PET thermoform recovery in the U.S. and Canada reached a record 264 million pounds in 2024, but NAPCOR’s latest analysis shows that recycled-content use is falling, exposing a growing gap between collection gains and true circularity.
Italy’s plastic recycling industry is facing a value crisis, not a volume crisis. While recycled plastic volumes increased to around 850,000 tonnes in 2025, sector turnover fell for the third consecutive year to €685 million. High energy costs, weak demand, cheap imports and competition from virgin polymers are squeezing margins, leaving many recyclers under severe pressure. PET remains the strongest segment thanks to mandatory recycled-content rules, but other polymers still lack stable market support.
Evonik is strengthening the chemical recycling sector with innovative purification technologies that improve pyrolysis oil quality for use in steam crackers. The solutions help transform difficult-to-recycle plastic waste into valuable raw materials for new plastics.
New research warns that the UK is collecting more plastic for recycling while simultaneously losing the infrastructure needed to process it. Industry experts say billions in investment and thousands of jobs could be unlocked if policymakers create stable conditions for recycling growth.
A new NAPCOR analysis shows PET thermoform recovery reached an all-time high in 2024, highlighting progress in collection while exposing ongoing challenges in recycled content adoption and market demand.
PepsiCo is accelerating its circular packaging strategy with new Gatorade bottles made from Eastman’s PET Renew resin. The advanced recycling process transforms difficult-to-recycle polyester waste, including textiles and plastic films, into food-grade PET suitable for new beverage packaging
STADLER has opened a new Japanese subsidiary to support growing demand for advanced waste sorting and recycling technologies. The move comes as Japan intensifies efforts to recover valuable materials from waste streams and strengthen its circular economy objectives.
Italy’s plastic recycling chain is facing growing pressure. Utilitalia warns that excessive plastic waste stocks and saturated recycling outlets could disrupt collection services and threaten circular economy targets unless urgent action is taken.
Freepoint Eco-Systems has suspended operations at its plastic pyrolysis facility in Hebron, Ohio, after multiple environmental violations and ongoing regulatory scrutiny from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The decision reignites debate over the environmental impact and future of advanced plastic recycling technologies.
