PLASTICS Industry Association Releases Statement on New Curbside Recycling Report

Washington D.C.— The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has released the following statement on The Recycling Partnership’s State of Recycling report that examines the current state of residential recycling in the U.S.

“This report reinforces what our industry has been saying: we need to recycle more, and we need everyone working together to increase recycling rates,” said PLASTICS’ President and CEO, Matt Seaholm. “Higher rates of recycling start with better communication and education regarding the process of recycling, which are goals our Recycling is Real initiative is committed to achieving. The data from this report will enable industry and policymakers to understand and better engage individuals about the importance of the recycling process, ensuring more valuable recyclable material is captured and reprocessed effectively.”

“A crucial first step to improving our recycling rates is having up-to-date data on recycling in the U.S.,” said PLASTICS’ Vice President of Sustainability, Patrick Krieger. “Prior to this report, the most recent recycling data we had was from six years ago. The Recycling Partnership’s data enables us to get a snapshot of our challenges and where we have been successful so that we know exactly what needs to get done to ensure more households participate in recycling across our country.”

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) is the only organization that supports the entire plastics supply chain, including Equipment Suppliers, Material Suppliers, Processors, and Recyclers, representing over one million workers in our $548 billion U.S. industry. PLASTICS advances the priorities of our members who are dedicated to investing in technologies that improve capabilities and advances in recycling and sustainability and providing essential products that allow for the protection and safety of our lives. Since 1937, PLASTICS has been working to make its members, and the seventh largest U.S. manufacturing industry, more globally competitive while supporting circularity through educational initiatives, industry-leading insights and events, convening opportunities and policy advocacy, including the largest plastics trade show in the Americas, NPE2024: The Plastics Show.