Polypropylene recycling: The Recycling Partnership’s coalition drives new access and higher rates of polypropylene recycling nationwide
In its inaugural annual report, The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition announced significant advancements in polypropylene recycling, adding 64 million pounds of recycled polypropylene each year. Established in 2020, the Coalition aims to expand polypropylene recycling through grants awarded to materials recovery facilities (MRFs), secondary sorters, and reclaimers, focusing on increasing the acceptance, capture, and quality of recycled polypropylene. With over $15 million allocated across 60 grants, the Coalition has brought improved polypropylene recycling access to 48 million people.
Expanding Community Access to Polypropylene Recycling
Polypropylene, known as #5 plastic, is found in everyday items like food containers and microwaveable packaging. Despite its prevalence and potential for reuse, only about 8% of polypropylene is recycled annually. The Coalition’s grants have improved facility capabilities and access to polypropylene recycling in numerous communities.
“In just four years, The Coalition has improved polypropylene recycling access, capture, sortation, and processing in more than half of U.S. states, and there is more to do,” said Brittany LaValley, Vice President of Materials Advancement at The Partnership. “While we celebrate this progress, we know there is significant opportunity to continue to expand the demand for recycled polypropylene, spur investments in access, education and infrastructure, and create a more robust market for this versatile material.”
As a result of this initiative, the How2Recycle® program designated several polypropylene items as “widely recyclable,” providing clear guidance for consumers and expanding polypropylene recycling access to an additional 48 million people. Additionally, grants to facilities like the Scott County Waste Commission in Iowa funded new technology such as optical sorters, enabling them to capture seven times more polypropylene in the first six months of 2024 compared to all of 2023.
Supporting Infrastructure and Reliable Markets
In addition to community access, the Coalition aims to increase polypropylene recycling rates by building a sustainable market for post-consumer polypropylene. Through its expanded supply chain, 64 million new pounds of recycled polypropylene are now made available yearly for use in a wide range of products and packaging. For instance, an equipment upgrade funded by the Coalition at New Jersey’s Northern Recycling Center allowed the facility to collect more polypropylene, and it is now selling the material to multiple domestic buyers.
The Coalition is also working with policymakers to ensure polypropylene is included on “favorable” recyclable lists in states like California and Oregon, creating new opportunities for this material. A Coalition grant to Recology in Sonoma Marin, California, helped install dedicated polypropylene recycling systems as part of a $35 million modernization project completed in early 2024.
Aiming for a 5% Increase in Polypropylene Recycling by 2026
The Coalition has set an ambitious target to increase the U.S. polypropylene recycling rate by 5% by the end of 2026. To achieve this, it plans to deploy $10 million in additional funding in 2025, contributing to a broader $55 million effort to enhance recycling infrastructure and capture more polypropylene across the nation. Working closely with communities, recyclers, manufacturers, and policymakers, The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition is driving meaningful change, striving to build a circular, sustainable system to meet the growing demand for recycled polypropylene.
For more information on The Recycling Partnership and its Polypropylene Recycling Coalition, visit recyclingpartnership.org/polypropylene-recycling-coalition-annual-report.
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Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
