Few recyclable materials generate as much skepticism as plastics. In this episode, hosts Gretchen Carey and Waneta Trabert welcome Steve Alexander, president and CEO of the Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR), to paint a clear picture of the current state of plastics recycling.
The US recycles 5-7 million pounds of plastic annually, but where does that plastic come from, and what happens to it after it’s recycled? Steve addresses issues such as confusion about what plastics can be recycled, why virgin plastic and imported recycled materials undermine domestic recycled plastic, how designing plastic products for recyclability helps support the circular economy, and much, much more.