A new analysis released by the American Chemistry Council (ACC) found that if just 50% of plastics in the municipal solid waste stream were redirected from landfills to recycling facilities, the U.S. could gain an estimated 173,200 jobs, $12.8 billion in annual payroll, and $48.7 billion in additional annual economic output.
The analysis shows the estimated combined impact of mechanical and advanced (nonmechanical) recycling technologies working together to process a broad range of used plastics. Mechanical recycling is designed to efficiently process items such as water or laundry detergent bottles and a variety of nonmechanical recycling technologies can convert hard-to-recycle plastics, such as flexible packaging and synthetic clothing, back into their original building blocks to make new products.
“Strengthening our recycling infrastructure is a win for U.S. manufacturing and helps keep more used plastics out of landfills and in the economy,” said Ross Eisenberg, president of America’s Plastic Makers. “This report shows that modernizing and expanding plastics recycling can strengthen domestic supply chains, create thousands of skilled jobs, and provide the high-quality recycled materials that brands and manufacturers want to add to their products.”
Key Findings
- 173,200 total jobs supported nationwide, including 43,300 direct positions operating recycling facilities.
- $12.8 billion annual payroll across direct, indirect, and payroll induced spending effects.
- $48.7 billion in annual economic output, including $16.4 billion generated directly by recycling facilities.
Building a stronger recycling system starts with smart, practical policies that encourage innovation and investment. Technology-neutral approaches with strong environmental standards that support all forms of recycling will capture more used plastics that can be converted into new products.