News
September 1, 2011 West Australian-based Earth Bags Australia Pty. Ltd. has launched what it says is Australia´s first 100% recyclable paper bag, aimed at replacing so-called green polypropylene bags.Called Earth Bag, the woven paper bags have a natural beeswax coating. Plastics News, Waste & Recycling News
August 31, 2011 ...Coca-Cola Canada says it wants to help reduce waste and recover more recyclables at festivals throughout Ontario, which is why the cola maker is partnering with the Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. Marketing
August 30, 2011 Researchers in Catalonia, Spain, have invented a process that turns cheese waste into recyclable plastic food packaging. This new plastic is made using whey protein – a by-product formed in the production of cheese – and is biodegradable. Environmental Leader
August 29, 2011 A bioplastic made from cheese byproducts is expected to be appearing in consumer product packaging within a year, according to Dr Elodie Bugnicourt of Barcelona-based research company IRIS. Plastics & Rubber Weekly, Waste & Recycling News
August 26, 2011 Looking to improve the collection and intermediate processing of PET thermoformed packaging, plastics trade group SPI has issued a $100,000 request for proposal (RFP) open to recycling program operators in the U.S. Resource Recycling
August 24, 2011 Coca-Cola and United Resource Recovery (URRC) are injecting life back into their US PET recycling plant after a six month project to overhaul operations. According to news reports, the joint venture, which makes food-grade pellets, was shut down last March. Beverage Daily
Aug 24, 2011 Like every other kid growing up in the Age of Plastic, I didn’t realize how pervasive this petro-chemical substance had become or how dangerous it is to the environment and my own health. But after binging on single-use bottles and bags for decades, Americans are finally waking up to the fact that we’ve been drowning in a pool of our own plastic waste. Honolulu Weekly
August 14, 2011 Most people are familiar with the concept of a carbon footprint. Many may also know there is such a thing as a water footprint. But whoever heard of a plastic footprint? Well, soon, more and more people will have. The New York Times
August 24, 2011 During a two-week class trip to the Amazon Rainforest in 2008, Yale student Pria Anand felt she was heading into uncharted territory. She didn´t realize how right she was. Anand, who collected dozens of fungal samples in Ecuador with classmates in her Rainforest Expedition and Laboratory course, wanted to find endophytes that could break down plastics in a process called bioremediation. Waste & Recycling News
August 23, 2011 Global demand for plastic recycled packaging is set to increase 10% to $162 billion, according to a new report from Freedonia Group Inc. Plastics will account for 10.6% of recycled packaging in 2020, up from 6.9% in 2010 and 8.5% in 2015, says the group. Waste & Recycling News
August 23, 2011 In an effort to encourage residents to bring their own reusable shopping bags to the grocery store, Aspen, Colo., is one step closer to charging a 20-cent fee on disposable grocery bags. Waste & Recycling News
August 22, 2011 Two consumer goods companies in India are launching an initiative to encourage plastics recycling. ...Consumers who bring in empty plastic bottles and pouches will receive coupons for discounts on five Hindustan Unilever brands. Plastics News
August 22, 2011 The troubled Coca-Cola joint-venture recycling plant in Spartanburg, S.C., is set to reopen today after being shuttered by the company in March. But Coke is considering selling its 49 percent stake in the plant, according to the Wall Street Journal. Environmental Leader
August 21, 2011 HAVE YOU EVER grabbed a bottle of water at a party, a meeting or just straight off the store shelf? If so, you are not alone. About 75 percent of Americans drink bottled water, and 25 percent drink only bottled water. This adds up fast. Marin Independent Journal
CRI cited: In 1973, we used no plastic water bottles. Ten years later, according to the Container Recycling Institute, we used 4 billion. By 2006, the number reached almost 36 billion, with Californians accounting for 6.9 billion.
August 19, 2011 The Coca-Cola Co. joint-venture PET recycling plant in Spartanburg, shuttered since March, will start making food-grade pellets again next week. But the extent of that production has not been disclosed. Plastics News
August 19, 2011 The U.S. recycling rate for plastic bottles made from PET, typically derived from petroleum, was 28% in 2009, compared to nearly 50% in Europe. Mike Esterl explains why on Lunch Break. The Wall Street Journal
August 11, 2011 A new test protocol has been introduced to determine the impact of labels and adhesives on PET thermoform package recycling. Greener Package
August 19, 2011 When Coca-Cola Co. opened a new recycling plant here in January 2009, it trumpeted it as a centerpiece in its goal to recycle all of the plastic bottles that hold its drinks. Today, the troubled facility highlights the Atlanta beverage giant's struggles to build a recycling business in the U.S. The Wall Street Journal
August 18, 2011 A bill to ban polystyrene foam containers from California restaurants will face a committee vote on Aug. 25 after an Assembly committee took comments on the measure. Waste & Recycling News
August 17, 2011 Salinas has joined the growing number of communities in California that have banned the use of polystyrene foam takeout packaging. The ban, enacted by City Council in a 6-1 vote Aug. 16, is scheduled to go into effect Feb. 12. Plastics News
August 18, 2011 Tesco is eliminating a controversial type of additive which helped it to create biodegradable bags, according to news reports.... A study backed by the country’s Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs suggested such bags could actually harm the environment. Environmental Leader
August 17, 2011 Scotland’s environment secretary, Richard Lochhead, has launched a consultation on a possible ban on free plastic carrier bags. The change of heart follows concerns that voluntary measures to cut bag use are failing to cut demand at a sufficient rate. Plastics & Rubber Weekly
August 17 2011 The German Association for Plastics Packaging and Film (IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen EV) has come out against the European Commission´s plan to enforce a ban on plastic carrier bags. Waste & Recycling News
August 15, 2011 Bicycle lock brand Kryptonite has introduced new packaging that replaces commonly used hard plastic shells with a more environmentally friendly alternative. Environmental Leader
August 10, 2011 A frequently ask question is why we can’t recycle Styrofoam. There seems to be a lot of it in shipping packages, meat products at the grocery and in boxes when we purchase large items such as a TV, computer or other electronic equipment. Styrofoam is most often labeled as No. 6. Looking at the “recycling information and instruction” sheet you will see we do not accept No. 6. Albert Lea Tribune
August 10, 2011 In the UK, industry and government are responding to a report that shows mixed results on efforts to reduce the use of plastic bags, while the mayor of England's largest city also looks into curtailing the totes. Supermarket customers in the UK used a total of 6.4 billion single-use bags in 2010, according to the Waste and Resource Action Programme. Resource Recycling
August 8, 2011 A study from the Hong Kong plastics industry says that contrary to expectations, the city´s bag tax has increased the amount of plastic used in bags by more than 25 percent, prompting industry officials to question the 2-year-old law´s environmental benefits. The study found that use of the plastic bags targeted by the law -- the T-shirt and die-cut bags commonly used at supermarkets and retailers -- did drop substantially, as the law envisioned. Plastics News
August 5, 2011 In the space of a couple of years, Mexico´s largely pro-recycling plastics industry has outwitted bag ban proponents in the Mexican capital and is taking the fight to the provinces and South America. Plastics News
August 5, 2011 Glass is breaking up as the single largest container of food and beverages. Between 2015 and 2020, plastic and tin cans are predicted to replace glass as the "single largest category," according to a report on 12 European countries by industry consultant Pira International. Malaya Business Insight
August 2, 2011 Yale undergraduates have discovered organisms in Amazon Rainforest fungi which can degrade polyurethanes. The discovery, which is featured in the journal "Applied and Environmental Microbiology," may lead to innovative ways to reduce waste in the world´s landfills, the university said in a press release. Waste & Recycling News
Aug 1, 2011 Food giant Nestlé has teamed up with Tetra Pak to launch a cap made from 100 per cent renewably sourced materials for two of its Brazilian milk brands. This month Nestlé Brazil’s Ninho and MolicoUHT products will be rolled out in the country using the new closures. Beverage Daily
Jul 12, 2011 There's one kind of purchase people make every day that I simply don't understand: Bottled water. Consumer Reports
July 14, 2011 Bellingham has become the 23rd community in the United States and second in the state of Washington to ban single-use disposable plastic bags at retailers. The ban, which goes into effect July 11, 2012, also requires retailers to charge shoppers at least five cents for each paper bag used at checkout. Plastics News
July 14, 2011 Reversing a lower court ruling, the California Supreme Court has upheld a Manhattan Beach ordinance that bans the use of plastic bags by local businesses. Waste & Recycling News
July 7, 2011 “Going green” is epitomized in the brilliantly colored hues of an eleven-foot by eight-foot butterfly mural at Central Valley Elementary School, representing a school community’s imaginative and artistic plastic bottle cap recycling efforts. The Photo News
July 18, 2011 San Francisco’s Aquarium of the Bay has opened a new exhibit to address plastic waste in the Earth´s oceans. "Perils of Plastics" is a temporary multimedia exhibition that combines playful features with hard-hitting facts and a do-it-yourself element to raise awareness and personal action, according to the aquarium. Waste & Recycling News
July 18, 2011 The California Supreme Court has reversed two lower court rulings and upheld a ban on single-use carryout plastic bags in Manhattan Beach that has been on hold for three years because of a lawsuit filed by the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition. "This is an important victory for the environment and common sense," said Mark Murray, executive director of Californians Against Waste. Waste & Recycling News
July 16, 2011 Rethink the drink. So says the small sign planted beneath a small display of empty water bottles, which hang on a series of strings between three poles in Leverett town center. The display is the work of the Leverett Energy Committee, which is trying to encourage residents to reduce their carbon footprints. Daily Hampshire Gazette
July 15, 2011 Europeans are recycling almost half of all PET bottles, on average, according to new findings from European plastic recycling trade groups Petcore and EuPR. The overall recycling rate for 2010 was 48.3 percent of all PET bottles sold on the market, with the volume of post-sorting PET ticking up 6.5 percent last year to 1.6 million tons. Resource Recycling
July 15, 2011 Recycling collection has become a common feature at grocery stores, but a startling amount of rigid plastics from behind the counter are landfilled or burned each year. Now a pilot program being spearheaded by two trade organizations is hoping to help change that. Resource Recycling
July 15, 2011 A new report from the European Commission's Directorate-General Environment has thrown more cold water on the prospects of bioplastics, pointing out some very practical problems with the pioneering material. Resource Recycling
July 14, 2011 PepsiCo Beverages Canada said it has constructed North America´s first soft drink bottle made from 100% recycled PET plastic. The company now uses an average of 10% recycled PET in its primary soft drink bottles in Canada and the U.S. Waste & Recycling News
July 12, 2011 Vietnam´s Thanh Tai Gas Co. is setting up a PET recycling plant with the capability to produce FDA-approved food grade material, using equipment from American supplier Bepex International LLC. Thanh Tai plans to have the first line operating by January, with a second parallel production line set up later, Bepex said in a July 11 statement. The system will have capacity to recycle up to 1.5 billion PET bottles a year. Plastics News
July 11, 2011 While Australia has begun a long journey toward upping its use of biodegradable plastics and introducing more environmentally friendly manufacturing processes, there is much to be done to alter consumer perceptions of plastics, industry bodies say. A national plastics recycling survey shows a rise of only 2.2% in the volume of plastics recycled in Australia since the previous survey, about a year ago. Waste & Recycling News
Jul 01, 2011 A June 14th article posted on Slate debates the environmental advantage of a move by major beverage producers – Coca-Cola and PepsiCo – to use plant materials instead of fossil fuels to produce plastic drink bottles. ...In trying to judge their merits, author Amy Westervelt comes to a straightforward, short-term conclusion that could have the greatest environmental impact: work to increase current recycling. Environmental Health News
June 30, 2011 Local researchers said Thursday that fish in the middle depths of the North Pacific Ocean probably consume tens of thousands of tons of plastic debris each year. Two graduate students this week published the first scientific results from a high-profile cruise in 2009 by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. Signon San Diego
June 16, 2011 Amy Westervelt of Slate tries to get to the bottom of Coke and Pepsi's plant-based bottles, concluding that they "still damaged the environment." But she also caused some confusion and had a few mistakes, some of which have been corrected. Treehugger
July 05 2011 It takes physical, mental, and logistical effort to maintain a regular workout. The reason to stick to it is the long, wide-ranging list of major physical and mental benefits from regular exercise, covering heart disease, cancers, mental illness and more. But you may be overlooking the big picture. You have opportunities for healthy habits in between and during workouts that are not only good for your own mind and body, but also are good for the health of planet.
CRI cited: Each year, Americans buy some 34.6 billion single-serving plastic water bottles of a liter or less, according to the Container Recycling Institute. Almost 80 percent of those end up in landfills or incinerators, and millions of others litter waterways, highways, and byways. Meanwhile, tons of energy goes into the production and filling of bottles, the institute says. Dallas News
July 5, 2011 Transitioning to adhesives that don´t hinder recycling could be one of the stickiest challenges that packaging thermoformers face in meeting the new mandate by the Retail Council of Canada that clamshell food packaging be made from PET by next year. "PET thermoform containers use non-friendly adhesives compared to the bottle stream," said Mike Schedler, technical director for the National Association for PET Container Resources in Sonoma, Calif. Plastics News
July 5, 2011 A $10 million plastic bottle recycling plant in Oregon recently broke ground after being a year behind schedule, the St. Helens Chronicle reported. The new plant is being constructed by ORPET, a public-private venture between Portland-based Denton Plastics Inc., plastic packaging firm Quantum Leap LLC in Vancouver, Wash., and the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative. Waste & Recycling News
June 24, 2011 Canada´s top five grocery chains will require its suppliers to shift to PET for clamshell thermoformed packaging in a move designed to simplify the product stream and increase recycling. Waste & Recycling News
Jun 23, 2011 The global biodegradable plastics market is expected to grow due to increased demand from consumers seeking more environmentally friendly packaging, according to a new report from Research and Markets, Ltd. Plastics Recycling Update
Keeping cool By: Juana Manahan Yupangco
June 22, 2011 This summer in the Philippines has reached scorching temperatures—it’s important for our babies and us Mamas to stay well hydrated. I’ve found the most gorgeous water bottle courtesy of my schoolmate Melissa Ongsue of Purple Tag. She introduced me to KOR Hydration vessels—made from BPA Free Tritan material. Aside from its many colors and sizes available super star mom Gwyneth Paltrow was seen carrying it.
CRI mentioned: "For every sale, they donate 1% of that to various non-profit organizations such as the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, The Wetlands Initiative, The Container Recycling Institute and The Blue Planet Run." Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 21, 2011 Coca-Cola Co.’s joint venture PET recycling plant in Spartanburg -- which has been closed since March -- now is for sale. More than a half dozen sources told Plastics News that Coke has given Carlos Gutierrez, president and CEO of Coca-Cola’s joint venture partner United Resource Recovery LLC, the OK to shop the plant to interested buyers. Plastics News
June 14, 2011 Despite all the buzz, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo's plant-based bottles are still very much plastic. The companies have merely replaced the fossil fuels (petroleum and natural gas) traditionally used to make their plastic bottles with ethanol from renewable sources (plant waste in Pepsi's case and Brazilian sugar cane in Coke's). Slate
June 12, 2011 The Legislature and the plastic-bag industry pitch the litter and recycling issues to Portland Of course, Oregon should have one statewide standard for single-use grocery bags -- just as it has one bottle bill. But on Friday, the bottom ripped out of efforts in Salem to either ban plastic bags outright or set an ambitious plastic recycling benchmark backed by a prohibition. The Oregonian
June 8, 2011 The Manitoba government banned the purchase of single-use bottled water on Tuesday to set the example of what they want the rest of us to do. Drink from the tap. Winnipeg Free Press
May 2, 2011 With sales rebounding, the debate still rages over which is better, with cost vs. convenience at the head of the drink line. Star Tribune
June 3 2011 Australians were urged to recycle the more than 260 million litres of bottled water they consumed last year. Yet none of those bottles were made from recycled plastic. Crikey
June 9, 2011 The California Senate has passed a bill that would make the Golden State the first in the nation to restrict restaurants and other food vendors from handing out containers made of expanded polystyrene. Plastics Recycling Update
Study: Plastic recycling more accessible than ever By Editorial Staff
June 2, 2011 Ninety-four percent of the U.S. population has access to PET and HDPE bottle recycling, according to new research from Moore Recycling Associates Inc. for the American Chemistry Council. The new research also looked into the volume of other plastic products being diverted from waste streams and made recommendations for increasing collection.
Resource Recycling Electronic Newsletter
Biodegradable benefits questioned By Jake Thomas
June 2, 2011 A new study out of North Carolina State University casts doubt on the environmental benefits of biodegradable materials, suggesting that as they break down they release a powerful greenhouse gas.
Plastics Recycling Update
Be Green Packaging to Open U.S. Plant
May 27, 2011 Be Green Packaging has finalized the purchase of its first U.S. manufacturing facility, in Ridgeland, S.C. The packaging company... says that the $7.3 million factory will be the country’s first for compostable packaging based on Green Products Innovation Institute (GPII) standards.
Environmental Leader
Plastic bans around the world By Editorial Staff
May 26, 2011 This article summarizes measures being taken up by local authorities to prohibit or discourage the use of plastic bags and polystyrene: The European Commission, the United Arab Emirates, Long Beach and Half Moon Bay, and the City of Burlingame, California.
Plastics Recycling Update
New compostable snack bags are easier on the ears by Anne Marie Mohan
March 2011 Look out Frito-Lay! Boulder, CO-based snack food manufacturer Boulder Canyon Natural Foods...has launched a 7.5-oz compostable bag for five varieties of its All Natural Kettle Cooked Potato Chips that boasts the look and feel, as well as the sound, of its former, petroleum-based film bag, but contains more than 90% renewable material.
Packaging World
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