WM has added plastic cups made of polypropylene and paper to-go cups to its universal list of accepted recyclable materials. This means residents can recycle to-go cups curbside in more local recycling programs across the U.S. WM is encouraging municipalities and customers to help make this progress impactful by adding paper and plastic cups to accepted materials lists to help reach two new recycling designations. Both designations communicate to consumers about the recycling progress that will help more materials to be recycled and used again in a new product or package.
Polypropylene cups are approaching a qualification for a Widely Recyclable designation from How2Recycle庐, North America’s most recognizable on-pack disposal label, which would mean more than 60 percent of U.S. residents can recycle plastic beverage cups curbside. The Recycling Partnership’s State of Recycling Report indicates households generate on average about the same amount of polypropylene as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) used for items such as laundry detergent, milk or shampoo bottles, yet the recycling rate for polypropylene is one-third of what it is for HDPE.
Paper beverage to-go cups are trending toward meeting the criteria for the Check Locally designation from How2Recycle, which would mean at least 20 percent of communities accept paper cups in curbside recycling collection. “Plastic and paper to-go cups are showing up in greater volumes at our facilities,” said Tara Hemmer, chief sustainability officer, WM. “We are executing on our plans to invest $1.4 billion in new recycling infrastructure across North America to unlock recycling capabilities and solutions so that more material can be turned into new products. Recycling works best when it’s accessible鈥攁nd when industry leaders like WM, local communities, consumers and companies who purchase recycled material for new products and packaging all work together.”
WM’s investment is helping make recycling easier for everyday plastic and paper cups made for hot and cold drinks so more recycled materials are produced in North America. These cups are valuable recyclable materials that are baled at WM’s recycling facilities along with other commodities, then sold to end markets that remanufacture products out of the recycled materials.
WM is also collaborating with industry leaders like Starbucks, The Recycling Partnership, How2Recycle庐 and the NextGen Consortium managed by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy, as well as municipalities and the National League of Cities to drive awareness and update recycling guidelines of what materials can be accepted in communities through curbside or drop-off programs.
“We know that real progress is possible when communities, industry leaders and customers come together to make recycling more effective and accessible,” said Marika McCauley Sine, chief sustainability officer, Starbucks. “WM’s expanded curbside acceptance of our to-go cups is a meaningful step toward a more circular economy鈥攚here packaging is recycled more often and more easily.”