Plastic Packaging Blog
Stay up to date on the latest innovations in the world of plastic packaging, and read perspectives from a wide array of leading industry experts.
New Study Measures the Potential for Additional Recovery of Recyclable Materials in the Northeast
The American Chemistry Council (ACC), in partnership with Titus MRF Services, launched a secondary sorting study to measure the potential for additional capture of recyclable materials otherwise destined for landfill. This study is projected to wrap up in early 2021...
Is Using Plastic Packaging to Prevent Food Waste an Environmental Trade Off?
If you read the paper, watch the news or scroll through any news media site or social media platform, chances are you’ve seen something about the plastic waste crisis.Our industry is responding and is deeply engaged in unprecedented action to help end plastic waste in...

Plastic Packaging and the War on Food Waste
Previously published in Plastics Engineering and posted with permission from the Society of Plastics Engineers. How much of the food produced around the world is thrown out each year? It’s probably more than you think. Experts typically differentiate between food...

Plastic Packaging for Frozen Food Yields Less Waste
Although calculating food waste is a tricky endeavor, some experts estimate that food loss—from the farm through distribution to our table—is approximately 40 percent in the U.S. And that's just a stat from here. We all know that food waste is a global problem with...

Solving Waste through Reuse
The World Needs Plastics to Live Sustainably; and to Live Sustainably, We Must End Plastic Waste Last week, the Pew Charitable Trusts released a new report, “Breaking the Plastic Wave: A Comprehensive Assessment of Pathways Towards Stopping Ocean Plastic Pollution.”...

With Coronavirus Comes More Household Waste: How to Guide Your Family Towards Sustainability
Recently, while sorting recyclables at home, my 15-year-old expressed frustration with our overflowing trash and recycling bins. He pointed out that because COVID has forced us to remain at home so much more, we are no longer spreading our waste between home, school,...

Advanced Plastics Recycling Scores Big at Latest Recycling Conference
The 2020 Plastic Recycling Conference highlighted emerging technologies that are expected to help usher in a circular economy for plastics. Read the takeaways.

U.S. Plastic Resin Producers Set Goal to Recycle or Recover All Plastic Packaging by 2040
It’s ambitious, yet achievable—realistic—a true “stretch goal.” In May of 2018 ACC’s Plastics Division announced three new circular economy goals to guide and accelerate the capture, recycling and recovery of plastics packaging. Although we and our members have...

Plastic Packaging vs. Alternatives: Comparing Environmental Impacts
Plastics play a role in other critical environmental factors, such as water consumption, solid waste, acidification, eutrophication, and ozone depletion.

What to Do with Plastic Packaging That Can’t Go in the Bin
You probably know that there are certain types of plastic that many municipalities do not accept in curbside recycling bins. A lot of these plastics are plastic films, like grocery bags. But just because they can’t go to the curb doesn’t mean you have to chuck them in the trash where they’re bound for a landfill.