Canada's recycling of plastic packaging increased by 9%
About 80% of the plastic material reported was reclaimed in Canada or the U.S.
Recycling in Canada continues to pick up momentum. According to Moore Recycling Associates, an additional 9% of plastic packaging was recycled in 2013 compared to 2012. Plastic packaging collected for recycling includes plastic bottles, non-bottle rigid plastics (such as deli and dairy containers, bakery, vegetable, fruit containers), and plastic film, bags and outer wrap.
The results are derived from a voluntary survey of more than 500 companies that handle recycled plastics in North America. These companies are made up of reclaimers, exporters, brokers, material recovery facilities (MRFs) and other handlers of used plastics.
Canadian plastics recyclers want more supply, according to the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA). It is estimated that the film and bag recycling capacity in Canada is at a 44% utilization rate and non-bottle rigid recycling capacity is at a 72% utilization rate.
“Given the extensive recycling infrastructure, the impact of China’s Green Fence on Canadian businesses was minimized. CPIA’s efforts and this new report show that the Canadian plastics recycling industry is strong and growing. Consumers, communities and businesses are encouraged to continue to grow their plastics recycling programs. Used plastics are valuable resources to be re-manufactured into new products,” says Krista Friesen, VP of sustainability for the CPIA.
Related Content
-
Scaling Up Sustainable Solutions for Fiber Reinforced Composite Materials
Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Sustainable Manufacturing Technologies Group helps industrial partners tackle the sustainability challenges presented by fiber-reinforced composite materials.
-
Recycled Material Prices Show Stability Heading into 2023
After summer's steep drop, most prices leveled off in the second half.
-
Looking to Run PCR on a Single Screw? Here’s What to Keep in Mind
Just drop it in and mix it up? Sorry, there’s a lot more to it than that. Here is some of what you need to consider.
