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Plastic bottle recycling dips in 2016

A decline of 2.4 percent is attributed to a slight drop in material collected for recycling, changing export markets and increased contamination of recyclables.

Pfw 7303 We Recycle

Plastic bottle recycling remained strong in 2016, but declined slightly, slipping 2.4 percent to just over 2.9 billion pounds, according to figures released jointly by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC). The â€ś27th Annual National Postconsumer Plastic Bottle Recycling Report” indicates the overall recycling rate for plastic bottles for the year was 29.7 percent, down from 31.1 percent in 2015.

The five-year compounded annual growth rate for plastic bottle recycling was 2.1 percent. Following more than 20 consecutive years of growth, factors that contributed to the recent decline include a slight drop in material collected for recycling, changing export markets and increased contamination of recyclables. In addition, growth in the use of plastic bottles in packaging was offset by continuing progress in lightweighting and increased use of concentrates with smaller, lighter bottles.

New food packaging & processing solutions, all at PACK EXPO in Chicago
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