Alliance for Mission-Based Recycling

AMBR's contingent to #INC5 for the #GlobalPlasticsTreaty in Busan, Republic of Korea, are ready for our presentation on Tuesday, 26 November, at 2:30 pm (14:30) local time! AMBR executives Katie Drews, MBA, Alex Danovitch, and Martin Bourque will be joined by Anja Malawi Brandon, PhD to present, "Recycling Unpackaged: What Works, What Doesn't, and What Never Will." This is in-person workshop will be held in meeting room 123 in BEXCO 2. If you are in Busan for the negotiations, we invite you to join us for a deep dive exploring both the capacity and limitations of mechanical recycling, the false promises of advanced recycling, and the dangers of relying on false solutions. We hope to see you there! #INC5 #globalplasticstreaty #plasticscrisis #recycling #authenticrecycling

This week, three AMBR executives—Katie Drews, MBA, Martin Bourque, and Alex Danovitch—traveled to Busan, Korea, for the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. At the negotiations, AMBR will be joined by Anja Malawi Brandon, PhD to host a workshop, "Recycling Unpackaged: What Works, What Doesn't, and What Never Will." The workshop will explain why recycling alone will never solve the plastics crisis and outline authentic solutions like reduction, reuse, and redesign. If you are attending the negotiations, we invite you to join us on Tuesday, November 26, at 2:30 pm (14:30) local time in Meeting Room 123 in BEXCO 2. We hope to see you there!

Katie Drews, MBA, AMBR's National Coordinator and CEO/Co-Director of Eureka Recycling, will speak at the #RRC2024 Conference in Louisville, KY, starting today, November 13th. She'll join industry leaders to share insights on?reuse, extended producer responsibility for packaging, and what makes material recyclable. Thank you to Resource Recycling, Inc. for inviting us to share our insights!

This week, AMBR representatives Rachel Setzke from Eco-Cycle and Lucy Mullany from Eureka Recycling participated in a panel discussion on extended producer responsibility for Packaging and paper at the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) conference at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. For the panel discussion "A Dive into Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging," Rachel and Lucy shared updates on the new laws in Colorado and Minnesota and stressed the importance of advancing policies that prioritize waste reduction, reuse, and material redesign. Thanks to the Center for Sustainable Materials Management for inviting us!

???We can’t recycle our way out of the plastic crisis. As recyclers, we know the real problem isn’t the recycling system—it’s plastic. Last month, California’s Attorney General filed a lawsuit against ExxonMobil, exposing decades of misleading claims about plastic recycling. The truth? Most plastics, especially single-use packaging, are not designed for recycling. While some plastics can be recycled, many aren’t physically and economically feasible, and trash recycling facilities and dependable material streams. We need to eliminate problematic plastics, focus on capturing truly recyclable materials, and prioritize reduction and reuse strategies. Let’s push for real change. Read more in our blog below. ?? #PlasticPollution #Sustainability #ZeroWaste #CircularEconomy #EnvironmentalJustice #Recycling https://lnkd.in/g4P6DZ5x

We're excited to share AMBR’s participation at the recent?"Plastics: A Forum on Research & Advocacy"?conference, co-hosted by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and the The State Energy & Environmental Impact Center at NYU School of Law. AMBR executives Katie Drews, MBA and Martin Bourque presented key input from the AMBR vantage point, including: ???Reduction and reuse must come before recycling! Recycling is not the solution to the plastics crisis. For most plastics, it’s not even viable. ???Consumer demand for plastics is a myth:?While the oil and gas industry that creates plastics has leaned on the narrative that plastic pollution comes from consumer behavior and a lack of education, our system isn’t designed for consumers to live a zero waste lifestyle. ???Solutions must be centered in environmental justice. All proposed solutions must protect vulnerable communities disproportionately impacted by plastic production and pollution. ?? Recycling can be a bridge strategy for some plastics before elimination for for some plastics (# 1, 2, and 5). It was an inspiring event, with leaders from around the country advocating for a more sustainable future. Read more of AMBR's takeaways in our blog post: https://lnkd.in/e84sBkuQ

A great article from the San Francisco Chronicle explains why so many plastics cannot be recycled: There are no markets for them. These plastics trash recycling systems and the planet. https://lnkd.in/ew3SJEdD

California Attorney General Rob Bonta just filed a lawsuit against ExxonMobil, alleging the company engaged in a "decades-long campaign of deception" by suggesting its plastics are recyclable. This lawsuit reinforces what we advocate. As recyclers, we see firsthand the growing impact problematic plastic packaging has on recycling infrastructure and communities. The petrochemical industry sold consumers on recycling being the solution to the plastics problem—it is not. Instead, we must significantly reduce plastic production, heavily invest in reuse, and redesign materials to be readily recyclable. https://lnkd.in/g4CKGJrN

There are a lot of claims that the recycling system is broken due to plastics, but on average, plastics make up only 20% of the recycling stream. The other 80%, mixed paper, cardboard, glass, aluminum, and steel, are the workhorses of recycling. It's important to remember this as we move policies and solutions forward to improve what is already working, eliminate what isn't, and work toward a zero-waste future! ? Check out our webinar to learn more: https://lnkd.in/egkpaakH

When consumers see a recyclable label, they should be confident that when they put that material in their bin, it will be turned into something new. Unfortunately, greenwashing and deceptive labeling are making it harder for consumers to recycle with confidence. Luckily, this could soon change when the FTC updates its Green Guides, which are guidelines intended to help marketers avoid making environmental claims that mislead consumers. These guidelines define when and how companies can make certain sustainability claims, like “recyclable” or “compostable.” As new zero waste policies emerge, these guidelines become increasingly important as they are referenced by state policymakers when drafting laws like post-consumer recycled content requirements, truth-in-labeling laws, and, most recently, extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging programs. As recyclers, we see the impact of deceptive labeling EVERY DAY in our facilities as an ever-increasing amount of non-recyclable material enters the stream. Learn more about AMBR's recommendations for the Green Guides to ensure truth-in-labeling and authentic recycling in our new blog post. https://lnkd.in/eGriFt6V