Most of Loss Due to Lack of Access to Recycling Service and Insufficient Communication
WASHINGTON, D.C. Jan. 10, 2024 – Identifying significant, but fixable gaps in the U.S. residential recycling system, a new report from The Recycling Partnership (“The Partnership”), a non-governmental organi[...]
The Recycling Partnership kicked off 2024 with a By the Numbers webinar focused on its newly released report, “State of Recycling, The Present and Future of Residential Recycling.”
The webinar, held on January 31, 2024, provided a deep dive into the report’s data, highlighted the are[...]
By Asami Tanimoto
UPDATE: Upon receiving feedback from area stakeholders and further review, we removed two references to a contamination rate reported in the Portland metro region that resulted from a generation study of single-family households co-funded by The Recycling Partnership. It was decid[...]
The report finds investment to improve the residential recycling system in the U.S. over the next five years would deliver significant environmental and financial benefits, including:
Save 710 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent;
Reduce the average water usage of 30 million people;
Save the equiv[...]
Check out our June 2019 Impact Report and learn about the $73 million in value we have delivered to transform recycling for good.
See how we are working together with communities, our funding partners, and the industry to drive change coast to coast and create a stronger economy, healthier p[...]
Join The Recycling Partnership’s latest By the Numbers Webinar on January 31 at 2pm ET to dive into their latest report, the “State of Recycling: Present and Future of Residential Recycling in the U.S.” This report offers new data and analysis on the current state of residential re[...]
“How can we support people, how can we design tools and solutions that make it easiest for people to dig in and participate and support the great work of recycling?”
— Louise Bruce, managing director of The Recycling Partnership’s Center for Sustainable Behavior & Impact
Last month,[...]
Our 2016 Annual Report highlights real-time benefits of the transformative organization’s work, focusing on year-on- year growth, systems solutions across the supply chain, and the multiplier effect that intelligently-deployed new infrastructure delivers.
“Day to day, we’re always looking fo[...]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
New “Bridge to Circularity” Report Calls for $500 Million by 2025 to Transform the U.S. Recycling System
Report Emphasizes Need for Creating New Pathways to Recyclability, Unlocking Post-Consumer Material Supply, and Crafting Bold, Transformative Policies Supported by Cut[...]
In October 2022, The Recycling Partnership kicked off By the Numbers, a new webinar series for industry stakeholders focused on current trends in the U.S. recycling system and a circular economy.
The first webinar in this series was held on October 26 and unpacked the data behind plastics recycling[...]
2020 Impact Report Tells Story of the National Nonprofit Catalyzing Change to Move the U.S. Toward a Circular Economy
Six Experts Serving as Launch Advisors
WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 3, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership announced today that it has launched The Center for Sustainable Behavior & Impact (“The Center”) to drive measurable improvement in residential recycling behavior and mobilize household par[...]
Reporting Grantees Show Ninefold Increase in Polypropylene Capture
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 29, 2023) – The Recycling Partnership (“The Partnership”) today reported on the progress of the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition (“Coalition”) and provided insights into the changing landscape of p[...]
Since 2014 the nation’s leading recycling nonprofit has reached over 100 million households diverting 770 million incremental pounds of recyclables from landfills
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 15, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership has released its Impact Report 2022: Complex Problems Require [...]
The Recycling Partnership’s Center for Sustainable Behavior & Impact’s new Knowledge Report presents four themes for accelerating recycling best practices
Recycling is a complex, reverse supply chain—and its success depends on the small, everyday actions of hundreds of millions of people. [...]
The 2016 State of Curbside Report is a snapshot of the performance of curbside recycling programs in a number of key communities across the U.S. Over 400 cities were profiled to understand key recycling program attributes and to evaluate their performance in recovering household recyclables at t[...]
How likely is it that neighboring communities using the same MRF are talking to their residents about recyclable materials in the same way? As this new report prepared by The Recycling Partnership highlights, not very likely.
What are the chances that a community will have easy-to-find recycling i[...]
Plastic pollution is a global crisis. To confront this emergency in the U.S., industry leaders recognized that individual action would not be enough; transformative, systemwide change is required to establish a path toward a circular economy for plastic. Founded as a solutions-driven consortium by T[...]
The Recycling Partnership and NERC present the 2019 Regional Recycling Impact Workshop
Harness the power of your program through tools for fighting contamination, education and outreach, and harmonizing your message to create a stronger recycling system throughout the 11-state region.
The North[...]
Aluminum cans are among the most widely accepted packages for recycling. Within the packaging industry, they have leading recycled content rates and are consistently among the most valuable materials by weight in the recycling stream. However, according to Can Manufacturers Institute research, up to[...]
The Polypropylene Recycling Coalition demonstrates the benefits to the entire recycling system that can result from efforts to solve material- specific recycling challenges. Polypropylene is an important packaging material increasingly used for various food and nonfood products; it is estimated to b[...]
If every home in the U.S. had convenient access to recycling, more than half of recyclable material would still be lost. Why? Because most Americans are confused about what and how to recycle. No recycling system performs at a high level without winning the hearts and minds of consumers to use it pr[...]
Recycling is a complex reverse supply chain that begins in the household, but there is limited visibility into what actually happens in the home behind closed doors. While we know approximately half of all household recyclables never make it to a materials recycling facility, nobody knows exactly wh[...]
Check out what we’ve been up to this past year. Highlights of our 2017 Annual Report include: a breakdown of our three biggest city projects, updated metrics, and an impressive, ever-expanding list of our awesome funders who want to create healthier communities across the country through improved [...]
The 2020 State of Curbside Recycling report calls for these clear, integrated strategies:
Substantially greater support of community recycling programs with capital funding, technical assistance, and efforts to strengthen and grow local political commitment to recycling services.
New and enhanced s[...]
Our research shows that recycling services disadvantage certain streets, neighborhoods, and housing types along socioeconomic lines. Nearly 40 million U.S. residents lack the same level of access to recycling as they have to garbage service. That access gap is even larger for residents of multifamil[...]
When it comes to capturing the different materials that enter the U.S. residential recycling system, it is as important for residents to know what cannot be recycled as it is to know what can be recycled. Excessive contamination can cause a host of problems once the material is collected. The curbsi[...]
When a package or material does not meet the criteria for recyclability (see page 23, Pathway to Circularity), companies are encouraged to take action. Coalitions can address the recycling challenges of today and consider solutions for the challenges of tomorrow.
The Partnership currently leads thre[...]
Navigating the recycling system has historically been challenging, in part because there are no widely accepted recyclability standards. Our Pathway to Circularity for Packaging, another example of collaboration to solve a complex challenge, was created to wash away the gray and bring necessary clar[...]
As U.S. companies seek to reduce waste, meet sustainability goals, and stay competitive, many are committing to ambitious packaging strategies designed to end plastic waste. But not all companies have data-driven resources to define these strategies. Plastic IQ is a free, digital strategy-building t[...]
The state of Michigan established the goal of increasing statewide recycling from 14% in 2019 to 45% by 2030. To reach this target, the state increased funding for recycling support, leading to a multiyear collaboration between the state’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) [...]
When it comes to recycling access, multifamily communities are among the most underserved in the U.S. Members of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) community are approximately twice as likely to live in multifamily housing as non-BIPOC community members. That’s why The Partnership [...]
The Partnership’s unique model of bringing communities and funding partners together, creates meaningful opportunities to drive large scale change in big cities. Prior to the fall of 2021, Baltimore, Maryland, residents lacked a consistent solution for recycling access, making it difficult for the[...]
The Recycling Partnership is committed to advancing a circular economy by building a better recycling system that embraces innovation. This includes technical evolution at the collection level (think electric trucks and improved routing efficiencies), at the MRF level (think AI and robots helping so[...]
The ultimate fate of recycling rests in the hands of a broad set of stakeholders who must all take action to support the transition to a circular economy
FALLS CHURCH, Va., (Feb. 13, 2020) – For curbside recycling in the United States to deliver its enormous potential economic and environmental be[...]
To make truly informed decisions about improving a municipal program, local leaders would be wise to systematically analyze what is (and isn’t) ending up in recycling receptacles at the individual household level. Case studies from three cities help illustrate the method.
With the launch of The Center for Sustainable Behavior & Impact, The Recycling Partnership conducted research for a first-ever Recycling Confidence Index, which included the following results and key findings.
By: Elizabeth Schussler, Senior Director of Social Change, Behavior, and Impact
To a[...]
By Dylan de Thomas
Vice President of External Affairs
The Recycling Partnership
For many Americans, recycling is second nature. It’s something that we can’t imagine living without. The ethos of “waste not, want not” runs deep in our collective conscience. We feel bad when we throw something [...]
Reporting Grantees Are Seeing Ninefold Increase in Polypropylene Capture
By Brittany LaValley, Senior Director of Materials Advancement
With July 2023 marking the three-year anniversary of The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition, it’s a fitting moment to not only reflec[...]
A “Do-ers” Reflection on Stockholm+50 & the United Nations Ocean Conference
by Keefe Harrison (she/her/hers) , CEO, The Recycling Partnership
There is a palpable sense of urgency for environmental action. And it’s not just that we can feel it, we can see it.
The next generati[...]
During the Motivational Messaging and In-Home Recycling webinars, you had questions. And there just wasn’t enough time to answer them so we brought back our speakers for a special Q&A Follow Up Webinar. We answered questions about how to unlock the secrets of effective recycling messagin[...]
“It is extremely disappointing to see that more significant progress has not been made toward the 2025 Global Commitment goals. The Recycling Partnership exists to hold companies accountable and to assist them in the hard work of creating measurable change toward a circular economy for plastics. [...]
We agree that plastic recycling isn’t a panacea for plastics waste. However the reality is that the world won’t just stop making plastic tomorrow, so what do we do today?
We must partner to do the hard but impactful work of building a better system; one that focuses on reducing, reusing and th[...]
By: Michael Washburn, Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor
The U.S. recycling system is not one unified entity – it is a network of 9,000 separate local recycling programs. Recycling access, infrastructure and education have been underfunded for far too long, leaving many U.S. residents, more than 40 mill[...]
Recycling Initiative Drives Capture of 4.1 Million New Pounds of Aluminum Annually
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 4, 2023) – The Recycling Partnership reported today on the impact of its Aluminum Recycling Initiative (Initiative). Under the Initiative five grants have been issued for the continued a[...]
The Recycling Partnership analysis shows that U.S. states could expect an increase in recycling rates with the introduction of EPR law
WASHINGTON, D.C. Feb. 2, 2023 – States can expect significant increases in recycling rates for packaging (including plastic, glass, aluminum and steel) and printe[...]
The Recycling Partnership’s Center for Sustainable Behavior & Impact hosted “Unlocking Recycling’s Potential: A Workshop on Behavior Change, Habits, and Equity,” an engaging event dedicated to recycling program managers. We focused on imparting evidence-based best practices that are cr[...]
The right messaging, targeted to the appropriate audience(s), can make all the difference in helping people to properly recycle every chance they get. That’s what we cover in this webinar recording: Incorporating Motivational Messaging for Recycling Education and Outreach.
What You Will Learn
[...]
This webinar, hosted by The Recycling Partnership’s VP of Industry Collaboration and resident National Sword expert Dylan de Thomas, gives a critical update on what China’s scrap ban and customs enforcement actions are and where it came from. It also covers the potential impact on markets, M[...]
Despite the Challenges of the COVID-19 Health Crisis, Sheboygan Transitioned to a Cart-Based Recycling Program and Increased Its Recycling Tonnage Nearly 20%
Few can claim 2020 was their year – that is with at least one exception. Sheboygan, Wisconsin, which transformed its recycling program amid [...]
The Recycling Partnership’s By The Numbers webinar series kicked off 2023 with a special webinar in partnership with Resource Recycling’s Policy Now.
By The Numbers Webinar: Transforming U.S. Recycling with EPR, designed for municipal and industry stakeholders as well as policymakers, took a d[...]
Best Management Practices report helps local recycling programs achieve long-term success
Falls Church, Va. (June 24, 2020) – The contract between a local recycling program and a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is one of the most impactful legal documents in the U.S. public recycling system. That[...]
Film and flexible packaging is unlike other packaging when it comes to recycling. For starters, it’s not a single packaging type – the term encompasses a wide range of packaging, from polyethylene (PE) air pillows protecting e-commerce goods to heavy-duty dog food bags, to salty snack bags with [...]
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition & The Recycling Partnership studied how plastic, paper, glass, aluminum, cartons and steel packaging fared in material recovery facilities & reprocessor facilities
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (JUNE 11TH, 2019) — ASTRX (Applying Systems Thinking to Recycling), th[...]
Blog Post By: Michael Washburn, Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor
I’m used to wearing many hats in the recycling policy space. Recycler. Constituent. Policy wonk.
Let’s wear the third hat for a minute and focus on a policy that is making news. I’m referring to extended producer responsibility, [...]
A new free resource to advance recycling data, knowledge, and connectivity
WASHINGTON, D.C. Oct. 17, 2023 – Today The Recycling Partnership (“The Partnership”) is launching the Recycling Program Solutions Hub (Hub) nationwide, an interactive tool and resource designed for local recycling staff[...]
When educating the public around what is and is not accepted for recycling, space and attention spans are limited. Evidence-based research shows which recycling bin labels are most effective at reducing confusion about recycling
The Recycling Partnership’s recently released Recycling Confidence [...]
National and State Not-for-Profit and Non-Governmental Organizations Join Together to Say Pass Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation in 2022 and Take the Burden off Taxpayers and Communities
ALBANY, NY (May 9, 2022) – The New York State legislature has three weeks left this session to remov[...]
By Jessica Levine
A mentor once asked me, “What is your wildest dream?” I told her I wanted to be a catalyst for change.
I discovered my passion for environment and sustainability during my senior year of high school. Very quickly, I began to immerse myself in academic studies related to the fie[...]
Once a program has successfully motivated behavior change, the question becomes, will the new behavior stick? If not, how long will it last before the program should reach out again? This is a challenging question to answer, as few programs do long-term evaluations, and ultimately, it is dependent o[...]
I just hopped off the stage at Circularity ’22 and a few things stand out to me about this national drive to improve recycling and launch a circular economy. Clearly people are frustrated that recycling hasn’t fixed the waste problem yet. But before we jump to recycling’s failings, let’[...]
By Keefe Harrison, CEO
Partnership is part of our name for a reason. From the start, The Recycling Partnership has believed that public-private partnerships are critical to our mission—and to our mutual success in building a resilient and responsive recycling system. This approach is at the hear[...]
(Falls Church, VA) On January 7, 2019, Re-TRAC Connect and The Recycling Partnership officially launched Municipal Measurement Program (MMP) to harmonize the measurement of material management programs and to provide municipalities with decision-making tools that can improve recycling program perfor[...]
Five more grants bring total Polypropylene Recycling Coalition awards to nearly $9 million, impacting 28 million people
The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition (Coalition) continues its steadfast approach to grantmaking and improving the recovery of polypropylene across the[...]
By: Elizabeth Schussler, Senior Director of Social Change, Behavior, and Impact
At The Recycling Partnership, behavior change is at the heart of everything we do because people and the planet are at our core. A focus on recycling behavior and the impacts of behavior are ingrained in our DNA and our[...]
Please join The Recycling Partnership for the Incorporating Motivational Messaging for Recycling Education and Outreach Webinar on September 27, 2023, at 1 pm ET.
The right messaging, targeted to the appropriate audience(s), can make all the difference in helping people to properly recycle every [...]
Multifamily Recycling Success: How Minnesota Is Making a Difference
From college dorms to apartment buildings, multifamily properties often pose unique challenges when it comes to recycling efforts. But four Minnesota communities are proving that education and outreach can have a significant impact [...]
by Keefe Harrison (she/her/hers) , CEO, The Recycling Partnership
Frustrated that recycling isn’t fixing the world’s waste problem? Here’s the truth: as it’s built now, it never will. If we think we can just keep making and buying whatever we want without any planning for what happens wh[...]
60+ Brands, Retailers, Government Agencies, and NGOs Collaborate to Advance All Plastic Packaging
to become Reusable, Recyclable, or Compostable by 2025
Falls Church, Va., (August 25, 2020) – Today, the U.S. Plastics Pact, a collaborative led by The Recycling Partnership and World Wildlife Fund (W[...]
On Wednesday, May 27, The Recycling Partnership hosted a follow-up webinar with industry experts to answer the important question: What are on-the-ground impacts of the COVID-19 health crisis on recycling operations and workers? The supply chain and solid waste have both been deemed essential work i[...]
By Elizabeth Schussler, Sr Dir Social Change, Behavior and Impact
Trying to fight contamination in your local recycling program? Ask specifically for what you want (or don’t want). Our research shows that much of contamination can be solved by telling residents exactly how to recycle properly. (Wa[...]
Know What to Throw
When educating around what goes in – or doesn’t go in a recycling cart – messaging space is limited and attention spans are short. The Recycling Partnership recently set out to identify best practices for signage and mailers to help determine how to communicate the most effe[...]
During the August 2 Program of the Year Awards Winner Announcement Webinar, hosted by Resource Recycling, The Recycling Partnership was thrilled to join to co-host and announce Sarasota County, Florida as the recipient of the 2023 Recycling Program of the Year—Large Community.
Read on to learn mor[...]
National research conducted by The Recycling Partnership in June 2021 explored recycling behavior and attitudes, measured the level of reliance that consumers placed on the recycling information they found on product labels, and how well they understood that information. The research included survey[...]
Have you read articles recently calling into question whether recycling really works? Spoiler alert – it does. It also turns out that with strong policy and sustainable funding it could work even better. There is indeed room for improvement, which could bring with it significant local economic d[...]
The big “e’s” are on everyone’s minds – the economy, environment, and education. Local, state, and federal policymakers and civic leaders are charged with tackling these big topics to provide the best quality of life for their constituents. There are many approaches to these challenges; bu[...]
Fund provides grants to deliver new or improved access and education for the approximately 18,000 small and rural municipalities with populations of less than 50,000
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 20, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership recently marked the official launch of the Small Town Access Fund, a[...]
A critical component to creating a circular system, one where used packaging can be made into recycled material again and again, is a healthy and efficient materials recovery facility (MRF) system. The Recycling Partnership’s Paying It Forward report estimates the U.S. needs to invest $3 billion t[...]
Niagara Bottling, a driving force in packaging innovation joins The Recycling Partnership to help the rapidly growing nonprofit transform recycling in states, cities and communities across the country. By supporting The Recycling Partnership’s recycling solutions, Niagara Bottling along with 38 [...]
Want to unlock the recycling potential of your community? Tune into our webinar on October 25, 2023, at 1 pm ET.
Recycling is a complex reverse supply chain that begins in the household, but there is limited visibility into what actually happens in the home behind closed doors. While we know approxi[...]
Michigan EGLE and The Recycling Partnership have awarded nearly $791,000 in grant funding that will impact 98 communities to help 362,000 households improve the quantity and quality of their recycling
Together, nearly 100 Michigan communities, representing more than 1.1 million residents, are joinin[...]
Coalition celebrates two years of catalytic grantmaking that has positively affected recycling access throughout the U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 28, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition is celebrating the How2Recycle upgrade of polypropylene (PP) rigid contain[...]
Created by The Recycling Partnership and SYSTEMIQ, with support from Walmart, Plastic IQ leverages industry best practices and data so companies can build action plans and achieve circularity goals
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (May 5, 2021) – The Recycling Partnership and SYSTEMIQ today launched Plastic IQ,[...]
The Recycling Partnership and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, with Love Beauty and Planet, Help Expand Curbside Recycling Collection in Nashville
Collection to go from once a month to every other week by early 2020
A combined $2.8 million grant from The Recycling Partnership a[...]
Grant Enables Additional Can Capture Equipment that will Result in more than 27 Million More Aluminum Beverage Cans Recycled Annually
MILWAUKEE, WI (November 8, 2021) – Ardagh Metal Packaging and Crown Holdings funded a new aluminum can capture grant awarded to a recycling facility jointly owned b[...]
by Jill Martin, Recycling Today
Simplified communication decreases contamination and confusion among residents while increasing the capture rate for curbside recyclables.
Imagine trying to take a train, subway or bus system across a city where the signage, names and colors of the routes are inconsis[...]
This article, co-written by The Recycling Partnership’s VP of Industry Collaboration Dylan de Thomas and Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s Senior Manager Trina Matta, was originally published in Resource Recycling on June 29, 2017.
Late last year, The Recycling Partnership and Sustainabl[...]
The Partnership tackles the Top 10 Myths of Recycling in this informative, downloadable, free infographic. This guide serves as a catch-all to debunk some pervasive, overarching myths about recycling that apply households all across America.
This form is a tool to facilitate feedback on material quality and to create that needed dialogue between a Material Recovery Facility and its communities. Feedback on each load as a standard operating procedure will help isolate problem areas for better targeting, and track progress in fighting con[...]
By Keefe Harrison
(first published on LinkedIn)
As I head into the 2020 Plastics Recycling Conference, the pressing need to protect our environment from plastic waste by activating a truly circular economy is top of mind. This is an important point in time to pivot our society’s current make-to-[...]
By Keefe Harrison
When the world moves through this terrible coronavirus pandemic, the economy is going to need help. That’s why The Recycling Partnership is working hard, every day, to ensure that the economy that rebounds is a circular one that serves people and the planet.
I grew up in a fami[...]
This article first appeared in GreenBiz
By Juan Villar Mallagray & Samu Salo & Li Tu
In response to the crisis, consumers and government regulators are putting pressure on companies to change the way they do business. Consumers want brands to use sustainable materials and some are willi[...]
Recycling is unique. It is a complex, interwoven system where all parts of the value chain need to work for recycling to work. Each piece of the equation is important and cannot be overlooked.
When evaluating the recyclability and ultimately circularity of various packaging, it is important to ack[...]
At The Recycling Partnership, we believe recycling should be possible for all communities, no matter the size or geographic location. And we know it will take all of us—including small-town and rural America—to truly transform the U.S. recycling system and activate a circular economy. However, a[...]
Investment and collaboration will make recycling safer, more accessible, and bring the City of Baltimore closer to Zero Waste
(June 23, 2021) The City of Baltimore announced today a groundbreaking collaboration brought together by The Recycling Partnership, with American Beverage’s Every Bottle Ba[...]
With a new round of infrastructure grants underway, the work of The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition highlights an increasing number of recycling facilities investing in sorting and processing polypropylene, demonstrating the expanding commitment to this valuable material.[...]
New funds highlight state’s Know It Before You Throw It education campaign
that will help Michigan reach goal of doubling state’s recycling rate to 30% by 2025
DETROIT – The City of Detroit is receiving nearly $1 million in grants to support the largest expansion of recycling in the city’s h[...]
This article originally appeared in The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Companies want to be seen as doing good for their community and the world. Charities can help — and benefit.
By Megan O’Neil
Keefe Harrison aspired to a life as a field biologist. In her late teens and 20s, she tagged sea turtles[...]
By Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN Business
Atlanta (CNN Business) – Early last year, Coca-Cola set an ambitious goal for itself: Collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can it sells by 2030.
The company has committed to making its bottles and cans out of at least 50% recycled materi[...]
Global Solutions, Local Scale: Recycling Efforts Show Promising Path for Climate Action
This op-ed written by Partnership CEO Keefe Harrison was originally published by CityFix on Aug. 10, 2017.
Now that cities can no longer rely on the U.S. federal government to take serious action on the global [...]
This article, written by The Recycling Partnership’s former VP of Communications and recycling legend Jason Hale, was originally published by Sustainable Brands.
The Recycling Partnership: How We’re Fixing a Broken System
This is the third in a three-part series from The Recycling Partn[...]
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) has a new plan to increase demand for recyclable plastics in North America, and with help from The Recycling Partnership, it is calling upon manufacturers and retailers to make it work. Companies joining the Recycle Demand Champions initiativewill instruct[...]
FALLS CHURCH, VA (June 4, 2018) – Marine debris is a global crisis for our waterways and oceans and an imminent concern for consumers, communities and industries. By 2050, it is estimated that there will be more marine debris than fish in our ocean and 80 percent of marine debris comes from land-b[...]
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (March 18, 2021) —Today, in honor of Global Recycling Day, The Recycling Partnership has launched Communities for Recycling, an innovative national initiative to provide Americans with real-time, personalized, and hyper-local recycling information through Facebook’s Messenger e[...]
This year, elected officials, community leaders, and advocates have thoughtfully considered extended producer responsibility legislation to enhance recycling in Connecticut. Known as EPR, the policy has churned a rousing debate around its merits and true impact.
As the conversation continues, [...]
by Tricia Tiedt
What are we wasting for? See how much greenhouse gas (GHG) equivalents you could be saving with our newest interactive online tool. By inputting your community’s households, collection data, and participation rate, the GHG Calculator estimates the tonnage of recyclables and related[...]
This article originally appeared in the March 2018 issue of Resource Recycling magazine.
by Cody Marshall and McKenna Morrigan
How do you get people to recycle more? What does it take to reduce contamination? How much more high-value recyclable material can be captured through curbside programs?
Now[...]
By Liz Bedard
As an employee of both The Recycling Partnership and the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), I have the unique privilege of viewing the recycling industry from all sides. Suppliers, manufacturers, MRFs, haulers, residents, communities, corporations: you name the audience, I’ve ta[...]
Single challenge aims to recycle nearly 2 million tons of material – including 7 billion bottles and cans – resulting in a greenhouse gas avoidance of 5.5 million tons of CO2
PURCHASE, NY (July 31, 2018) – The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of one of the world’s leading food a[...]
The following op-ed was penned by Partnership CEO Keefe Harrison and published by The Philanthropy Journal on December 18, 2017. Read the original piece here.
While society has historically relied on government and nonprofits to create solutions for our largest challenges like hunger, social injusti[...]
Amazon, International Paper, and Starbucks Coffee Company have joined on as new funding partners of The Recycling Partnership, a rapidly growing national nonprofit that leverages corporate investment to transform recycling for good in hundreds of communities across the country. By supporting The Re[...]
This press release was originally published by the World Wildlife Fund on June 12, 2017.
World Wildlife Fund Convenes Organizations to Enable A Global Market For Sustainable Materials Management
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) today announced the Cascading Materials Vision, a platform that seeks to enabl[...]
This summer and through the fall, The Recycling Partnership, a national nonprofit that applies corporate partner funding to improve curbside recycling systems in cities and town across the country, will be working with Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) to improve recycling in th[...]
This press release was initially published by Orange County Government Florida.
Partnership with National Organizations Will Help Recycling Education
Orange County, Fla. (March 12, 2019) – Today the Orange County Board of County Commissioners approved a grant agreement with The Recycling Partne[...]
This article originally appeared on CityLab.com.
NICOLE JAVORSKY
Times have been hard for U.S. recycling since China tightened its contamination standards, and local programs are trying to adjust.
“This facility is our version of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.”
That’s how Eileen Ka[...]
Featuring Sarah Dearman and Steph Kersten-Johnston
We’ve recently welcomed two new staff members who have joined us from the corporate world: Sarah Dearman, formerly Sustainable Packaging Program Director at Coca-Cola North America, is now our new VP of New Ventures; Steph Kersten-Johnston, forme[...]
On America Recycles Day the nation’s leading recycling NGO issues 5-Point Plan to give Americans a better recycling system.
Washington, D.C., Nov. 15, 2022 – The Recycling Partnership, a mission-driven NGO committed to advancing a circular economy by building a better recycling system, is a[...]
Compatible with How2Recycle® and SmartLabel with early adoption by General Mills and Horizon Organic
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 24, 2023) – The Recycling Partnership (The Partnership) is launching Recycle Check, a package-specific labeling platform providing up-to-date recycling information dire[...]
The Recycling Partnership has worked with hundreds of communities across the United States to bolster and improve local recycling systems through grants, technical assistance, and educational support.
From the recent launch of 162,000 carts in Kansas City, MO to past projects of 2,900 carts for e[...]
Multi-million-dollar public-private partnership among The Recycling Partnership, American Beverage Association, Missouri Beverage Association, Dow and other stakeholders will allow Missouri’s largest city to transition curbside recycling collection to 65-gallon carts starting May 1.
KANSAS C[...]
In mid-2017, The Recycling Partnership surveyed its MRF Working Group to identify top contaminants and their impact at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) level. In gathering data using a matrix [Appendix 1], the surveyed group members provided detail on Labor; Facility Down Time; Disposal; Equipm[...]
A first-of-its-kind multifamily recycling initiative produced results in Atlanta, Georgia, providing a roadmap for communities across the United States and continued success in Georgia.
The Do You Recycle? Challenge, designed by The Recycling Partnership, city officials and stakeholders, focused o[...]
This August, many of us at The Recycling Partnership were able to do something that hasn’t been done since 2019 – attend the Resource Recycling Conference (RRC) in person.
RRC is the only national event that is dedicated to enhancing municipal recycling and The Partnership is proud to have worke[...]
Digital tools will offer individuals, companies, and government access to localized recycling program details
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (March 2, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership announced today that it has developed a National Recycling Database, offering a comprehensive source for local recycling inf[...]
Grant Awarded by The Recycling Partnership in Partnership with Can Manufacturers Institute Enables Can Capture Equipment that will Result in 4 Million More Aluminum Beverage Cans Recycled Annually
WASHINGTON, DC (December 14, 2021) – A recycling facility in Kilgore, TX, received a critical upgrade[...]
Two Grants for Additional Can Capture Equipment Have Potential to Capture Per Year More than 36 Million Aluminum Beverage Cans, Typically Most Valuable Material in the Recycling System
WASHINGTON, DC (April 13, 2021) – Recycling facilities in North Carolina and Texas will use Can Manufacturers Ins[...]
The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper Will Support Circular Plastics Economy
Through Investment and Action, in Conjunction with World Wildlife Fund, The Recycling Partnership & Closed Loop Partners
WASHINGTON – America’s leading beverage companies – The Coca-Cola Company, [...]
Industry Collaboration Delivers More Than $80,000 For Recycling Education Grants
Today, The Recycling Partnership announced the recipients of its Steve Thompson Memorial Education Grants program to bring more than 50 recycling professionals from across the U.S. to Minneapolis for the 2017 Resource R[...]
This article, written by The Recycling Partnership’s VP of Industry Collaboration Dylan de Thomas, was originally published by Sustainable Brands.
Half of a Half Equals a Whole Lot of Potential
This is the first in a three-part series from The Recycling Partnership on collaborating to drive [...]
By Dylan de Thomas, Vice President of External Affairs
The California Statewide Commission on Curbside Recycling and Market Development recently published a report to CalRecycle with recommendations regarding a Statewide Standardized Acceptance List of Recyclable Materials (CA Statewide Recyclable L[...]
We are saddened to report Steve Thompson died suddenly last week. Steve was a recycling champion, a mentor to many, a member of our family for more than a decade as Executive Director, and an intensely valued friend to the industry. Steve held a vision for improved recycling and his leadership, thro[...]
$575,000 in Residential Recycling Grants Available to Build on Recent Successes Combating Contamination in 100 Michigan Communities by Michigan EGLE and The Recycling Partnership
LANSING, Mich. (June 8, 2021) – Together with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE),[...]
We are not currently accepting applications for this grant program.
Marine debris is a global crisis for our waterways and oceans and an imminent concern for communities and industries. By 2050, it is estimated that there will be more marine debris than fish in our ocean and 80 percent of marine deb[...]
Leading companies from across the value chain take action to unlock the environmental and economic benefits of PET recycling.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 8, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership is pleased to announce the launch of its PET Recycling Coalition, an initiative informed by industry knowledge[...]
Leading circular economy change agent welcomes call for nationwide recycling assessment to inform and strengthen residential recycling
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (July 9, 2020) – The Recycling Partnership applauds the House Appropriations Committee for including a nationwide Recycling Needs Survey and A[...]
By Ben Dixon, Partner, SYSTEMIQ & Keefe Harrison, CEO, The Recycling Partnership
The challenge of plastic waste is too big to ignore and too difficult to solve alone. Good work to collectively reduce the use of virgin plastic and build recycling solutions for more types of plastics is underway. [...]
How are your new year’s resolutions coming? Regardless of where you are with cleaning out the garage, organizing those cabinets, or learning how to knit, there’s still time to help your community meet its recycling resolutions.
Our free tools and resources can help you do just that:
Personalize[...]
“The Recycling Partnership believes that producers should play a prominent role in bringing the critically needed capital necessary to level up a struggling U.S. residential recycling system through a shared producer responsibility model.
As the Blueprint points out, we’re at a critical poin[...]
Solutions for recyclable packaging are not one-size-fits-all. From aluminum beverage cans to glass bottles, each specific packaging material and format has its own unique recycling benefits and challenges, like design features or sorting technology. But addressing complex problems in siloes won’t [...]
Grant Unlocks New Material, Enables Solutions Testing, and Improves MRF Processing
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 19, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership’s Film and Flexibles Recycling Coalition (Coalition) announced its first film packaging capture grant to EFS-plastics, a North America-based recycling[...]
Falls Church, Va. (May 13, 2021) – The public is calling for more things to be recyclable but the path to cement that future remains unclear. That is why The Recycling Partnership has convened the Pathway to Circularity Industry Council (the Circularity Council) to assess what actions must take [...]
On Tuesday, March 31, The Recycling Partnership hosted a webinar for cities, states and industry partners to provide timely and comprehensive information about the state of the recycling and solid waste industry during the times of COVID-19. We heard from the leading voices at our most trusted indus[...]
By Keefe Harrison
CEO, The Recycling Partnership
It’s no secret that we at The Recycling Partnership like data. Our commitment to building and sharing robust analyses with the public and private sectors to drive recycling improvements is core to our mission. The release of our newest report is p[...]
Fund aims to provide access, education, and career advancement opportunities to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color populations
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (Feb. 24, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership recently marked the official launch of the Recycling Inclusion Fund, a unique funding stream to address[...]
A partnership that combined city, county, haulers, and their material recovery facility (MRF) to show the effectiveness of messaging at the curb in Spokane with amplified messaging throughout Spokane County.
As with many recycling education programs, reducing contamination was the primary goal for a[...]
Funded by a groundbreaking public-private partnership, the project advances safer, more efficient, and equitable recycling access for nearly 200,000 Baltimore households
BALTIMORE (Sept. 30, 2021) – The City of Baltimore today launched delivery of nearly 200,000 curbside recycling carts, a $10 mil[...]
Leading companies from across the value chain take action to
enhance polypropylene circularity with first Request for Proposals
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (July 8, 2020) – The Recycling Partnership is pleased to announce today the launch of its Polypropylene Recycling Coalition, an industry collaboration t[...]
The Recycling Partnership opens its Recyclability Framework for public comment
Falls Church, Va. (August 11, 2021) – The Recycling Partnership announced today that it will open its Pathway to Circularity Recyclability Framework for public comment, a first of its kind opportunity for the ent[...]
America Recycles Week release of free Social Media Kit v.3 and DIYSigns to empower communities to educate residents on how to recycle more, better
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (Nov. 12, 2019) – Residents putting trash in the recycling costs the U.S. recycling system more than $300 million each year. While s[...]
This story originally appeared in The Washington Post
By Mary Esch | AP
May 18
ALBANY, N.Y. — The halt on China’s imports of wastepaper and plastic that has disrupted U.S. recycling programs has also spurred investment in American plants that process recyclables.
U.S. paper mills are expan[...]
Media Contact:
Carina Uehara
Nestlé Waters North America
+1 (203) 863-0219
Carina.Uehara@waters.nestle.com
#NotTrash Instagram campaign is first activation between Poland Spring and The Recycling Partnership to help residents recycle more, better
STAMFORD, CT – Less than 30% of plastic bottles ar[...]
Colgate-Palmolive becomes first company to fund navigation of five‑step gated recyclability process
BENTONVILLE, ARK. (Nov. 6, 2019) – The Recycling Partnership officially launched its new Pathway to Recyclability initiative to help packaging suppliers outline, address, and successfully navigate[...]
The Recycling Partnership’s By The Numbers Webinar: Transforming U.S. Recycling with EPR presented in partnership with Resource Recycling’s Policy Now
Please join us online this month for By The Numbers Webinar: Transforming U.S. Recycling with EPR. Save the date for Tuesday, March 21, 1 p.m. ET[...]
Tired of the same old new year’s resolutions? You know, the ones you abandon before February? Why not resolve to recycle more where you work, live, learn, buy, and play? It’s not only a simple resolution, it’s one that benefits the environment, creates jobs, reduces litter, and benefits future[...]
It’s time to develop a circular economy for packaging in the U.S.
We’re launching several new initiatives to start building the Bridge to Circularity, including Recycling 2.0 – an opportunity for all stakeholders to collaborate to develop the recycling system of the future.
Congressional Webinar: Recycling 101 & Impacts of COVID-19
New survey data from The Recycling Partnership and SWNS confirms that 85% of Americans strongly believe in recycling. This is especially timely as we all navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on communities and recycling busines[...]
Reduce, reuse, recycle. It’s a mantra that bears repeating and quite frankly there’s no time to waste.
As we approach America Recycles Day in November, let’s focus on that word “recycle.” There are many feelings and phrases associated with recycling. It makes me feel good when I recycle;[...]
Recycling upgrades made possible through partnerships spearheaded by The Recycling Partnership, America’s leading beverage companies, and the Michigan Soft Drink Association
YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, Mich., October 25, 2022 – The Recycling Partnership announced Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, has been s[...]
What do piles of bulky waste in residential Ohio, the shore towns in Atlantic County, New Jersey, and billboards in Indiana have in common? They’re all part of The Recycling Partnership’s work to enhance recycling in small and rural communities across the United States.
Recycling should be possi[...]
By: Rachel Kipar, Manager of Circular Ventures at The Recycling Partnership
To turn the dream of a healthy, vibrant planet into reality, the time for action is now. There is an enormous opportunity for system change with the United Nations’ groundbreaking international resolution calling for an en[...]
Strong industry representation critical to The Partnership’s mission in advancing a circular economy
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 25, 2022) – Top leaders in sustainability, industry, and the circular economy were elected to The Recycling Partnership’s Board of Directors, supporting The Partnership[...]
Statement for the Record
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change
June 30, 2022
Keefe Harrison, CEO, The Recycling Partnership
Thank you for the opportunity to submit a statement into the hearing record for the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environm[...]
The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition has awarded more than $6 million in grants since inception, positively impacting nearly 18 million people nationwide
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (April 6, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership today announced its fourth round of grant funding throu[...]
What did we learn from the feedback we received?
As a mission-driven organization focused on both system change and partnership, there isn’t much we enjoy more than a good bit of stakeholder feedback. So, when we launched the 30-day public comment period for the Pathway to Circularity’s Rec[...]
BUFFALO – Today, Mayor Byron W. Brown announced that the City of Buffalo, in partnership with The Recycling Partnership, will sponsor a Multi-Unit Apartment Building Recycling Initiative called “Let’s Do This Together!”. The six-month pilot initiative aims to initially increase recycling col[...]
Grant Enables Additional Can Capture Equipment That Will Result in 3.5 Million More Aluminum Beverage Cans Recycled
WASHINGTON, DC (August 18, 2021) – Ardagh Metal Packaging and Crown Holdings funded a new aluminum can capture grant awarded to a recycling facility northeast of Orlando that will in[...]
In less than one year, The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition awarded grants to 13 recycling facilities to increase recycling access by nearly 6%.
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (Aug.24, 2021) – The Recycling Partnership today announced a third round of grant funding through its Polypr[...]
According to the latest U.S. Census data, we are becoming more racially and ethnically diverse as a nation. In turn, this means that our recycling outreach programs need to become more inclusive and accessible as well.
At the 2023 Resource Recycling Conference in Orlando, Florida, we introduced [...]
The newly available digital Circular Packaging Assessment Tool (CPA Tool) allows brands and retailers to evaluate the recyclability of their packaging portfolio, especially as state EPR policies begin to be implemented across the U.S.
The new digital version of the CPA Tool:
features dynamic as[...]
ATLANTA (July 13, 2021) – With close to 1,500 multifamily properties representing approximately 140,000 households, Atlanta is a prime location for a pilot Challenge to increase recycling participation and improve the quality of recyclables being diverted from landfills. The Do You Recycle? Challe[...]
Earth Day event underscores broad support and solutions for national EPR policy to end plastic waste
OTTAWA, CANADA (April 19, 2024) – Against the backdrop of the fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) to develop an international legally binding instrument on pla[...]
Through The Recycling Partnership’s Residential Drop-Off Recycling Grant Program, communities are provided grant funding, technical assistance, as well as the design of education and outreach materials to help advance recycling and improve drop-off recycling access and capacity for U.S. residents.[...]
On November 26, hundreds of stakeholders from across the globe will travel to Uruguay, to kick off the first of five sessions of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.
This marks the beginning of formal U.N. memb[...]
World Environment Day turns 50 this year. It’s an annual moment in time to raise awareness, get loud, and demand action for our planet. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) spearheads these efforts, encouraging and fostering a forum to do more together.
Follow 2023’s theme, and [...]
Investing in Our Planet Takes All of Us. On Earth Day and Every Day, We Can Start by Building a Better Recycling System.
Earth Day’s 2023 theme – Invest In Our Planet is centered around engaging more than 1 billion people, all levels of government, organizations and companies that participate in[...]
Comments underline need for accurate, transparent recyclability claims on product labels
Washington, D.C. April 19, 2023 – In comments submitted to the Federal Trade Commission today on its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (“Green Guides”), The Recycling Partnership c[...]
System solutions for film recovery and recycling are desperately needed to help address the full scale of the plastic waste crisis and save millions of tons of plastic materials from landfills. The Recycling Partnership’s Film and Flexibles Recycling Coalition is on the cutting edge of this wo[...]
The Recycling Partnership, American Beverage, and the Beverage Association of Tennessee invest in education for enhanced recycling collection, expected to generate millions of new pounds of recyclable material
WASHINGTON D.C. – The City of Nashville on January 11 announced the launch of enhanc[...]
FALLS CHURCH, VA (July 20, 2021) – The newly-elected Board Directors of The Recycling Partnership bring unmatched sustainability and industry knowledge, and business expertise to help lead The Partnership’s work to transform the U.S. recycling system and activate a circular economy for packaging[...]
Hey, municipal recycling coordinator! How do you know if your curbside recycling program is performing well? Do you know how to connect to powerful easy-to-use tools to increase your performance and address complicated issues like contamination? Do you have the ability to compare your multifamily,[...]
The City will begin rolling out new recycling carts for residents between June 7 and June 26 as it officially launches its residential waste and recycling collection service in early July 2021. The City of Arvada’s Waste and Recycling Program provides low cost recycling to residents who are partic[...]
Less than half the recyclables in U.S. homes are captured: just 14 million tons out of an available 36 million are recycled every year from single-family homes. The Recycling Partnership is working to change that by improving recycling systems in hundreds of communities across America with financi[...]
This article was originally published by Fast Company on April 4, 2019. To read the original, click here.
[Photo: Recycling Partnership]
A nonprofit called the Recycling Partnership gives cities grants for supplies like recycling bins along with consulting to help expand recycling, funded by [...]
Choose from seven different impact ads to share on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
This press release was originally published and distributed by Public Affairs out of the Office of the City Manager for the City of Auburn, AL.
AUBURN, Ala.- The rollout of the single-stream recycling program is complete, and the City of Auburn is moving on to the next step of the process, e[...]
Greetings from Abu Dhabi. As the 2019 World Ocean Summit wraps up, and I prepare to head home, I’ve settled on my mantra for the year:
There’s no time to be timid.
Warming waters. Acidification. Marine debris. The ocean is the pulse of our planet and it needs our help. We know that climate ch[...]
Global leader ExxonMobil is the first energy company to join The Recycling Partnership, a rapidly growing national nonprofit that leverages corporate investment to transform recycling for good in hundreds of communities across the country. Through support and collaboration, ExxonMobil, along with 34[...]
Part of The Partnership’s “It’s All You” campaign for the City of Chicago, this video shows adults and kids alike how everyday recycling can make a big impact – like saving the world.
Foundation’s $300,000 grant will boost recycling across the country
Falls Church, VA (April 24, 2019) – Alcoa Foundation announced today it is contributing $300,000 to The Recycling Partnership, the nonprofit change agent transforming recycling for good. The donation will help boost residentia[...]
This article, written by The Recycling Partnership’s former VP of Communications and recycling legend Jason Hale, was originally published by Sustainable Brands.
A Circular Economy: You’re Not in It Alone, So Why Go It Alone?
This is the second in a three-part series from The Recycling [...]
National nonprofit The Recycling Partnership proudly welcomes global packaging provider Sonoco as its newest funding partner. The two organizations are strongly aligned in their commitment to improving the world for people and communities through meaningful recovery of materials and reductions in gr[...]
This article was originally published by Waste360 on May 23, 2017.
Massachusetts Takes A Lead from The Recycling Partnership to Stem Contamination
Most residents believed they understood the rules, as surveys showed. But when DEP tested that theory it saw a huge gap between people’s perception of [...]
This article originally appeared on Heineken USA’s blog on Aug. 2, 2017.
To the great people of Europe: thanks for sharing! Teams from the top soccer leagues in the world touched down in the U.S. this summer for the fifth installment of the International Champions Cup and the competition was[...]
This article was originally published by Bloomberg on Nov. 29, 2017.
The economics of plastic recycling have suddenly been upended, thanks to a Chinese import ban and cheap U.S. oil used to make virgin plastic. That’s made recycled plastic suddenly more expensive than virgin plastic and made it mo[...]
The following op-ed was penned by The Recycling Partnership’s VP of Industry Collaboration Dylan de Thomas and was originally published by Resource Recycling. Read the original article here.
For a long time, the story of recycling has been purported to be simple – you just have to do X and i[...]
Residential Curbside Recycling Cart Grant
Through The Recycling Partnership’s Residential Curbside Recycling Cart Grant, communities are provided grant funding, technical assistance, as well as the design of education and outreach materials to help advance recycling and improve recycling access [...]
By The Recycling Partnership Team
We live on a planet that is well known for having finite resources (and yes, some renewable ones, many of which we’re depleting at a rate that surpasses the rate of replacement). If we keep buying things that are made out of these finite and depleting resources,[...]
Polypropylene Recycling Coalition awards nearly $2 million in grants that will impact four million people nationally
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (December 8, 2020) – The Recycling Partnership today announced nearly $2 million in catalytic grants to advance polypropylene recycling in the U.S. through its Po[...]
The Recycling Partnership brings together the Southeast Recycling Development Council, the Kentucky and American Beverage Associations and Love Beauty Planet to award more than $1 million for large-capacity recycling carts this summer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 25, 2021) – The Recycling Partnership alon[...]
Together They will Implement The Recycling Partnership’s Nationally Acclaimed “Feet on the Street” Cart-Tagging Recycling Education Campaign
Gahanna, OH (April 27, 2021) – The City of Gahanna has partnered with SWACO to bring The Recycling Partnership’s nationally acclaimed Feet on the Str[...]
Houston, TX. (April 28, 2021) – The City of Houston is launching a curbside recycling cart-tagging pilot program modeled on The Recycling Partnership’s successful Feet on the Street campaign. The cart tagging initiative is aimed at improving the quality and quantity of recyclable materials colle[...]
The Recycling Partnership Joins CMI as Grant Program Partner to Evaluate Proposals and Provide Technical Assistance for Projects that Target Missorted or Lost Cans at Recycling Centers in the Southeast
FALLS CHURCH, Va (JAN. 26, 2021) – The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and The Recycling P[...]
Recycling is many things. It is both a noun and a verb. To a waste professional it may be the collection and diversion of tons of marketable materials. To community members, recycling is an easy way to waste less and to contribute to the greater good. When asked about recyclables, however, most mist[...]
America’s leading beverage companies join the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio and The Recycling Partnership to deploy convenient recycling carts in Pleasant Township and Whitehall
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The American Beverage Association (ABA), in partnership with The Recycling Partnership and [...]
$2.7 Million in Grants Awarded Following The Recycling Partnership’s 2019 50 Cities Leadership Summit Transforming Recycling Programs Nationwide
Falls Church, Va. (Oct. 08, 2020) – Just one year after hosting its inaugural Leadership Summit, which saw a select 50 cities invited for a two-day r[...]
FALLS CHURCH, VA (May 14, 2019) – The Recycling Partnership today announced the appointment of a new chairwoman and two new members to its Executive Committee, as well as new committee chairs for its board governance, communications, and public affairs committees for 2019.
Kim Carswell, dir[...]
If you’re one of the many Americans who have recently found themselves working from home, you may be finding some difficulty adjusting to the new norm of social distancing from your in-home or makeshift office.
With employees across more than 14 states, The Recycling Partnership is accustomed to r[...]
For Immediate Release
City is receiving $140,000 recycling grant to raise awareness of what can and cannot be recycled and how to recycle;
Newark one of seven cities across nation to receive recycling grant
Newark, NJ—September 25, 2019—Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Public Works Director Khalif Thomas, T[...]
SARASOTA, FLA.—Participation and collection volumes are up, and contamination is notably low in Sarasota following a city-led recycling program reboot this spring that included amped-up education and new, 95-gallon single-stream carts, supported by the national non-profit, The Recycling Partnershi[...]
Aims to Reach More People to Help Increase Recycling Rate from 23% to 34%
DENVER – Mayor Michael B. Hancock, The Coca-Cola Foundation and national non-profit group The Recycling Partnership announced today the launch of a new large-scale recycling education campaign that will be piloted this summe[...]
By Keefe Harrison
Happy Earth Day! As we celebrate this special day, we want to hear YOUR story. What’s your experience with recycling? What do you need to feel fully engaged in the process?
Most of Loss Due to Lack of Access to Recycling Service and Insufficient Communication
WASHINGTON, D.C. Jan. 10, 2024 – Identifying significant, but fixable gaps in the U.S. residential recycling system, a new report from The Recycling Partnership (“The Partnership”), a non-governmental organi[...]
The Recycling Partnership kicked off 2024 with a By the Numbers webinar focused on its newly released report, “State of Recycling, The Present and Future of Residential Recycling.”
The webinar, held on January 31, 2024, provided a deep dive into the report’s data, highlighted the are[...]
By Asami Tanimoto
UPDATE: Upon receiving feedback from area stakeholders and further review, we removed two references to a contamination rate reported in the Portland metro region that resulted from a generation study of single-family households co-funded by The Recycling Partnership. It was decid[...]
The report finds investment to improve the residential recycling system in the U.S. over the next five years would deliver significant environmental and financial benefits, including:
Save 710 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent;
Reduce the average water usage of 30 million people;
Save the equiv[...]
Check out our June 2019 Impact Report and learn about the $73 million in value we have delivered to transform recycling for good.
See how we are working together with communities, our funding partners, and the industry to drive change coast to coast and create a stronger economy, healthier p[...]
Join The Recycling Partnership’s latest By the Numbers Webinar on January 31 at 2pm ET to dive into their latest report, the “State of Recycling: Present and Future of Residential Recycling in the U.S.” This report offers new data and analysis on the current state of residential re[...]
Our 2016 Annual Report highlights real-time benefits of the transformative organization’s work, focusing on year-on- year growth, systems solutions across the supply chain, and the multiplier effect that intelligently-deployed new infrastructure delivers.
“Day to day, we’re always looking fo[...]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
New “Bridge to Circularity” Report Calls for $500 Million by 2025 to Transform the U.S. Recycling System
Report Emphasizes Need for Creating New Pathways to Recyclability, Unlocking Post-Consumer Material Supply, and Crafting Bold, Transformative Policies Supported by Cut[...]
In October 2022, The Recycling Partnership kicked off By the Numbers, a new webinar series for industry stakeholders focused on current trends in the U.S. recycling system and a circular economy.
The first webinar in this series was held on October 26 and unpacked the data behind plastics recycling[...]
2020 Impact Report Tells Story of the National Nonprofit Catalyzing Change to Move the U.S. Toward a Circular Economy
Six Experts Serving as Launch Advisors
WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 3, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership announced today that it has launched The Center for Sustainable Behavior & Impact (“The Center”) to drive measurable improvement in residential recycling behavior and mobilize household par[...]
Reporting Grantees Show Ninefold Increase in Polypropylene Capture
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 29, 2023) – The Recycling Partnership (“The Partnership”) today reported on the progress of the Polypropylene Recycling Coalition (“Coalition”) and provided insights into the changing landscape of p[...]
Since 2014 the nation’s leading recycling nonprofit has reached over 100 million households diverting 770 million incremental pounds of recyclables from landfills
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 15, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership has released its Impact Report 2022: Complex Problems Require [...]
The Recycling Partnership’s Center for Sustainable Behavior & Impact’s new Knowledge Report presents four themes for accelerating recycling best practices
Recycling is a complex, reverse supply chain—and its success depends on the small, everyday actions of hundreds of millions of people. [...]
The Recycling Partnership and NERC present the 2019 Regional Recycling Impact Workshop
Harness the power of your program through tools for fighting contamination, education and outreach, and harmonizing your message to create a stronger recycling system throughout the 11-state region.
The North[...]
Recycling is a complex reverse supply chain that begins in the household, but there is limited visibility into what actually happens in the home behind closed doors. While we know approximately half of all household recyclables never make it to a materials recycling facility, nobody knows exactly wh[...]
Check out what we’ve been up to this past year. Highlights of our 2017 Annual Report include: a breakdown of our three biggest city projects, updated metrics, and an impressive, ever-expanding list of our awesome funders who want to create healthier communities across the country through improved [...]
The 2020 State of Curbside Recycling report calls for these clear, integrated strategies:
Substantially greater support of community recycling programs with capital funding, technical assistance, and efforts to strengthen and grow local political commitment to recycling services.
New and enhanced s[...]
The Recycling Partnership is committed to advancing a circular economy by building a better recycling system that embraces innovation. This includes technical evolution at the collection level (think electric trucks and improved routing efficiencies), at the MRF level (think AI and robots helping so[...]
The ultimate fate of recycling rests in the hands of a broad set of stakeholders who must all take action to support the transition to a circular economy
FALLS CHURCH, Va., (Feb. 13, 2020) – For curbside recycling in the United States to deliver its enormous potential economic and environmental be[...]
Reporting Grantees Are Seeing Ninefold Increase in Polypropylene Capture
By Brittany LaValley, Senior Director of Materials Advancement
With July 2023 marking the three-year anniversary of The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition, it’s a fitting moment to not only reflec[...]
During the Motivational Messaging and In-Home Recycling webinars, you had questions. And there just wasn’t enough time to answer them so we brought back our speakers for a special Q&A Follow Up Webinar. We answered questions about how to unlock the secrets of effective recycling messagin[...]
“It is extremely disappointing to see that more significant progress has not been made toward the 2025 Global Commitment goals. The Recycling Partnership exists to hold companies accountable and to assist them in the hard work of creating measurable change toward a circular economy for plastics. [...]
We agree that plastic recycling isn’t a panacea for plastics waste. However the reality is that the world won’t just stop making plastic tomorrow, so what do we do today?
We must partner to do the hard but impactful work of building a better system; one that focuses on reducing, reusing and th[...]
Recycling Initiative Drives Capture of 4.1 Million New Pounds of Aluminum Annually
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 4, 2023) – The Recycling Partnership reported today on the impact of its Aluminum Recycling Initiative (Initiative). Under the Initiative five grants have been issued for the continued a[...]
The Recycling Partnership analysis shows that U.S. states could expect an increase in recycling rates with the introduction of EPR law
WASHINGTON, D.C. Feb. 2, 2023 – States can expect significant increases in recycling rates for packaging (including plastic, glass, aluminum and steel) and printe[...]
The Recycling Partnership’s Center for Sustainable Behavior & Impact hosted “Unlocking Recycling’s Potential: A Workshop on Behavior Change, Habits, and Equity,” an engaging event dedicated to recycling program managers. We focused on imparting evidence-based best practices that are cr[...]
The right messaging, targeted to the appropriate audience(s), can make all the difference in helping people to properly recycle every chance they get. That’s what we cover in this webinar recording: Incorporating Motivational Messaging for Recycling Education and Outreach.
What You Will Learn
[...]
The Recycling Partnership’s By The Numbers webinar series kicked off 2023 with a special webinar in partnership with Resource Recycling’s Policy Now.
By The Numbers Webinar: Transforming U.S. Recycling with EPR, designed for municipal and industry stakeholders as well as policymakers, took a d[...]
Best Management Practices report helps local recycling programs achieve long-term success
Falls Church, Va. (June 24, 2020) – The contract between a local recycling program and a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is one of the most impactful legal documents in the U.S. public recycling system. That[...]
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition & The Recycling Partnership studied how plastic, paper, glass, aluminum, cartons and steel packaging fared in material recovery facilities & reprocessor facilities
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (JUNE 11TH, 2019) — ASTRX (Applying Systems Thinking to Recycling), th[...]
A new free resource to advance recycling data, knowledge, and connectivity
WASHINGTON, D.C. Oct. 17, 2023 – Today The Recycling Partnership (“The Partnership”) is launching the Recycling Program Solutions Hub (Hub) nationwide, an interactive tool and resource designed for local recycling staff[...]
National and State Not-for-Profit and Non-Governmental Organizations Join Together to Say Pass Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation in 2022 and Take the Burden off Taxpayers and Communities
ALBANY, NY (May 9, 2022) – The New York State legislature has three weeks left this session to remov[...]
By Keefe Harrison, CEO
Partnership is part of our name for a reason. From the start, The Recycling Partnership has believed that public-private partnerships are critical to our mission—and to our mutual success in building a resilient and responsive recycling system. This approach is at the hear[...]
(Falls Church, VA) On January 7, 2019, Re-TRAC Connect and The Recycling Partnership officially launched Municipal Measurement Program (MMP) to harmonize the measurement of material management programs and to provide municipalities with decision-making tools that can improve recycling program perfor[...]
Five more grants bring total Polypropylene Recycling Coalition awards to nearly $9 million, impacting 28 million people
The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition (Coalition) continues its steadfast approach to grantmaking and improving the recovery of polypropylene across the[...]
By: Elizabeth Schussler, Senior Director of Social Change, Behavior, and Impact
At The Recycling Partnership, behavior change is at the heart of everything we do because people and the planet are at our core. A focus on recycling behavior and the impacts of behavior are ingrained in our DNA and our[...]
Please join The Recycling Partnership for the Incorporating Motivational Messaging for Recycling Education and Outreach Webinar on September 27, 2023, at 1 pm ET.
The right messaging, targeted to the appropriate audience(s), can make all the difference in helping people to properly recycle every [...]
Multifamily Recycling Success: How Minnesota Is Making a Difference
From college dorms to apartment buildings, multifamily properties often pose unique challenges when it comes to recycling efforts. But four Minnesota communities are proving that education and outreach can have a significant impact [...]
60+ Brands, Retailers, Government Agencies, and NGOs Collaborate to Advance All Plastic Packaging
to become Reusable, Recyclable, or Compostable by 2025
Falls Church, Va., (August 25, 2020) – Today, the U.S. Plastics Pact, a collaborative led by The Recycling Partnership and World Wildlife Fund (W[...]
On Wednesday, May 27, The Recycling Partnership hosted a follow-up webinar with industry experts to answer the important question: What are on-the-ground impacts of the COVID-19 health crisis on recycling operations and workers? The supply chain and solid waste have both been deemed essential work i[...]
The big “e’s” are on everyone’s minds – the economy, environment, and education. Local, state, and federal policymakers and civic leaders are charged with tackling these big topics to provide the best quality of life for their constituents. There are many approaches to these challenges; bu[...]
Fund provides grants to deliver new or improved access and education for the approximately 18,000 small and rural municipalities with populations of less than 50,000
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 20, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership recently marked the official launch of the Small Town Access Fund, a[...]
A critical component to creating a circular system, one where used packaging can be made into recycled material again and again, is a healthy and efficient materials recovery facility (MRF) system. The Recycling Partnership’s Paying It Forward report estimates the U.S. needs to invest $3 billion t[...]
Niagara Bottling, a driving force in packaging innovation joins The Recycling Partnership to help the rapidly growing nonprofit transform recycling in states, cities and communities across the country. By supporting The Recycling Partnership’s recycling solutions, Niagara Bottling along with 38 [...]
Want to unlock the recycling potential of your community? Tune into our webinar on October 25, 2023, at 1 pm ET.
Recycling is a complex reverse supply chain that begins in the household, but there is limited visibility into what actually happens in the home behind closed doors. While we know approxi[...]
Michigan EGLE and The Recycling Partnership have awarded nearly $791,000 in grant funding that will impact 98 communities to help 362,000 households improve the quantity and quality of their recycling
Together, nearly 100 Michigan communities, representing more than 1.1 million residents, are joinin[...]
Coalition celebrates two years of catalytic grantmaking that has positively affected recycling access throughout the U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 28, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition is celebrating the How2Recycle upgrade of polypropylene (PP) rigid contain[...]
Created by The Recycling Partnership and SYSTEMIQ, with support from Walmart, Plastic IQ leverages industry best practices and data so companies can build action plans and achieve circularity goals
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (May 5, 2021) – The Recycling Partnership and SYSTEMIQ today launched Plastic IQ,[...]
The Recycling Partnership and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, with Love Beauty and Planet, Help Expand Curbside Recycling Collection in Nashville
Collection to go from once a month to every other week by early 2020
A combined $2.8 million grant from The Recycling Partnership a[...]
Grant Enables Additional Can Capture Equipment that will Result in more than 27 Million More Aluminum Beverage Cans Recycled Annually
MILWAUKEE, WI (November 8, 2021) – Ardagh Metal Packaging and Crown Holdings funded a new aluminum can capture grant awarded to a recycling facility jointly owned b[...]
by Jill Martin, Recycling Today
Simplified communication decreases contamination and confusion among residents while increasing the capture rate for curbside recyclables.
Imagine trying to take a train, subway or bus system across a city where the signage, names and colors of the routes are inconsis[...]
By Keefe Harrison
(first published on LinkedIn)
As I head into the 2020 Plastics Recycling Conference, the pressing need to protect our environment from plastic waste by activating a truly circular economy is top of mind. This is an important point in time to pivot our society’s current make-to-[...]
By Keefe Harrison
When the world moves through this terrible coronavirus pandemic, the economy is going to need help. That’s why The Recycling Partnership is working hard, every day, to ensure that the economy that rebounds is a circular one that serves people and the planet.
I grew up in a fami[...]
This article first appeared in GreenBiz
By Juan Villar Mallagray & Samu Salo & Li Tu
In response to the crisis, consumers and government regulators are putting pressure on companies to change the way they do business. Consumers want brands to use sustainable materials and some are willi[...]
Investment and collaboration will make recycling safer, more accessible, and bring the City of Baltimore closer to Zero Waste
(June 23, 2021) The City of Baltimore announced today a groundbreaking collaboration brought together by The Recycling Partnership, with American Beverage’s Every Bottle Ba[...]
New funds highlight state’s Know It Before You Throw It education campaign
that will help Michigan reach goal of doubling state’s recycling rate to 30% by 2025
DETROIT – The City of Detroit is receiving nearly $1 million in grants to support the largest expansion of recycling in the city’s h[...]
This article originally appeared in The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Companies want to be seen as doing good for their community and the world. Charities can help — and benefit.
By Megan O’Neil
Keefe Harrison aspired to a life as a field biologist. In her late teens and 20s, she tagged sea turtles[...]
By Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN Business
Atlanta (CNN Business) – Early last year, Coca-Cola set an ambitious goal for itself: Collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can it sells by 2030.
The company has committed to making its bottles and cans out of at least 50% recycled materi[...]
Global Solutions, Local Scale: Recycling Efforts Show Promising Path for Climate Action
This op-ed written by Partnership CEO Keefe Harrison was originally published by CityFix on Aug. 10, 2017.
Now that cities can no longer rely on the U.S. federal government to take serious action on the global [...]
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) has a new plan to increase demand for recyclable plastics in North America, and with help from The Recycling Partnership, it is calling upon manufacturers and retailers to make it work. Companies joining the Recycle Demand Champions initiativewill instruct[...]
FALLS CHURCH, VA (June 4, 2018) – Marine debris is a global crisis for our waterways and oceans and an imminent concern for consumers, communities and industries. By 2050, it is estimated that there will be more marine debris than fish in our ocean and 80 percent of marine debris comes from land-b[...]
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (March 18, 2021) —Today, in honor of Global Recycling Day, The Recycling Partnership has launched Communities for Recycling, an innovative national initiative to provide Americans with real-time, personalized, and hyper-local recycling information through Facebook’s Messenger e[...]
This article originally appeared in the March 2018 issue of Resource Recycling magazine.
by Cody Marshall and McKenna Morrigan
How do you get people to recycle more? What does it take to reduce contamination? How much more high-value recyclable material can be captured through curbside programs?
Now[...]
Single challenge aims to recycle nearly 2 million tons of material – including 7 billion bottles and cans – resulting in a greenhouse gas avoidance of 5.5 million tons of CO2
PURCHASE, NY (July 31, 2018) – The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of one of the world’s leading food a[...]
The following op-ed was penned by Partnership CEO Keefe Harrison and published by The Philanthropy Journal on December 18, 2017. Read the original piece here.
While society has historically relied on government and nonprofits to create solutions for our largest challenges like hunger, social injusti[...]
Amazon, International Paper, and Starbucks Coffee Company have joined on as new funding partners of The Recycling Partnership, a rapidly growing national nonprofit that leverages corporate investment to transform recycling for good in hundreds of communities across the country. By supporting The Re[...]
This press release was originally published by the World Wildlife Fund on June 12, 2017.
World Wildlife Fund Convenes Organizations to Enable A Global Market For Sustainable Materials Management
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) today announced the Cascading Materials Vision, a platform that seeks to enabl[...]
This summer and through the fall, The Recycling Partnership, a national nonprofit that applies corporate partner funding to improve curbside recycling systems in cities and town across the country, will be working with Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) to improve recycling in th[...]
This press release was initially published by Orange County Government Florida.
Partnership with National Organizations Will Help Recycling Education
Orange County, Fla. (March 12, 2019) – Today the Orange County Board of County Commissioners approved a grant agreement with The Recycling Partne[...]
This article originally appeared on CityLab.com.
NICOLE JAVORSKY
Times have been hard for U.S. recycling since China tightened its contamination standards, and local programs are trying to adjust.
“This facility is our version of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.”
That’s how Eileen Ka[...]
On America Recycles Day the nation’s leading recycling NGO issues 5-Point Plan to give Americans a better recycling system.
Washington, D.C., Nov. 15, 2022 – The Recycling Partnership, a mission-driven NGO committed to advancing a circular economy by building a better recycling system, is a[...]
Compatible with How2Recycle® and SmartLabel with early adoption by General Mills and Horizon Organic
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 24, 2023) – The Recycling Partnership (The Partnership) is launching Recycle Check, a package-specific labeling platform providing up-to-date recycling information dire[...]
The Recycling Partnership has worked with hundreds of communities across the United States to bolster and improve local recycling systems through grants, technical assistance, and educational support.
From the recent launch of 162,000 carts in Kansas City, MO to past projects of 2,900 carts for e[...]
Multi-million-dollar public-private partnership among The Recycling Partnership, American Beverage Association, Missouri Beverage Association, Dow and other stakeholders will allow Missouri’s largest city to transition curbside recycling collection to 65-gallon carts starting May 1.
KANSAS C[...]
In mid-2017, The Recycling Partnership surveyed its MRF Working Group to identify top contaminants and their impact at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) level. In gathering data using a matrix [Appendix 1], the surveyed group members provided detail on Labor; Facility Down Time; Disposal; Equipm[...]
Digital tools will offer individuals, companies, and government access to localized recycling program details
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (March 2, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership announced today that it has developed a National Recycling Database, offering a comprehensive source for local recycling inf[...]
Grant Awarded by The Recycling Partnership in Partnership with Can Manufacturers Institute Enables Can Capture Equipment that will Result in 4 Million More Aluminum Beverage Cans Recycled Annually
WASHINGTON, DC (December 14, 2021) – A recycling facility in Kilgore, TX, received a critical upgrade[...]
Two Grants for Additional Can Capture Equipment Have Potential to Capture Per Year More than 36 Million Aluminum Beverage Cans, Typically Most Valuable Material in the Recycling System
WASHINGTON, DC (April 13, 2021) – Recycling facilities in North Carolina and Texas will use Can Manufacturers Ins[...]
The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper Will Support Circular Plastics Economy
Through Investment and Action, in Conjunction with World Wildlife Fund, The Recycling Partnership & Closed Loop Partners
WASHINGTON – America’s leading beverage companies – The Coca-Cola Company, [...]
Industry Collaboration Delivers More Than $80,000 For Recycling Education Grants
Today, The Recycling Partnership announced the recipients of its Steve Thompson Memorial Education Grants program to bring more than 50 recycling professionals from across the U.S. to Minneapolis for the 2017 Resource R[...]
By Dylan de Thomas, Vice President of External Affairs
The California Statewide Commission on Curbside Recycling and Market Development recently published a report to CalRecycle with recommendations regarding a Statewide Standardized Acceptance List of Recyclable Materials (CA Statewide Recyclable L[...]
We are saddened to report Steve Thompson died suddenly last week. Steve was a recycling champion, a mentor to many, a member of our family for more than a decade as Executive Director, and an intensely valued friend to the industry. Steve held a vision for improved recycling and his leadership, thro[...]
$575,000 in Residential Recycling Grants Available to Build on Recent Successes Combating Contamination in 100 Michigan Communities by Michigan EGLE and The Recycling Partnership
LANSING, Mich. (June 8, 2021) – Together with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE),[...]
We are not currently accepting applications for this grant program.
Marine debris is a global crisis for our waterways and oceans and an imminent concern for communities and industries. By 2050, it is estimated that there will be more marine debris than fish in our ocean and 80 percent of marine deb[...]
Leading companies from across the value chain take action to unlock the environmental and economic benefits of PET recycling.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 8, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership is pleased to announce the launch of its PET Recycling Coalition, an initiative informed by industry knowledge[...]
Leading circular economy change agent welcomes call for nationwide recycling assessment to inform and strengthen residential recycling
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (July 9, 2020) – The Recycling Partnership applauds the House Appropriations Committee for including a nationwide Recycling Needs Survey and A[...]
By Ben Dixon, Partner, SYSTEMIQ & Keefe Harrison, CEO, The Recycling Partnership
The challenge of plastic waste is too big to ignore and too difficult to solve alone. Good work to collectively reduce the use of virgin plastic and build recycling solutions for more types of plastics is underway. [...]
“The Recycling Partnership believes that producers should play a prominent role in bringing the critically needed capital necessary to level up a struggling U.S. residential recycling system through a shared producer responsibility model.
As the Blueprint points out, we’re at a critical poin[...]
Grant Unlocks New Material, Enables Solutions Testing, and Improves MRF Processing
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 19, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership’s Film and Flexibles Recycling Coalition (Coalition) announced its first film packaging capture grant to EFS-plastics, a North America-based recycling[...]
Falls Church, Va. (May 13, 2021) – The public is calling for more things to be recyclable but the path to cement that future remains unclear. That is why The Recycling Partnership has convened the Pathway to Circularity Industry Council (the Circularity Council) to assess what actions must take [...]
On Tuesday, March 31, The Recycling Partnership hosted a webinar for cities, states and industry partners to provide timely and comprehensive information about the state of the recycling and solid waste industry during the times of COVID-19. We heard from the leading voices at our most trusted indus[...]
Fund aims to provide access, education, and career advancement opportunities to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color populations
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (Feb. 24, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership recently marked the official launch of the Recycling Inclusion Fund, a unique funding stream to address[...]
Funded by a groundbreaking public-private partnership, the project advances safer, more efficient, and equitable recycling access for nearly 200,000 Baltimore households
BALTIMORE (Sept. 30, 2021) – The City of Baltimore today launched delivery of nearly 200,000 curbside recycling carts, a $10 mil[...]
Leading companies from across the value chain take action to
enhance polypropylene circularity with first Request for Proposals
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (July 8, 2020) – The Recycling Partnership is pleased to announce today the launch of its Polypropylene Recycling Coalition, an industry collaboration t[...]
The Recycling Partnership opens its Recyclability Framework for public comment
Falls Church, Va. (August 11, 2021) – The Recycling Partnership announced today that it will open its Pathway to Circularity Recyclability Framework for public comment, a first of its kind opportunity for the ent[...]
America Recycles Week release of free Social Media Kit v.3 and DIYSigns to empower communities to educate residents on how to recycle more, better
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (Nov. 12, 2019) – Residents putting trash in the recycling costs the U.S. recycling system more than $300 million each year. While s[...]
This story originally appeared in The Washington Post
By Mary Esch | AP
May 18
ALBANY, N.Y. — The halt on China’s imports of wastepaper and plastic that has disrupted U.S. recycling programs has also spurred investment in American plants that process recyclables.
U.S. paper mills are expan[...]
Media Contact:
Carina Uehara
Nestlé Waters North America
+1 (203) 863-0219
Carina.Uehara@waters.nestle.com
#NotTrash Instagram campaign is first activation between Poland Spring and The Recycling Partnership to help residents recycle more, better
STAMFORD, CT – Less than 30% of plastic bottles ar[...]
Colgate-Palmolive becomes first company to fund navigation of five‑step gated recyclability process
BENTONVILLE, ARK. (Nov. 6, 2019) – The Recycling Partnership officially launched its new Pathway to Recyclability initiative to help packaging suppliers outline, address, and successfully navigate[...]
Tired of the same old new year’s resolutions? You know, the ones you abandon before February? Why not resolve to recycle more where you work, live, learn, buy, and play? It’s not only a simple resolution, it’s one that benefits the environment, creates jobs, reduces litter, and benefits future[...]
It’s time to develop a circular economy for packaging in the U.S.
We’re launching several new initiatives to start building the Bridge to Circularity, including Recycling 2.0 – an opportunity for all stakeholders to collaborate to develop the recycling system of the future.
Congressional Webinar: Recycling 101 & Impacts of COVID-19
New survey data from The Recycling Partnership and SWNS confirms that 85% of Americans strongly believe in recycling. This is especially timely as we all navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on communities and recycling busines[...]
Recycling upgrades made possible through partnerships spearheaded by The Recycling Partnership, America’s leading beverage companies, and the Michigan Soft Drink Association
YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, Mich., October 25, 2022 – The Recycling Partnership announced Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, has been s[...]
Strong industry representation critical to The Partnership’s mission in advancing a circular economy
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 25, 2022) – Top leaders in sustainability, industry, and the circular economy were elected to The Recycling Partnership’s Board of Directors, supporting The Partnership[...]
Statement for the Record
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change
June 30, 2022
Keefe Harrison, CEO, The Recycling Partnership
Thank you for the opportunity to submit a statement into the hearing record for the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environm[...]
The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition has awarded more than $6 million in grants since inception, positively impacting nearly 18 million people nationwide
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (April 6, 2022) – The Recycling Partnership today announced its fourth round of grant funding throu[...]
BUFFALO – Today, Mayor Byron W. Brown announced that the City of Buffalo, in partnership with The Recycling Partnership, will sponsor a Multi-Unit Apartment Building Recycling Initiative called “Let’s Do This Together!”. The six-month pilot initiative aims to initially increase recycling col[...]
Grant Enables Additional Can Capture Equipment That Will Result in 3.5 Million More Aluminum Beverage Cans Recycled
WASHINGTON, DC (August 18, 2021) – Ardagh Metal Packaging and Crown Holdings funded a new aluminum can capture grant awarded to a recycling facility northeast of Orlando that will in[...]
In less than one year, The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition awarded grants to 13 recycling facilities to increase recycling access by nearly 6%.
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (Aug.24, 2021) – The Recycling Partnership today announced a third round of grant funding through its Polypr[...]
The newly available digital Circular Packaging Assessment Tool (CPA Tool) allows brands and retailers to evaluate the recyclability of their packaging portfolio, especially as state EPR policies begin to be implemented across the U.S.
The new digital version of the CPA Tool:
features dynamic as[...]
ATLANTA (July 13, 2021) – With close to 1,500 multifamily properties representing approximately 140,000 households, Atlanta is a prime location for a pilot Challenge to increase recycling participation and improve the quality of recyclables being diverted from landfills. The Do You Recycle? Challe[...]
Earth Day event underscores broad support and solutions for national EPR policy to end plastic waste
OTTAWA, CANADA (April 19, 2024) – Against the backdrop of the fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) to develop an international legally binding instrument on pla[...]
Through The Recycling Partnership’s Residential Drop-Off Recycling Grant Program, communities are provided grant funding, technical assistance, as well as the design of education and outreach materials to help advance recycling and improve drop-off recycling access and capacity for U.S. residents.[...]
World Environment Day turns 50 this year. It’s an annual moment in time to raise awareness, get loud, and demand action for our planet. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) spearheads these efforts, encouraging and fostering a forum to do more together.
Follow 2023’s theme, and [...]
Comments underline need for accurate, transparent recyclability claims on product labels
Washington, D.C. April 19, 2023 – In comments submitted to the Federal Trade Commission today on its Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims (“Green Guides”), The Recycling Partnership c[...]
The Recycling Partnership, American Beverage, and the Beverage Association of Tennessee invest in education for enhanced recycling collection, expected to generate millions of new pounds of recyclable material
WASHINGTON D.C. – The City of Nashville on January 11 announced the launch of enhanc[...]
FALLS CHURCH, VA (July 20, 2021) – The newly-elected Board Directors of The Recycling Partnership bring unmatched sustainability and industry knowledge, and business expertise to help lead The Partnership’s work to transform the U.S. recycling system and activate a circular economy for packaging[...]
Hey, municipal recycling coordinator! How do you know if your curbside recycling program is performing well? Do you know how to connect to powerful easy-to-use tools to increase your performance and address complicated issues like contamination? Do you have the ability to compare your multifamily,[...]
The City will begin rolling out new recycling carts for residents between June 7 and June 26 as it officially launches its residential waste and recycling collection service in early July 2021. The City of Arvada’s Waste and Recycling Program provides low cost recycling to residents who are partic[...]
This article was originally published by Fast Company on April 4, 2019. To read the original, click here.
[Photo: Recycling Partnership]
A nonprofit called the Recycling Partnership gives cities grants for supplies like recycling bins along with consulting to help expand recycling, funded by [...]
This press release was originally published and distributed by Public Affairs out of the Office of the City Manager for the City of Auburn, AL.
AUBURN, Ala.- The rollout of the single-stream recycling program is complete, and the City of Auburn is moving on to the next step of the process, e[...]
Global leader ExxonMobil is the first energy company to join The Recycling Partnership, a rapidly growing national nonprofit that leverages corporate investment to transform recycling for good in hundreds of communities across the country. Through support and collaboration, ExxonMobil, along with 34[...]
Part of The Partnership’s “It’s All You” campaign for the City of Chicago, this video shows adults and kids alike how everyday recycling can make a big impact – like saving the world.
Foundation’s $300,000 grant will boost recycling across the country
Falls Church, VA (April 24, 2019) – Alcoa Foundation announced today it is contributing $300,000 to The Recycling Partnership, the nonprofit change agent transforming recycling for good. The donation will help boost residentia[...]
National nonprofit The Recycling Partnership proudly welcomes global packaging provider Sonoco as its newest funding partner. The two organizations are strongly aligned in their commitment to improving the world for people and communities through meaningful recovery of materials and reductions in gr[...]
This article was originally published by Waste360 on May 23, 2017.
Massachusetts Takes A Lead from The Recycling Partnership to Stem Contamination
Most residents believed they understood the rules, as surveys showed. But when DEP tested that theory it saw a huge gap between people’s perception of [...]
This article originally appeared on Heineken USA’s blog on Aug. 2, 2017.
To the great people of Europe: thanks for sharing! Teams from the top soccer leagues in the world touched down in the U.S. this summer for the fifth installment of the International Champions Cup and the competition was[...]
The following op-ed was penned by The Recycling Partnership’s VP of Industry Collaboration Dylan de Thomas and was originally published by Resource Recycling. Read the original article here.
For a long time, the story of recycling has been purported to be simple – you just have to do X and i[...]
By The Recycling Partnership Team
We live on a planet that is well known for having finite resources (and yes, some renewable ones, many of which we’re depleting at a rate that surpasses the rate of replacement). If we keep buying things that are made out of these finite and depleting resources,[...]
Polypropylene Recycling Coalition awards nearly $2 million in grants that will impact four million people nationally
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (December 8, 2020) – The Recycling Partnership today announced nearly $2 million in catalytic grants to advance polypropylene recycling in the U.S. through its Po[...]
The Recycling Partnership brings together the Southeast Recycling Development Council, the Kentucky and American Beverage Associations and Love Beauty Planet to award more than $1 million for large-capacity recycling carts this summer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 25, 2021) – The Recycling Partnership alon[...]
Together They will Implement The Recycling Partnership’s Nationally Acclaimed “Feet on the Street” Cart-Tagging Recycling Education Campaign
Gahanna, OH (April 27, 2021) – The City of Gahanna has partnered with SWACO to bring The Recycling Partnership’s nationally acclaimed Feet on the Str[...]
Houston, TX. (April 28, 2021) – The City of Houston is launching a curbside recycling cart-tagging pilot program modeled on The Recycling Partnership’s successful Feet on the Street campaign. The cart tagging initiative is aimed at improving the quality and quantity of recyclable materials colle[...]
The Recycling Partnership Joins CMI as Grant Program Partner to Evaluate Proposals and Provide Technical Assistance for Projects that Target Missorted or Lost Cans at Recycling Centers in the Southeast
FALLS CHURCH, Va (JAN. 26, 2021) – The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and The Recycling P[...]
Recycling is many things. It is both a noun and a verb. To a waste professional it may be the collection and diversion of tons of marketable materials. To community members, recycling is an easy way to waste less and to contribute to the greater good. When asked about recyclables, however, most mist[...]
America’s leading beverage companies join the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio and The Recycling Partnership to deploy convenient recycling carts in Pleasant Township and Whitehall
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The American Beverage Association (ABA), in partnership with The Recycling Partnership and [...]
$2.7 Million in Grants Awarded Following The Recycling Partnership’s 2019 50 Cities Leadership Summit Transforming Recycling Programs Nationwide
Falls Church, Va. (Oct. 08, 2020) – Just one year after hosting its inaugural Leadership Summit, which saw a select 50 cities invited for a two-day r[...]
FALLS CHURCH, VA (May 14, 2019) – The Recycling Partnership today announced the appointment of a new chairwoman and two new members to its Executive Committee, as well as new committee chairs for its board governance, communications, and public affairs committees for 2019.
Kim Carswell, dir[...]
For Immediate Release
City is receiving $140,000 recycling grant to raise awareness of what can and cannot be recycled and how to recycle;
Newark one of seven cities across nation to receive recycling grant
Newark, NJ—September 25, 2019—Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Public Works Director Khalif Thomas, T[...]
SARASOTA, FLA.—Participation and collection volumes are up, and contamination is notably low in Sarasota following a city-led recycling program reboot this spring that included amped-up education and new, 95-gallon single-stream carts, supported by the national non-profit, The Recycling Partnershi[...]
Aims to Reach More People to Help Increase Recycling Rate from 23% to 34%
DENVER – Mayor Michael B. Hancock, The Coca-Cola Foundation and national non-profit group The Recycling Partnership announced today the launch of a new large-scale recycling education campaign that will be piloted this summe[...]
By Keefe Harrison
Happy Earth Day! As we celebrate this special day, we want to hear YOUR story. What’s your experience with recycling? What do you need to feel fully engaged in the process?
Plastic pollution is a global crisis. To confront this emergency in the U.S., industry leaders recognized that individual action would not be enough; transformative, systemwide change is required to establish a path toward a circular economy for plastic. Founded as a solutions-driven consortium by T[...]
Aluminum cans are among the most widely accepted packages for recycling. Within the packaging industry, they have leading recycled content rates and are consistently among the most valuable materials by weight in the recycling stream. However, according to Can Manufacturers Institute research, up to[...]
The Polypropylene Recycling Coalition demonstrates the benefits to the entire recycling system that can result from efforts to solve material- specific recycling challenges. Polypropylene is an important packaging material increasingly used for various food and nonfood products; it is estimated to b[...]
If every home in the U.S. had convenient access to recycling, more than half of recyclable material would still be lost. Why? Because most Americans are confused about what and how to recycle. No recycling system performs at a high level without winning the hearts and minds of consumers to use it pr[...]
Our research shows that recycling services disadvantage certain streets, neighborhoods, and housing types along socioeconomic lines. Nearly 40 million U.S. residents lack the same level of access to recycling as they have to garbage service. That access gap is even larger for residents of multifamil[...]
When it comes to capturing the different materials that enter the U.S. residential recycling system, it is as important for residents to know what cannot be recycled as it is to know what can be recycled. Excessive contamination can cause a host of problems once the material is collected. The curbsi[...]
When a package or material does not meet the criteria for recyclability (see page 23, Pathway to Circularity), companies are encouraged to take action. Coalitions can address the recycling challenges of today and consider solutions for the challenges of tomorrow.
The Partnership currently leads thre[...]
Navigating the recycling system has historically been challenging, in part because there are no widely accepted recyclability standards. Our Pathway to Circularity for Packaging, another example of collaboration to solve a complex challenge, was created to wash away the gray and bring necessary clar[...]
As U.S. companies seek to reduce waste, meet sustainability goals, and stay competitive, many are committing to ambitious packaging strategies designed to end plastic waste. But not all companies have data-driven resources to define these strategies. Plastic IQ is a free, digital strategy-building t[...]
The state of Michigan established the goal of increasing statewide recycling from 14% in 2019 to 45% by 2030. To reach this target, the state increased funding for recycling support, leading to a multiyear collaboration between the state’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) [...]
When it comes to recycling access, multifamily communities are among the most underserved in the U.S. Members of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) community are approximately twice as likely to live in multifamily housing as non-BIPOC community members. That’s why The Partnership [...]
The Partnership’s unique model of bringing communities and funding partners together, creates meaningful opportunities to drive large scale change in big cities. Prior to the fall of 2021, Baltimore, Maryland, residents lacked a consistent solution for recycling access, making it difficult for the[...]
By Dylan de Thomas
Vice President of External Affairs
The Recycling Partnership
For many Americans, recycling is second nature. It’s something that we can’t imagine living without. The ethos of “waste not, want not” runs deep in our collective conscience. We feel bad when we throw something [...]
A “Do-ers” Reflection on Stockholm+50 & the United Nations Ocean Conference
by Keefe Harrison (she/her/hers) , CEO, The Recycling Partnership
There is a palpable sense of urgency for environmental action. And it’s not just that we can feel it, we can see it.
The next generati[...]
Despite the Challenges of the COVID-19 Health Crisis, Sheboygan Transitioned to a Cart-Based Recycling Program and Increased Its Recycling Tonnage Nearly 20%
Few can claim 2020 was their year – that is with at least one exception. Sheboygan, Wisconsin, which transformed its recycling program amid [...]
Film and flexible packaging is unlike other packaging when it comes to recycling. For starters, it’s not a single packaging type – the term encompasses a wide range of packaging, from polyethylene (PE) air pillows protecting e-commerce goods to heavy-duty dog food bags, to salty snack bags with [...]
When educating the public around what is and is not accepted for recycling, space and attention spans are limited. Evidence-based research shows which recycling bin labels are most effective at reducing confusion about recycling
The Recycling Partnership’s recently released Recycling Confidence [...]
By Jessica Levine
A mentor once asked me, “What is your wildest dream?” I told her I wanted to be a catalyst for change.
I discovered my passion for environment and sustainability during my senior year of high school. Very quickly, I began to immerse myself in academic studies related to the fie[...]
I just hopped off the stage at Circularity ’22 and a few things stand out to me about this national drive to improve recycling and launch a circular economy. Clearly people are frustrated that recycling hasn’t fixed the waste problem yet. But before we jump to recycling’s failings, let’[...]
by Keefe Harrison (she/her/hers) , CEO, The Recycling Partnership
Frustrated that recycling isn’t fixing the world’s waste problem? Here’s the truth: as it’s built now, it never will. If we think we can just keep making and buying whatever we want without any planning for what happens wh[...]
By Elizabeth Schussler, Sr Dir Social Change, Behavior and Impact
Trying to fight contamination in your local recycling program? Ask specifically for what you want (or don’t want). Our research shows that much of contamination can be solved by telling residents exactly how to recycle properly. (Wa[...]
Know What to Throw
When educating around what goes in – or doesn’t go in a recycling cart – messaging space is limited and attention spans are short. The Recycling Partnership recently set out to identify best practices for signage and mailers to help determine how to communicate the most effe[...]
A critical component to creating a circular system, one where used packaging can be made into recycled material again and again, is a healthy and efficient materials recovery facility (MRF) system. The Recycling Partnership’s Paying It Forward report estimates the U.S. needs to invest $3 billion t[...]
This article, co-written by The Recycling Partnership’s VP of Industry Collaboration Dylan de Thomas and Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s Senior Manager Trina Matta, was originally published in Resource Recycling on June 29, 2017.
Late last year, The Recycling Partnership and Sustainabl[...]
By Keefe Harrison
When the world moves through this terrible coronavirus pandemic, the economy is going to need help. That’s why The Recycling Partnership is working hard, every day, to ensure that the economy that rebounds is a circular one that serves people and the planet.
I grew up in a fami[...]
This article, written by The Recycling Partnership’s former VP of Communications and recycling legend Jason Hale, was originally published by Sustainable Brands.
The Recycling Partnership: How We’re Fixing a Broken System
This is the third in a three-part series from The Recycling Partn[...]
By Liz Bedard
As an employee of both The Recycling Partnership and the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), I have the unique privilege of viewing the recycling industry from all sides. Suppliers, manufacturers, MRFs, haulers, residents, communities, corporations: you name the audience, I’ve ta[...]
Featuring Sarah Dearman and Steph Kersten-Johnston
We’ve recently welcomed two new staff members who have joined us from the corporate world: Sarah Dearman, formerly Sustainable Packaging Program Director at Coca-Cola North America, is now our new VP of New Ventures; Steph Kersten-Johnston, forme[...]
This article, written by The Recycling Partnership’s VP of Industry Collaboration Dylan de Thomas, was originally published by Sustainable Brands.
Half of a Half Equals a Whole Lot of Potential
This is the first in a three-part series from The Recycling Partnership on collaborating to drive [...]
By Keefe Harrison
CEO, The Recycling Partnership
It’s no secret that we at The Recycling Partnership like data. Our commitment to building and sharing robust analyses with the public and private sectors to drive recycling improvements is core to our mission. The release of our newest report is p[...]
A partnership that combined city, county, haulers, and their material recovery facility (MRF) to show the effectiveness of messaging at the curb in Spokane with amplified messaging throughout Spokane County.
As with many recycling education programs, reducing contamination was the primary goal for a[...]
Tired of the same old new year’s resolutions? You know, the ones you abandon before February? Why not resolve to recycle more where you work, live, learn, buy, and play? It’s not only a simple resolution, it’s one that benefits the environment, creates jobs, reduces litter, and benefits future[...]
Reduce, reuse, recycle. It’s a mantra that bears repeating and quite frankly there’s no time to waste.
As we approach America Recycles Day in November, let’s focus on that word “recycle.” There are many feelings and phrases associated with recycling. It makes me feel good when I recycle;[...]
What do piles of bulky waste in residential Ohio, the shore towns in Atlantic County, New Jersey, and billboards in Indiana have in common? They’re all part of The Recycling Partnership’s work to enhance recycling in small and rural communities across the United States.
Recycling should be possi[...]
What did we learn from the feedback we received?
As a mission-driven organization focused on both system change and partnership, there isn’t much we enjoy more than a good bit of stakeholder feedback. So, when we launched the 30-day public comment period for the Pathway to Circularity’s Rec[...]
Less than half the recyclables in U.S. homes are captured: just 14 million tons out of an available 36 million are recycled every year from single-family homes. The Recycling Partnership is working to change that by improving recycling systems in hundreds of communities across America with financi[...]
Greetings from Abu Dhabi. As the 2019 World Ocean Summit wraps up, and I prepare to head home, I’ve settled on my mantra for the year:
There’s no time to be timid.
Warming waters. Acidification. Marine debris. The ocean is the pulse of our planet and it needs our help. We know that climate ch[...]
This article, written by The Recycling Partnership’s former VP of Communications and recycling legend Jason Hale, was originally published by Sustainable Brands.
A Circular Economy: You’re Not in It Alone, So Why Go It Alone?
This is the second in a three-part series from The Recycling [...]
This article was originally published by Bloomberg on Nov. 29, 2017.
The economics of plastic recycling have suddenly been upended, thanks to a Chinese import ban and cheap U.S. oil used to make virgin plastic. That’s made recycled plastic suddenly more expensive than virgin plastic and made it mo[...]
SARASOTA, FLA.—Participation and collection volumes are up, and contamination is notably low in Sarasota following a city-led recycling program reboot this spring that included amped-up education and new, 95-gallon single-stream carts, supported by the national non-profit, The Recycling Partnershi[...]