Tools and Resources

Zero Net Waste Program

PLASTICS helps educate companies on how they can turn their waste into valuable resources, or eliminate waste altogether. Using the tools offered through PLASTICS’ Zero Net Waste program, manufacturers learn how to maximize diversion, achieving in some cases 90% recycling rates and even 100% recovery rates, engage employees in environmental efforts and avoid landfill costs and generate revenue by recycling. 

Operation Clean Sweep

Operation Clean Sweep (OCS), a stewardship program of the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) and the American Chemistry Council’s Plastics Division, is an international program designed to prevent resin pellet, flake and powder loss and help keep this material out of the marine environment.

Sustainability Benchmarking Tool

PLASTICS’ Sustainability Benchmarking Tool is a self-reporting tool provided to our members to report data needed to tell a positive environmental story (Download Tool).  Every PLASTICS member is asked to participate in this effort. Our advocacy at PLASTICS is based on sound science, and science is based on data. We need your help to turn our anecdotal discussion on sustainability into data-driven policy. Participating will afford your company a number of benefits, including:

• Undertaking an inventory of sustainability activities, if your company has not yet done this,
• Generating varying levels of reports to share with customers, and
• Identifying areas of success and opportunities for improvement.

Member Directory: Lab & Pilot Scale Processing Capabilities

PLASTICS is uniquely positioned to explore new recycle feed streams and potential end markets for recycled materials through recycling demonstration projects. The help and support of our members is critical to the success of these efforts. To better understand the capabilities of our members to contribute to these efforts, we asked members to participate in a very brief survey about their company’s capabilities and created this directory. These companies have chosen to share their information with the other members of PLASTICS, to help facilitate collaboration on individual innovation efforts, in addition to PLASTICS projects.

Please contact abrewer@plasticsindustry.org if you would like to add your information to the directory.

Re|focus Sustainability Innovation Awards Program

The Re|focus Sustainability Innovation awards provide a platform for sharing and celebrating some of the great work being done across the globe to push sustainability in manufacturing forward. These awards are designed to recognize outstanding innovations in plastics manufacturing that further environmental advantages in design, material, and end of life management.

Centralized Study on Availability of Recycling for Beverage Containers

PLASTICS participated in a study commissioned by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, 2015-16 Centralized Study on Availability of Recycling for Beverage Containers. The study identifies the prevalence of recycling programs that accept beverage containers, including PET bottles/jugs & jars, aluminum beverage cans, glass beverage bottles and cartons. The findings on PET showed that a majority of the country, 92 percent of the U.S. population, can recycle PET bottles/jugs & jars. Download this Report

2015 Sustainability Progress Report

The information from the 2015 Sustainability Benchmarking Survey gives us the data we need to tell a positive environmental story and shape the conversations about our industry. Download this Report

Unlocking the EPS Recovery Potential: Technologies Enabling Efficient Collection and Recovery

This paper offers the industry a glimpse into the various streams of expanded polystyrene (EPS) available for recovery today, and the technologies available to process this material into a valuable feed stream for a growing range of end markets. Download this Report

Compatibilizers: Creating New Opportunity for Mixed Plastics

This whitepaper outlines the roles of compatibilizer additives in plastics, the opportunities and challenges associated with their use, and provides a guide on commercially-available compatibilizers. Download this Report

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Policies Guide

This Guide will Help You Position Your Business to Take Advantage of EPP policies. Download this Guide. This guide is broken down into sections that include:

• The history of EPP policies,
• Leveraging EPP policies on a federal and state level to drive use of recycled content,
• The EPA's recommendations for EPA designated purchasing categories,
• A comprehensive procurement guildeline,
• And so much more.

Materials Recovery for the Future (MRFF)

MRFF is a research collaboration that brings together leading brands, manufacturers, packaging companies, trade associations and other key members of the value chain who are committed to finding solutions for better recovery of flexible packaging and films. Phase I of research is complete and shows that today’s automated sorting technologies can be optimized to capture flexible plastic packaging—potentially creating a new stream of recovered materials while improving the quality of other recycling streams. Download this Report

For additional information about the current status of this research collaboration, visit here.

PLASTICS is committed to bringing our members the information and resources through the year that will help them drive sustainability and efficiencies in their operations.  Our Advancing Sustainability Series  will present information that will save your company time, money and take your efforts to new heights in 2019. Topics covered in this series include:

• Energy Reduction through the Better Plants Program
• Zero Net Waste
• A Sustainability 101 course for new sustainability professionals
• Water reduction
• Sustainability benchmarking
• Transportation efficiency
• Calculating economic impact in your communities

Supply Chain Guide to Circularity: Retail Series

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) along with program partners Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) and Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) have come together to present the Supply Chain Guide to Circularity: Retail Series.

From hangers to polybags to window clings, we know that plastic works wonders for your business. This three-part webinar series is designed to educate and connect the entire retail plastics supply chain, from design and procurement, marketing and development, logistics and transportation in both e-commerce and in-store sectors, providing the tools you need to overcome challenges and close the loop on plastics products and packaging for your business.

Part 1: Designing Products and Packaging Using Recycled Content
Part 2: How to Source Recycled Materials Available for Purchase
Part 3: Closing the Loop Through Design and Collection