Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requested input into its proposed national recycling strategy and members of the Plastics Association Leaders Group is one of those that supports the plan, which includes: reducing the percentage of the wrong materials in the recycling stream helps ensure clean recyclable materials; making the processing system more efficient, to help more of the material that is intended to be recycled get recycled; and strengthening the economic markets for recycled materials, to help manufacturers make more products using recycled materials and encourage demand from consumers for more products that are made with recycled materials.

In backing the proposal, the Plastics Association Leaders Group issued the following statement:

“The recent recycling goal announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that calls for an increase in the national recycling rate to 50% by 2030 (“50 by 30”) will promote collaboration and partnership with government, materials manufacturers, brands, non-profits, and NGOs. Collaboration is the key to advancing a more circular and sustainable system for plastics and keeping them out of the environment where they don’t belong.

“We applaud the EPA for taking up this process to establish a national recycling strategy for the 21st century to ensure more recyclable materials are collected, processed, and manufactured into new products.

“Our industry looks forward to being a valued partner and lending our expertise to support this ambitious goal.”