10% growth in Canada’s plastics recycling

Canada – Canada’s plastic packaging recycling rate grew in 2012 for the third year in a row, according to the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA). In total, more than 627 million pounds or 285 000 tonnes of post-consumer plastics packaging was recycled, 10% more than in the previous year.

Plastics collected for recycling included bottles, rigid containers, film, bags, outer wrap and expanded polystyrene. The materials were processed into an array of products, including new bottles, fleece jackets, pipes, pallets, crates, decking, and lawn and garden products.

Bottle recycling grew 3% to 384 million pounds while rigid containers, with 78 million pounds recycled, saw an increase of 29% over 2011. Plastic bags and outer wrap climbed 18% to 97 million pounds and expanded polystyrene 24% to 2 million pounds.

′We continue to work with our members to build and grow our national recycling industry in Canada, reusing valuable plastic materials and creating jobs,′ states CPIA president and ceo Carol Hochu.

Canadian recyclers want more supply given that they have underutilised capacity, a study has found. Film and bag recyclers used only 49% of their capacity in 2012 while non-bottle rigid container recyclers ran at 60% of their capacity.

For more information, visit: www.plastics.ca