SWANA weighs in on plastic recycling

The Silver Spring, Maryland-based Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) has issued a white paper for its members titled “State of Plastic Waste Management in the United States and Canada.” According to SWANA, the white paper “gives a timely snapshot of the issue for solid waste and recycling managers, plastic manufacturers and elected officials.”

“With the increased focus on plastic recycling and impending restrictions on exporting scrap plastic expected to take effect in January 2021, this white paper is timely and important,” says David Biderman, SWANA’s executive director and CEO. “With plastic waste generation increasing in both North America and internationally, recycling stakeholders urge manufacturers and consumer brands to take on a greater responsibility for the management of this material.”

The white paper offers information on plastics management with a focus on containers and packaging at the local, national, and international levels, SWANA says, including impending changes to markets, existing and emerging recycling technologies and new policies that will impact the management of plastics.

“The management of plastics has received increased national and international attention as part of a larger conversation about the circular economy and zero waste goals for all materials,” states the association. SWANA says concern about the sustainability of plastic is increasing at the same time the material has become more integral to daily life, and solid waste and recycling managers “find themselves in the middle of these competing interests.”

The white paper has been designed to help community leaders and SWANA members better understand existing and emerging issues involving plastic and help them determine the best ways “to protect human health and the environment while running economically sustainable programs.”

The “State of Plastic Waste Management in the United States and Canada” report is available online to SWANA members via this web page.

SWANA describes itself as an organization of more than 10,000 public and private sector professionals in the solid waste management and resource management sectors.