PETpla.net Insider 07+08 / 2021

TOP TALK PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 07+08/21 www.petpla.net 14 After pandemic-related turbulence, the US PET industry is slowly recovering “The long-term trend is upward” by Gabriele Kosmehl As President & CEO of the Plastics Industry Association, Tony Radoszewski experienced first-hand the light and dark sides that the pandemic had in store for the US plastics industry. In our interview, he reports on the advantages that the material was able to demonstrate for the health sector, but also on the adverse effects that the pandemic had on the recycling market. PETplanet: Plastics Industry Association is supporting the entire US plastics chain. How have you and your members experienced the last 18 months, in the wake of the pandemic? Radoszewski: Plastic is every- where, but its positive contributions have tended to hide in plain sight. The pandemic really brought to light how essential plastic is to modern societies. Plastic gloves, face masks and barriers have been essential in preventing and treating Covid-19. Put simply, plastic has proven to be irreplaceable, and no doubt saved countless lives during this challenging period. PETplanet: What precautions had you taken in your organisation regard- ing the pandemic, and which are still active? Radoszewski: I have a very real responsibility as the leader of our association to keep my people safe. I take that responsibility very seriously. We’ve consistently adhered to guid- ance and protocols from federal and local public health agencies. We’ve been very successful in adapting to virtual operations since last year. That being said, I very much look forward to getting back into the office for regu- lar in-person meetings with my staff later this year. It’s tough to replace the ability to drop into a colleague’s office with a quick question. Those quick brainstorming sessions can often times lead to big ideas. PETplanet: Regarding the PET/ bottling industry in particular - how do the production figures currently com- pare to the last few years? Radoszewski: The long-term trend is upward and production has partially recovered from the shock that resulted from the pandemic last year. However, various near-term supply chain bottlenecks have prevented a full production recovery compared to past years. PETplanet: During the pandemic, the consumption behaviour of many consumers changed. In Europe, for example, there was an increase in sales of PET packaging in larger con- tainers. Have you also observed new trends in the USA - a country where larger containers are more important anyway - with regard to PET bottles? Radoszewski: The data really doesn’t point to a strong shift to larger containers in the United States. Consumption of essentials rose sig- nificantly during the pandemic, which was reflected in both small and large PET containers. During the peak of the public health crisis, consumers purchased what was readily available. PETplanet: During the lockdowns, many recyclers complained of not getting bottles back at the usual rate. How have the recyclers among your members been doing? And are the plants now running at full capacity again? Radoszewski: Our members also experienced the availability issue. Interestingly, this happened most noticeably in those states with bottle- return policies since the deposit cen- tres stopped taking them back. New York even waived the requirement for retailers to take them back. Some kerb side collection was impacted, but not as drastically. Most plants currently are back to operating at full capacity. However, the bale price is significantly higher than last year at this time and in some places almost double 2019 prices. PETplanet: In your view, how does the American recycling industry compare internationally with regard to PET? And what adjustments could be made for further improvements? Radoszewski: The US differs from most of the world because we do not have a single system to collect plastics, especially PET bottles. This complicates access to recycling and is influenced by a number of local factors including container-deposit policies, attitudes, and infrastructure. These all impact the economics of recycling. Unlike other types of plastic products where there may be tech- nical challenges in their recycling, the issue with PET bottles is one of consumer participation. Recyclers could – and want – to process more PET bottles. There is a strong market for recycled PET. Increased consumer education and an increase is recycling infrastructure would go a long way to improving the recycling system and rates overall. PETplanet: California is in the headlines often at the moment because of new packaging and recy- cling bills, and your association has specifically positioned itself against the California Labelling Bill SB 343.