In its first two years, The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition turned data, dollars, and determination into measurable national change. What began as an urgent challenge—polypropylene’s place in the recycling stream thrown into uncertainty—became a proof point: collective investment can move an entire material category toward circularity.
The Challenge
When the How2Recycle label downgraded rigid polypropylene containers to “Check Locally” in early 2020, it sent a signal to the market: access was inconsistent, and end markets weren’t keeping pace. Without action, this critical packaging material risked losing its footing in the recycling system.
The Approach
The Partnership convened the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition—a cross-sector network spanning resin suppliers, manufacturers, brand owners, recyclers, and end markets. Backed by catalytic grants and a shared sense of urgency, the Coalition set out to rebuild polypropylene recycling access and confidence across the U.S.
Each grant was designed for measurable system impact:
- Improve access through MRF sortation upgrades and community outreach.
- Strengthen end markets by ensuring recovered polypropylene is sourced here in North America.
- Track outcomes through The Partnership’s National Recycling Database and Circular Packaging Assessment tool.
What We Found
The investments made by the Coalition exceeded expectations, delivering tangible progress in record time. Through 24 grants totaling $6.7 million, the Coalition improved recycling access for roughly 8% of U.S. households—reaching more than 20 million people and enabling an estimated 25 million additional pounds of polypropylene recovery every year.
Those gains, paired with stronger North American end markets, laid the foundation for a milestone achievement: in 2022, How2Recycle officially upgraded rigid polypropylene containers to “Widely Recyclable.”
The Impact
The Coalition’s progress proves what’s possible when the industry acts in concert toward a clear, data- driven goal. Together, Coalition members helped deliver measurable system change even faster than anyone thought possible.
What’s Next
The Coalition’s mission continues: expanding access, strengthening processing, and ensuring long-term market stability for polypropylene. Each new investment compounds the system-wide return, fueling a stronger, more circular economy.
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