Recycled Content: We Need More Than Commitments and Legislation

Chaz Miller • October 31, 2024

Recycled Content: We Need More Than Commitments and Legislation

Many companies that pledged to increase recycled content in their packaging are now scaling back, citing outdated recycling infrastructure and limited supply. Without realistic assessments of recycling technology and material availability, ambitious goals are proving difficult to meet.


Recycled content is hot again. Over the last few years, numerous companies committed to use more recycled content in their packages. Whether they were for beverage, detergent, candy, or whatever, they set ambitious goals. This year, we have seen many of those companies retreating from their goals. They are blaming a “lagging recycling infrastructure” that is creating an undersupply of recycled materials.


It's easy enough to blame the recycling infrastructure. As long as processing technology improves, MRFs will always be out of date. The last MRF I visited before COVID was in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in December 2019. Yes, it was cold. Winnipeg never got above zero Fahrenheit while I was there and MRFs are hard to heat. Nonetheless the MRF was impressive, replete with all of the latest, best sorting technology. As he was pointing out the new equipment, the MRF’s manager made a prescient observation. He predicted that five years later, the MRF would have a great deal of new, more technologically advanced processing equipment.


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