Dive Brief:

• The 2013 National Postconsumer Non-Bottle Rigid Plastic Recycling Report was released on Tuesday by the American Chemistry Council.
• According to researchers, over one billion pounds of rigid plastics were collected for recycling in 2013. This figure is three times higher than the amount collected in 2007.
• The report highlights a 17% annual increase in domestic processing of post-consumer materials. 67% was processed in the U.S. and Canada, which is the highest rate since 2007. Driving the growth of processing in the U.S. is the expansion of plastic recovery facilities. 

Dive Insight:

As outlined in the report, there was a slight decrease of 1% in rigid plastics recycling from 2012 to 2013. This is attributed to China’s “Green Fence” enacted in 2013. The country enforced stricter standards of imported recyclable materials, including plastics. 

Patty Moore, the president of Moore Recycling said: “Recyclers addressed the challenges and opportunities presented by the Green Fence, and we believe that the plastic recycling industry emerged stronger as a result. Recycled plastic producers have invested in advanced separation infrastructure or taken other steps to create higher quality bales with greater yields.”