Selector’s Post

A recent study by DSNY shows a decline in the amount of material properly sorted for recycling. Here's the breakdown: Paper & Cardboard: Down almost 10 percent since 2017! Plastic, Glass & Metal: Holding steady, but still only around 41 percent gets recycled. While design changes (less packaging) and buying habits (fewer newspapers) play a role, there's still plenty we can do at home! Let's all recommit to sorting our recyclables correctly. #NYC #Recycling #LetsDoBetter https://ow.ly/8Qm950R9f3K

Some may know I’ve become more aware of environmental issues these days. My new friend Brianna Mazze, EP from St Regis Group, has a wealth of knowledge on all things sustainable. Here’s some eye-opening information she put together on recycling from World Recycling Day: A perfect day to learn “Where does my recycling go?” When recycling is picked up from your curbside program, it is taken to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF “murf”). Most MRF’s are either single stream (mixed recycling that’s sorted at the facility) or dual stream (community members must recycle by material: metal, glass, paper). Dual streams are great—in theory. But the reality is humans SUCK at recycling. Single stream is the most common. MRF’s will sort the materials using technology, equipment, and humans, then sell bails to buyers who process and transform it into a “new” product. For a MRF to process a material, it must be SORTABLE and SELLABLE. If it can’t be sorted (think a stainless steel tumbler with plastic liner; the ss is recyclable but it can’t be sorted) or if it isn’t sellable (think glass that is heavy and hard to sort from non-recyclable glass) then it’s NOT recyclable (by your local MRF). Recycling used to be a revenue generator for municipalities/counties but the landscape for recycling has changed drastically since China stopped accepting the world’s trash (I mean, recycling)—see comments for more info. Although recycling has its challenges, the demand and benefits could improve if society improved it’s recycling practices. Reducing or eliminating contaminates is vital for recycling to work. A general rule of thumb, if it’s not a bottle, can, container, paper, or cardboard, it’s probably not recyclable. ♻️♻️♻️♻️ #sustainability #sustainable #sustainableliving #eco #lovewhereyoulive #upcycling #recycle #buylocal #savetheplanet #zerowaste #reuse #reduce #greenliving #upcycled #ecofashion #plastic #upcycle #fair #plasticfree #circulareconomy #cleanup #ecofriendlyliving #repurpose #recycled #worldrecyclingday

It's true that RedCycle collapsed under its own weight and there are surely many lessons to be learned. But a new 'trial' comprising just 12 stores in Victoria will achieve what exactly? What was several years of RedCycle operation, if not itself a trial? Has industry not learned enough already to chart a viable course forwards? And if the conclusion is that soft plastics are simply too problematic, then surely the agenda is one of elimination. #sustainability #recycling #circulareconomy #softplastics

More important recycling news: Recyclass comes with a new version of Design for Recycling guide lines for all plastic streams ! Including a better definition for clear, light blue, and coloured transparent PET bottles, together with additional guidance on PET closures #Design for recycling #RecyClass

The value of the global plastic recycling market is forecast to reach USD 72.7 billion by 2030 – a 60% increase from 2023, according to Statista. As the growth of this market shows no signs of slowing down, it’s imperative for brands to identify innovative ways to contribute to creating a circular economy for plastic waste. In our blog, we explore the role of 2D codes in increasing packaging recyclability and provide advice to manufacturers looking to adopt this solution 👇 #DominoDoMore #Recyclability #PlasticWaste #Sustainability #CodingAndMarking

The value of the global plastic recycling market is forecast to reach USD 72.7 billion by 2030 – a 60% increase from 2023, according to Statista. As the growth of this market shows no signs of slowing down, it’s imperative for brands to identify innovative ways to contribute to creating a circular economy for plastic waste. In our blog, we explore the role of 2D codes in increasing packaging recyclability and provide advice to manufacturers looking to adopt this solution 👇 #DominoDoMore #Recyclability #PlasticWaste #Sustainability #CodingAndMarking

What's the gift that keeps on giving? #PaperRecycling. Mid America Paper Recycling knows. As a fourth-generation independent broker, processor, and exporter of #recoveredpaper, we know there are many opportunities to recycle. -- Nice read from Recycling Today. www.midamericapaper.com #growingtheworthofyourwaste #recyclingmatters #closingtheloop #b2brecyclingservicesChicago #circularmaterials #industrialrecycling #commercialrecycling #OCC #plasticsrecycling #dieboardrecycling

Have you ever thrown your pipette tip box into a recycling bin or trash can and wondered, "𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈?" Unfortunately, most lab plastics are not recycled municipally, and before 2018, many were shipped abroad. If your lab is participating in one of Polycarbin's Closed-Loop recycling programs in the greater Boston area, those tip boxes will be recycled in the state of MA. Each box, or '𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧,' is shipped to our facility in Braintree where they are weighed (for client reporting), sorted, and ultimately reprocessed into a circular resin for lab product manufacturing, at one of our US-based OEMs. Is your lab looking for a local, circular recycling solution? Look no further. 

“Many recyclable products do not make it through the materials recovery facilities (MRFs); if you leave liquid in a PET bottle or food in an HDPE tray, it becomes heavier and changes the density, it will not make it onto the recycling pile,” shared Dr Adam Read, Chief Sustainability and External Affairs Officer, SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK.   As consumer involvement plays a key role in improving the quantity of recycled plastics, it is crucial for brands to identify innovative ways to communicate recycling information and raise awareness of best recycling practices.   In our blog, we discuss the rise of on-pack recycling labels and the role of 2D barcodes in facilitating their adoption 👇   #DominoDoMore #Recycling #Labels #Recyclability #Packaging

“That’s by far the biggest problem,” said Pieterse. “If you’ve seen the statistics, #bags are the #plastic that gets the lowest recycling rate in the country. Only about five percent of 15,000,000,000 pounds of film is #recycled. And that’s why we are focusing on solving a problem that’s not really being solved by others.” #Plasticfilm is used to wrap pallets of products for shipping, for producing plastic bags and for material to wrap boats and agricultural products for protection from the weather. The Myplas USA plant in Rogers recycles plastic film and converts the material into recycled resin pellets that can be incorporate into new film products. The Rogers facility is the first U.S. plant built by #Myplas, a South African company. Pieterse said it made sense to build in Minnesota because there’s a large gap in plastic recycling in the Midwest. Financial support from regional businesses and economic development organizations was another key reason for locating in the state, he said. A coalition of Minnesota groups has been working to address the lack of recycling for plastic film for about a decade. The goal is to recycle the film into new materials that companies can use, said JoAnne Berkenkamp, managing director of MBOLD, an initiative of the GREATER MSP Partnership that works on addressing problems related to the agricultural and food industries. “The key to creating a #circulareconomy is that you have the connections between entities that are using that film, recyclers, and the entities that can make that recycled #resin into new products,” said Berkenkamp. The Myplas USA plant in Rogers will ramp up production early next year. It is expected to employ nearly 200 people once it is operating at full capacity. Minnesota’s collaboration has attracted attention from communities outside of the state, she said. “What we’re doing here with Myplas is making Minnesota a national model,” said Berkenkamp. “This is a great example of people coming together to tackle a major environmental challenge by working together.” The new plant is highly automated but will have as many as 200 employees when operating at full capacity.