“The Polypropylene Recycling Coalition brings stakeholders to the table to have good, hard, challenging conversations. And, we’re walking away with strategy.” - Stephanie Baker, KW Plastics
Why Polypropylene Matters
Polypropylene is one of the most common rigid plastics in the U.S. It shows up in yogurt cups, takeout containers, and household packaging. Nearly 2 billion pounds enter the country each year. But only 60–65% of households have access to recycle polypropylene, and just 20% of what’s used in consumer products is captured through household recycling.
That means millions of pounds of valuable material are being wasted instead of reused in new packaging and products. We shouldn’t settle for that. With the right investments and collaboration, we can unlock the full recycling potential of polypropylene.
Solving Recycling’s Toughest Challenges
The Recycling Partnership launched the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition in 2020 with a single goal: unlock the full potential of polypropylene in the circular economy.
Recycling is a complex system. And systems are only as strong as their weakest links. From the packages businesses design to the carts residents set out each week, to the infrastructure and policies that shape the flow of materials—every part must work together to drive results.
That’s why our approach is grounded in the five elements of a functioning recycling system:
- Design for Recycling – Packaging must be built to be recycled.
- Access to Recycle – Every household needs convenient recycling from home.
- Public Participation – People must have the information and be motivated to recycle.
- Efficient Sorting & Processing– Facilities must handle materials effectively.
- End markets – Old stuff has to become new stuff.
Building on more than 100 interventions since 2020, the Coalition has learned what works and what doesn’t. We know that a $4 million investment is needed to expand community acceptance, scale resident education, and build a playbook that supports compliance in policy states. Without it, polypropylene risks being left behind. With it, we keep valuable material in motion.
The Polypropylene Recycling Coalition Strategy:
Increase Community Acceptance and Drive Behavior
Expand community acceptance and strengthen education and outreach strategies that move people to act. Test and scale what works to boost household capture.
Help educate your community! Click here for free resources.
Partner with MRFs to Scale Acceptance and Increase Capture
Strengthen partnerships with leading MRFs to enhance community engagement, optimize system performance, and drive shared economic value.
Create the Playbook to Inform Compliance Strategies
Create a playbook outlining how to close the capture gap – with an emphasis on supporting existing and emerging policy states – to meet compliance requirements.
Take Action to Accelerate Polypropylene Recycling
Be Part of the SolutionResults by the Numbers (as of June 2025)
- $19M in grants awarded to communities and facilities
- 48M more residents now have polypropylene recycling access
- 75M new pounds of polypropylene captured annually for reuse in growing domestic markets
- 100+ interventions delivered across the U.S.
From “Check Locally” to “Widely Recyclable”
In 2020, How2Recycle downgraded polypropylene packaging to “Check Locally,” signaling a risk of low recycling rates and even potential non-compliance with emerging state laws.
Through collective action, the Coalition turned the tide. By upgrading recycling facilities, funding community education, and strengthening end markets, we achieved in just two years what could have taken a decade: Polypropylene rigid packaging formats are once again labeled “Widely Recyclable” across the U.S.
Why Take Action Now?
Over the past decade, global market shifts revealed polypropylene’s unique value and spurred U.S. investment in recycling infrastructure. Today, the capacity exists — but success depends on resident engagement to get polypropylene into the cart. With seven states now passing EPR laws covering 1 in 5 Americans, the stakes are higher than ever: strong participation is essential to meet recycling targets and avoid compliance risks.
Without continued investment, recovery rates will stall and valuable material will keep going to waste. But with coordinated action — across businesses, communities, facilities, and policymakers — we can capture more polypropylene, strengthen markets, and build a better recycling system.
Together, we can keep polypropylene out of landfills and put it back to work in a thriving circular economy.
Are you a company that wants to help us chart a path forward for this material?
Become Part of the CoalitionCase Studies: Collective Impact in Action
The Polypropylene Recycling Coalition is driving measurable progress in polypropylene recovery across the United States, empowering communities and facilities to capture more recyclable materials, reduce landfill waste, and strengthen markets for post-consumer plastics. These three case studies showcase the power of innovative technology, strategic collaboration, and community engagement to advance polypropylene recycling at scale.
Building on a History of Commitment to Recycling – Ocean County, New Jersey
Ocean County’s Northern Recycling Center transformed polypropylene recycling with the installation of an optical sorter supported by The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition. Capturing more than 850,000 pounds in 2023 alone, the county now diverts significantly more material from landfills and anticipates annual collections of 2.2 to 4.4 million pounds. This success aligns with New Jersey’s Recycled Content Law, reinforcing local markets for post-consumer plastics.
Technology to Improve Collection – Recology, Sonoma Marin, California
With the modernization of its Santa Rosa MRF in 2024, Recology Sonoma Marin integrated dedicated polypropylene recycling as part of a $35 million facility upgrade. Supported by a grant from The Recycling Partnership, the new technology enables efficient material recovery for the 170,000 customers it serves. This advancement supports California’s aggressive recycling goals and bolsters a circular supply chain for polypropylene recovery.
Capturing More Polypropylene — and Inviting the Community to Join In – Scott County, Iowa
The Waste Commission of Scott County boosted polypropylene capture sixfold with the help of an optical sorter funded by the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition. By combining technology upgrades with a robust community education campaign, the county achieved a dramatic increase in recyclable materials and expanded awareness across 25 counties. Messaging efforts included direct mailers, billboards, and virtual tours, inspiring a broader commitment to recycling.
Facility Upgrades Near Austin, Texas Boost Polypropylene Capture
What was once a small, outdated materials recovery facility (MRF) in fast-growing central Texas is now a hub for recovering polypropylene and other plastics. When Circular Services, formally known as Balcones, acquired Taylor, Texas-based Wilco Recycling in 2021, the MRF had virtually no sorting capacity for polypropylene, also known as #5 plastic. The sorter began operating in September 2024 and is processing over 30 tons of polypropylene per month as of January 2025.
From Access to End Markets: St. Peters Delivers Systemwide Recycling Change
Two years ago, St. Peters, Missouri had a system that wasn’t working. Recycling was opt-in and bag-based. Access was limited. Polypropylene, found in everyday items like yogurt cups and butter tubs, wasn’t being recovered. Residents wanted to recycle, but the system wasn’t built for success. Today, that’s changed. With support from The Recycling Partnership, including the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition, American Beverage Association’s Every Bottle Back initiative and Missouri Beverage Association, the city set out to build a better system.
Denton Plastics is Ready, Building the Infrastructure to Back Bold Policy
Denton Plastics is turning Oregon’s Extended Producer Responsibility law into action with an 18,000-square-foot expansion that will nearly double its capacity to process 2.6 million pounds of polypropylene by 2026. Supported by a $2 million investment from The Recycling Partnership, Metro, and Denton, the project strengthens local recycling infrastructure and ensures more material is transformed into new products.
How Collective Investment Turned Polypropylene into a Widely Recyclable Success
Through collective investment led by The Recycling Partnership, the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition helped move rigid polypropylene from ‘Check Locally’ to ‘Widely Recyclable’—proving that coordinated, data-driven action can transform an entire material category.
Thank you to our partners and founding members.
