The Recycling Partnership announces the first-ever roadmap aimed at addressing systemic issues in the U.S. recycling system and catalyzing the transition toward a circular economy for packaging.听The report, 鈥淭he Bridge to Circularity: Putting the 鈥楴ew Plastics Economy鈥� into Practice in the U.S.鈥� is inspired and endorsed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation whose New Plastics Economy Global Commitment unites more than 400 businesses, governments and other organizations behind a common vision and targets to address plastic waste and pollution at its source.听听听听
According to 鈥淭he Bridge to Circularity,鈥� there is no single solution to transition to a circular economy鈥揳n economic system aimed at eliminating waste by design, keeping materials in use and regenerating natural systems.听To build a bridge between the current system and an optimized circular听system, The Recycling Partnership is calling for a set of concrete actions based on three distinct issues currently undermining the U.S. recycling industry:听听听
听(1)听The speed of packaging innovation has outpaced the capabilities of our recycling infrastructure. Most听plastic听packaging is either not being听collected for recycling听or is simply not currently recyclable.听To meet听the听New Plastics Economy Global Commitment听target that 100 percent of plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025, brands, organizations, and governments must align packaging with the realities of the current recycling system while also investing to advance the system.听听
鈥淧athway to Recyclability鈥�:听The Recycling Partnership is initiating a more granular process detailing how to move a package from technically recyclable to commonly accepted for recycling with partners such as Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) and the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR). Collaboratives are also being launched听with the goal of optimizing the system for multiple materials and packaging formats, including but not exclusive to plastics.听听听听
(2)听As it stands, the U.S. recycling system cannot deliver the supply of recycled materials demanded by听the Global听Commitment.听In fact, the report听uses the case study of听polyethylene terephthalate (PET)听bottle recycling and finds an annual听gap of听over听one billion pounds between the current U.S. supply and projected demand for recycled听PET听(RPET) in bottles, and that is just one packaging material type among many.听It听will be听impossible for many companies to meet their ambitious recycled content commitments without significant interventions听in the recycling system.听听
鈥淯nlocking Supply鈥�: The Recycling Partnership will launch an industry-wide $250 million residential recycling intervention to capture more than 340 million pounds of post-consumer听plastics,听in addition听to听over 2 billion pounds of other packaging materials. The report identifies specific strategies to put the capital to immediate use to benefit U.S. communities.听
(3)听Intractable, underlying challenges create a difficult environment in which to develop a sustainably funded and responsive future recycling system.听Bold innovation,听supported by transformative policy is critical to tackling the extensive issues within听the听current system.听
鈥淩ecycling 2.0鈥�: This new initiative calls for $250 million over five years to design and implement the recycling system of the future by advancing technology, building听more robust data systems and enhancing听consumer participation. In addition,听in early 2020,听a new policy proposal听will be launched to address听the unique challenges in the U.S. packaging system听with the goal of achieving听a sustainably听funded recycling system for all materials.听听听
鈥淥ur current recycling system is fundamentally underfunded and incapable of delivering a circular economy without dramatic evolution. With this report, we are providing the clear roadmap to create a new and improved recycling system of the future,鈥� said Keefe Harrison, CEO, The Recycling Partnership. 鈥淲e鈥檙e providing actionable solutions to help current and future partners build a sustainable and effective recycling system in the U.S.鈥�听
Harrison continued, 鈥淭o make this a reality, we鈥檙e calling for $500 million to fund these new initiatives. This will be the first step toward fully optimizing our nation鈥檚 recycling capabilities and ultimately building the bridge to a circular economy.鈥�听听听
The report recommends that plastics packaging be used as the entry point to catalyze system change. However, it repeatedly stresses the importance of building an improved system for all materials, not just plastics.听鈥淐oncentrating on plastics听alone will not create a viable platform for a truly circular economy,鈥� said Harrison, 鈥淣or will recycling alone ultimately suffice.鈥澨�听
听“Tackling the global plastic waste and pollution crisis requires concerted action at a global and local level. We are delighted to see The Recycling Partnership translate the ambitious targets of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment into concrete and progressive actions to be taken in the U.S., urging businesses and governments in the country to step up efforts towards transitioning to a circular economy for plastics,鈥� said Sander听Defruyt, Lead of the New Plastics Economy initiative at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. 鈥淪takeholders in the U.S., as well as听around the world, must address plastic pollution at its source, by eliminating the plastics we don鈥檛 need, innovating the plastics we do need, and circulating them safely in the economy to keep them out of the environment.”听
听听For more information,听visit听.听听
听听