7 NEWS PETplanet Insider Vol. 26 No. 10/25 rPlanet Earth shutdown – a wake-up call for US recycling policy, APR states The US Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR) published a statement on the recent shutdown of Vernon-based PET recycler rPlanet Earth according to which the closure should serve as a wake-up call to policymakers in California and across the country. The organisation notes that rPlanet Earth represented around 4% of the nation’s rPET capacity, and that its vertically integrated operations supplied key product streams – including thermoform trays and PET bottle material – that are now under pressure. APR points out that, like many U.S. recyclers, rPlanet Earth faced weak demand for its products while competing with a surge of low-cost imported material and cheap, oversupplied vi rgin plast ic. According to the association, these market dynamics are driven by two factors: brands scaling back recycled content commitments in favour of virgin plastic, and brands sourcing imported rPET to meet U.S. recycled content requirements rather than purchasing from domestic recyclers. The association warns that this is pushing U.S. recyclers out of the market at a time when the country urgently needs more – not less – domestic capacity to support a circular economy. The Association of Plastic Recyclers warns that the recent closure reflects the broader chal lenges of plast ics recycling, drawing a comparison to Europe, where multiple plants have already shut down under similar conditions. The group cautions that without stronger policy measures, the U.S. risks facing the same trend, with consequences for jobs, investment, and recycling infrastructure. APR calls on policymakers to take decisive measures, including creating incentives for brands to use domestically sourced recycled content and requiring country-of-origin labelling. The Vernon, California, site of rPlanet Earth covered 300,000 square feet and included SQF-certified, food-grade packaging manufacturing as well as the company’s corporate headquarters. Conceived as the first fully integrated recycling and packaging operation of its kind, it was intended to close the loop for domestic recycling programs and streamline processing. www.plasticsrecycling.org CREATING FUTURE STANDARDS Japan’s leading Aseptic PET Filling System Provider. Our website Our solution high quality reliable technology safe & secure
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