The Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR), Washington, has announced the first companies to receive Meets Preferred Guidance (MPG) recognition, a program it launched in August.

The MPG program recognizes materials, components and complete packages made with polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) that are considered Preferred according to the APR Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability.

The MPG Review Program is designed to provide confidence for purchasing and sourcing personnel for brand owners that what they are purchasing is designed for recyclability. It encourages packaging manufacturers to obtain an independent assessment from the APR that determines if their product meets the Preferred Guidance criteria. Companies with products that meet APR Preferred Guidance receive a letter that can be presented to customers and used for marketing purposes.

Plastic dispensers for use with PET, HDPE and PP containers are the first design components to be eligible for the program. The following companies have developed dispensers that have received MPG recognition:

• Apackaging Group’s Infinity Pump Series all-polyolefin lotion pumps for HDPE and PET bottles;
• Aptar’s Future all-PE pump for HDPE; and
• Hana’s globally patented Ecohelix 100 percent PP dispensing pumps for PET, HDPE and PP containers.

“Dispenser design features have historically led to contamination in the recycling stream, which impacts not only the recyclers but also the companies that use recycled content,” says Sandeep Kulkarni, APR technical consultant for its recognition programs. “We commend these manufacturers for stepping up to the plate and developing new dispensers that are compatible with recycling infrastructure.”

Additional design elements will become eligible for MPG recognition in the coming months:

• HDPE base resin;
• labels for HDPE containers;
• PET base resin;
• caps and closures for PET containers; and
• labels for PET containers,

“The Meets Preferred Guidance program provides assurance that packaging and components are compatible with recycling and enable a circular economy,” says Steve Alexander, APR president and CEO. “We are pleased to see the interest in the MPG program and look forward to announcing continued expansion of eligible items for the program, as well as additional MPG recognition recipients.”

The association says using plastic packages that achieve the design principles outlined in the APR Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability help to ensure that high-quality recycled plastic is available in the market for brand companies that are committed to using postconsumer resin, or PCR, in their plastic products.

Schupan and Sons Inc. has named Nick Kronsbein the new vice president of Schupan Recycling, effective Dec.  13.

Kronsbein, who Schupan says has a depth of experience in used beverage container processing for Michigan’s bottle bill, will concentrate on business development and plant infrastructure projects, deepening the company’s relationships with distributors and wholesalers and its long-term growth strategy.

He also will maintain the role he has held since 2012 as vice president and general manager of UBCR LLC, the joint transportation and logistics venture between Tomra North America Inc. and Schupan and Sons.

“A company’s prosperity is often predicated by the depth of its talent,” Tom Emmerich, chief operating officer of Schupan and Sons says. “Utilizing Nick’s talent and relationship with over 600 Michigan retailers, wholesalers and distributors will be key to our growth and continued investment in supporting Michigan’s efficient container deposit law. Nick’s knowledge, expertise and relationship with our partners will assure our continued and effective deliverance of global sustainable material solutions to our partners and to Michigan residents.”

Kronsbein holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Michigan State University and an MBA in finance from Walsh College.

Schupan & Sons Inc., headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is a third-generation, family-owned metals and plastics business specializing in industrial and electronics recycling, asset management, fabrication and distribution, beverage container processing and materials trading. It operates 15 facilities throughout Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.

Pittsburgh-based United States Steel Corp. has formed an alliance with Norfolk Southern Corp. and Oregon-based equipment fabricator Greenbrier Cos. Inc. to design what they call a new, more sustainable steel gondola railcar.

The cars will use a high-strength, lighter weight steel developed by U.S. Steel, reducing the weight of each car by up to 15,000 pounds compared with conventional models. Norfolk Southern initially will acquire 800 of the Greenbrier engineered gondolas, according to a news release prepared by the three companies.

Scrap processors are likely to call for a greater number than that, as for several years shippers in the ferrous scrap sector have pointed to a lack of gondola cars and long waits for them.

Veteran trader and consultant Nathan Fruchter of New York-based Idoru Trading Corp. tells Recycling Today some shippers are being told the arrival of additional or new cars is on a one-year-out timeline. As things currently stand, he adds, some processors are leaving up to $50 per ton “on the table” because they cannot get sufficient cars to serve specific destinations.

The three companies refer to a “recognition that North America’s aging gondola fleet will soon require substantial replacement with a more sustainable design.”

Regarding the new model, U.S. Steel President and CEO David B. Burritt comments, “This remarkable collaboration with our partners at Norfolk Southern and Greenbrier is helping realize the full potential of U. S. Steel’s continued product innovations as sustainable solutions for the steel and transportation industries. This joint initiative proves that point with an innovative railcar that is stronger, lighter and more capable, with the planet being the ultimate beneficiary.”

James A. Squires, chairman and CEO of Norfolk Southern, adds, “The use of lightweight, high-strength steel is a real revolution for railcars. Not only will each gondola carry more material, they will do so by using less energy, making our operations, and our customer’s operations, even more environmentally friendly.”

“The work done by U. S. Steel, Norfolk Southern and Greenbrier promises significant benefits to all three companies and the freight transportation industry as a whole,” says William A. Furman, Greenbrier Chairman and CEO. “The three partners on this next-generation transportation equipment have deep roots in industrial America. Together, we are leading the way to a net-zero carbon economy. I look forward to our continued partnership,”

In addition to sustainability and increased capacity benefits, the three companies say the new car should have an extended life cycle, “potentially extending the useful life of each gondola to 50 years.”  

The American Chemistry Council (ACC), Washington, has released an updated version of its mass balance principles for advanced recycling. The update was made as plastic makers call for a more transparent third-party certification process for advanced recycling.

The policy now says the credibility of mass balance chain of custody claims should be supported by internationally recognized, auditable and transparent independent third-party verification.

According to a news release from the ACC, having credible, third-party standards and a transparent certification process will play an integral role in achieving a circular economy for plastics.

“Transparent and trustworthy third-party standards are important in every step taken to increase plastic recycling,” says Joshua Baca, vice president of plastics for the ACC. “These standards will make it easier for brand companies and manufacturers to use more recycled plastic in their products, give them confidence in communicating with consumers and help create and sustain demand for recycled plastic. All of these components will help meet the recycling goals set by America’s plastic makers as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.”

Using transparent third-party standards will help verify the presence of recycled plastics from advanced recycling. One of the most widely accepted certification processes used today is mass balance, an application of conservation of mass to the analysis of physical systems. Mass balance is used to track sustainability measures in various industries, including coffee, cocoa, forestry and renewable energy.

The ACC says consistent use of third-party certification standards is important for achieving 30 percent recycled plastic in plastic packaging by 2030, which is the first action in plastic makers’ Five Actions for Sustainable Change that was released earlier this year. The Five Actions are concrete steps the ACC says Congress should take to accelerate the growth of plastic recycling in the United States.