ACC Announces Innovation in Plastics Recycling Awards 2017

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Plastics Division of American Chemistry Council (ACC) has announced winners of Innovation in Plastics Recycling Awards 2017. The three proud winners of the year are the global packaging solutions provider Amcor, the Washington-based trade body Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the Cincinnati-based consumer durables manufacturer Procter & Gamble (P&G). The awards were announced as part of celebrations in connection with America Recycles Day on November 15, 2017.

Craig Cookson, Senior Director of Recycling and Energy Recovery for ACC noted that the award winners are recognized for their efforts to bring new technologies, products and initiatives to the benefit of marketplace and communities. The innovations by these companies and national trade association have helped to ensure that valuable recycled plastics are kept out of landfill and used in the manufacture of new products. Cookson also commended the winners for the critical role played by them in supporting the growth of domestic end markets for recycled plastics.

Amcor was recognized for creating innovative monomaterial plastic pouch that contains up to 20% post consumer recycled plastic. These pouches could be recycled along with other monomaterial platic bags and are accepted at drop-off locations across the country. In addition, the pouch also features How2Recycle label that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public.ACC has honored Amcor for creating the innovative pouch product and empowering consumers through smart packaging labels.

The ‘Recycling Demands Champions Campaign’ launched by APR during fall this year won the ACC award. The campaign aims to xpand market demand for recycled resins and to improve plastic recycling in North America, by increasing the use of polyolefin and postconsumer resin by making companies pledge to purchase work in progress (WIP) items such as trash cans, pallets etc. A handful of companies have already joined the campaign in the short duration of time since its launch.

P&G was recognized for their efforts to develop a novel recycling technology in partnership with PureCycle Technologies to produce high-quality polypropylene. Apart from promising increased use of the recycled PP in their packaging products, P&G has also made it available for purchase by other companies. To this effect, the new technology has been commercialized by PureCycle Technologies’ Ohio plant.