Recycling

Plastics emit 3% of global CO₂. Aligning the value chain—via recycling, clean tech, and circularity—can cut emissions up to 90% by 2050.

K 2025 preview unveils cutting-edge plastics tech: low-carbon materials, advanced recycling, smart thermoplastics, and EV-ready polycarbonates.

EPR laws across US states apply different material definitions, recyclability criteria, and PCR targets, making packaging design a key factor in determining compliance fees.

Some microorganisms can “eat” plastic by using it as a carbon and energy source. These tiny organisms could inspire the recycling methods of tomorrow.

Carbon black pigments blocked NIR sorting, hindering black plastic recycling, but new industry innovations are now solving the issue.

Shrink films made in Colombia set a new benchmark for sustainable packaging, delivering circular economy benefits without sacrificing quality or appearance.

A new large-scale recycling method uses mechanochemical devulcanization to recover and reuse EPDM rubber, enabling circularity without performance loss.

A new one-step, room-temperature extraction method enables accurate, non-targeted quantification of Non-Intentionally Added Substances (NIAS) in Polystyrene.

As the EU rewrites the rules on packaging, engineers face a complex task: making plastics recyclable, compliant, and competitive by 2030.

U.S. Food & Drug Administration accepts LLDPE resin mechanically recycled from stretch film for use at up to 100 percent level in food-contact packaging.

Earth Brands, founded by two sophomores at Williams College, aims to replace disposable plastic cups on college campuses—and beyond.

Technological breakthroughs promise to revolutionize nylon recycling and drive material circularity across industries.