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Recycled Content

Where is plastics recycling really headed? Recycled Content, brought to you by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), goes beyond the headlines to unpack what’s driving progress in plastics recycling. Each month, we sit down with industry leaders across the value chain, including brand owners, recyclers, policymakers, and innovators, to discuss the breakthroughs, roadblocks, and market shifts reshaping sustainable packaging. From design for recyclability to EPR laws and emerging technologies, this podcast offers real-world insights and honest conversations for anyone working to close the loop. New episodes drop monthly. Subscribe to stay informed and stay in the loop. Visit plasticsrecycling.org for more information.

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 52: Inside the Conversations Shaping Plastics Recycling w/ Michael Westerfield & Nicole Janssen Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

In the first episode of 2026, Recycled Content host Kara Pochiro hands hosting duties over to Maite Quinn-Richards, President of Resource Recycling. Maite is joined by APR Board members Michael Westerfield of Dart Container Corporation and Nicole Janssen of Denton Plastics for a preview of the key issues shaping the future of plastics recycling, which will be explored at the 2026 Plastics Recycling Conference (PRC) this February in San Diego. Drawing on perspectives from both brand manufacturing and recycling, the conversation explores current market pressures, recycled content demand, design for recyclability, and the growing role of EPR legislation. The episode also highlights PRC being held alongside the Resource Recycling Conference and the Textile Recovery Summit this year, and why policy, market development, and technical recycling conversations must happen together as the industry heads into 2026.

For more information about PRC visit plasticsrecycling.com.

Ep. 51: Plastic Recycling in Transition: Challenges, Opportunities, and What's Next w/ Steve Alexander, President & CEO of APR Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

APR President and CEO Steve Alexander returns to the Recycled Content podcast to dig deeper into what is really holding the American recycling system back and the ongoing fight against misinformation surrounding plastic recycling. In this episode, Steve and host Kara Pochiro unpack misleading recycling rate statistics, push back on the false claim that plastics placed in household recycling bins do not get recycled, and clarify why today's challenge is not capacity, but market demand and material supply. The two dive into how APR is working to close these gaps through policy leadership, design guidance, and market-building programs. The conversation also previews key issues that will take center stage at the Plastics Recycling Conference this February in Chula Vista, California, and looks ahead to APR's priorities as the industry heads into 2026.

Ep. 50: Inside the APR Recycling Demand Champions Program w/ Kate Eagles and Emily Tipaldo Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

This month, Recycled Content host Kara Pochiro is joined by the Association of Plastic Recyclers' (APR) Kate Eagles, Program Director of Policy & Markets, and Emily Tipaldo, Program Manager for the Market Development Committee. Together, they break down the APR Recycling Demand Champions Program, an initiative supported by The Recycling Partnership, that recognizes companies committed to the long-term use of North American post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. They also discuss how this year's recognized champions, Amcor, Charter Next Generation, Kraft Heinz, Novolex, and Triton Group, demonstrated strong commitments to purchasing or manufacturing products with recycled plastics and expanding PCR use.

Kate and Emily discuss current market pressures facing the plastics recycling industry, including low-cost virgin plastic and rising imports, and explain why strong, reliable demand for PCR is essential to maintaining and scaling a circular plastics economy. Tune in to learn how the APR Recycling Demand Champions Program drives investment in high-quality PCR, keeps recyclable materials in the value chain, and helps strengthen the circular economy for plastics.

This episode is sponsored by MCC Label, visit iml.mcclabel.com to learn more.

Ep. 49: Inside Colgate-Palmolive's Journey to a Recyclable Toothpaste Tube w/ Dr. Jun Wang Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

In Recycled Content's fourth episode spotlighting APR's Recycling Leadership Award winners, host Kara Pochiro sits down with Dr. Jun Wang, Director of Packing Innovation at Colgate-Palmolive, winner of the Design Innovation Award. Together, they explore how Dr. Wang led the team behind Colgate-Palmolive's innovative mono-material toothpaste tube, which earned APR Design® Recognition and helped shift an entire product category toward recyclability. The two discuss how Colgate turned a long-standing non-recyclable package into one compatible with existing recycling systems, the importance of collaboration across the value chain, and why Colgate chose to share its design publicly to accelerate industry adoption. Interested to hear about what sustainable packaging innovations are coming next for Colgate-Palmolive? Then tune in!

Ep. 48: FDA Insights on Recycled Plastics for Food Packaging w/ FDA Regulatory Review Scientist Sean Fischer Sep 10, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Recycled Content, APR Technical Director Scott Trenor takes over hosting duties to explore the FDA's role in ensuring recycled plastics are safe for use in food packaging with guest Sean Fischer, an FDA Regulatory Review Scientist within the Division of Food Contact Substances. The two dive into the evaluation process, and critical need behind the FDA's No Objection Letters (NOL), an official statement from the FDA signaling that the agency has reviewed a recycling process and has no concerns about its ability to produce material suitable for food-contact use. The conversation also tackles common misconceptions, international alignment with Europe's EFSA, and how recyclers can better navigate regulatory pathways. Tune in to hear how recycled plastics move from curbside collection to safe, food-contact applications, and what it means for the future of circular packaging.

Ep. 47: Painting a New Future for PCR Utilization w/ Darren Scholl, Chief of Operations at KW Container Aug 19, 2025

Show notes

In the third episode of our series highlighting APR's Recycling Leadership Award winners, host Kara Pochiro is joined by Darren Scholl, the Chief of Operations at KW Container, winner of the PCR Utilization Award. The two highlight KW Container's work transforming the paint-and-coatings industry by creating fully recyclable paint cans made with recycled plastics and driving demand by consuming over 1 billion pounds of curbside-collected polypropylene in the last 14 years. With more than 30 years of experience in plastics, Darren offers a behind-the-scenes look at KW's latest innovations, the challenges of scaling recycled content, and what it takes to overcome existing hurdles to create a new design. Tune in to hear how KW Container is proving that recycled plastics don't just compete with traditional products, they can set a new standard for performance and sustainability.

Ep. 46: Transforming Post-Consumer Plastics and Textiles into Sustainable Fiber and Resin w/ Meredith Boyd of Unifi Jul 09, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Recycled Content, host Kara Pochiro is joined by Meredith Boyd, Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer at Unifi, to discuss the innovation behind REPREVE®, which received the APR Recycling Technology Innovation Award. Together, they explore how REPREVE® has transformed textile recycling by leveraging multiple sources into different sustainable fibers. Meredith shares insights on the importance of transparency, sustainability, and market diversity in building a true circular economy, as well as why textile recycling is about longevity, rather than "downcycling." The conversation highlights how policy and mindset shifts drive change, the challenges of the recycling industry, and offers insights into what the future holds for textile recycling. Tune in!

Ep. 45: Advice from an Influential Leader in Recycling w/ APR's Outstanding Leadership Award Winner Debra Wilson Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

Debra Wilson, Materials R&D Director at Amcor and recipient of the inaugural APR Recycling Leadership Award for Outstanding Leadership, joins Recycled Content host Kara Pochiro to discuss Debra's 33+ years of commitment to plastic standardization activities. The two dive into Debra's influential role in aligning APR Design® Guidance with RecyClass standards, as well as her work with ASTM International and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Debra reflects on her proudest accomplishments during her tenure and the importance of collaboration and involvement across the value chain. Tune in to hear how the plastics recycling industry has evolved over the last 30 years and the continued progress that Debra, APR, and the broader industry are making for a more sustainable future.

Ep. 44: Designing for the Future - Celebrating 30 years of the APR Design® Guide with APR's Megan Byers and Chris Max of Kraft Heinz May 20, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Recycled Content, host Kara Pochiro is joined by Megan Byers, Program Director at the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), and Chris Max, Research Lead in Sustainable Packaging Innovation at Kraft Heinz company. Kara, Megan, and Chris dive into the APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability as APR celebrates 30 years of shaping how brands design packaging with a focus on sustainability and recycling. During the discussion, Megan walks through the evolution of the APR Design® Guide from a simple technical manual to an internationally recognized tool influencing packaging design across the globe, including the latest updates on APR's expanding ecosystem of recycling support programs. Want to get a real-world look at how Kraft Heinz is using the APR Design® Guide to meet sustainability goals and reengineering packaging for greater recyclability? Then tune in!

Ep. 43: Seeing is Believing: Recycling in Action with Pia Baker Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

To kick off Recycling in Action Month, Recycled Content host Kara Pochiro is joined by Pia Baker, APR's Director of Marketing and leader of the Recycling in Action initiative. Throughout the month of May, Material Recovery Facilities (MRFS) and recyclers will offer tours for an up-close in-person look at the journey recyclables take from collection, sortation, and transformation. The two deep dive into common and harmful myths about recycling and the thought process behind launching Recycling in Action this year. Want to hear more about how you can get involved in this inaugural initiative and see what it's like to witness recycling in action for yourself? Then sign up for a tour, tune in, and check out https://plasticsrecycling.org/recycling-in-action/.

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