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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. 62: The State of Recycling in Canada with Allen Langdon and Elena Mantagaris Oct 02, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Recycled Content, host Kara Pochiro explores the state of plastic recycling in Canada with Allen Langdon, CEO of Circular Materials, and Elena Mantagaris, Senior Advisor of Canadian Initiatives at APR. Together, they discuss market volatility, the impact of tariffs, the role of extended producer responsibility (EPR), and the policy solutions needed to build a more resilient and circular plastics economy in Canada.

Ep. 61: La nueva Ley de Economía Circular de México y el 80% de PET con Martha Ricardi Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

Este año entró en vigor la Ley General de Economía Circular de México, el primer marco nacional obligatorio que establece nuevas reglas sobre cómo se diseñan, producen y recuperan los productos, incluidos los plásticos. En este primer episodio de Recycled Content en español, nuestra anfitriona invitada Jazlin Lopez, Gerente de Comunicaciones Digitales y Membresía para América Latina de APR, conversa con Martha Ricardi Velázquez, Directora de Estrategia para América Latina de APR, sobre lo que esta nueva ley significa para las empresas que operan en México y qué cambios aún son necesarios para lograr que más envases sean realmente reciclables.

Martha también habla sobre la sólida tasa de recolección de PET en México y por qué esto coloca al país en una buena posición para alcanzar la meta de recuperar el 80% del PET para 2030. A lo largo de la conversación, también hablan sobre cómo ha crecido el trabajo de APR en México y en toda América Latina durante el último año, incluyendo nuevas alianzas y programas que buscan fortalecer el reciclaje de plásticos y apoyar a la industria en toda la región.

Ep. 60: Inside the 2024 U.S. Post-Consumer Plastic Recycling Study with Megan Moore Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

The 2024 U.S. Post-Consumer Plastic Recycling Study found that more than 5.1 billion pounds of plastic were recovered for recycling—but what's the real story behind these numbers? In this episode of Recycled Content, host Kara Pochiro sits down with APR Program Director for PET Packaging Megan Moore to explore what the latest recycling data reveals about the state of the industry and the road ahead. Megan also shares insights from her decades-long career in plastic packaging and highlights the policies and market solutions needed to strengthen demand for recycled materials.

Ep. 59: How GreenMantra Technologies is Turning Recycled Plastic into Performance Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Domenic Di Mondo, CEO of GreenMantra Technologies, sits down with Host Kara Pochiro to explore the next frontier of plastics recycling. GreenMantra’s innovation converts recycled plastics into high-performance synthetic waxes that can be used in a variety of products that last 20-50+ years. Domenic explains why no single solution can solve the plastics waste challenge and how allowing ourselves to utilize as many complimentary pathways as possible is key.

Ep. 58: Inside APR’s USTR Testimony and the Critical State of the US PET Recycling Industry May 27, 2026

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APR President and CEO Steve Alexander joins Recycled Content to discuss APR’s testimony before the Office of the United States Trade Representative and how low-priced imports are impacting domestic recyclers. Steve and Kara explore policy solutions, PCR certification, and why global conflict is not a long-term answer for the recycling industry.

Ep. 57: How Canada’s PROs are Driving National Alignment and Shaping the Future of Recycling Apr 29, 2026

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In this episode of Recycled Content, host Kara Pochiro sits down with Charles David Mathieu-Poulin, Lead, Office of the CEO, Strategic Projects and Governmental Affairs at Éco Entreprises Québec and Baltej Gill, VP of Data Management and Program Delivery at Circular Materials. As winners of the 2026 APR Recycling Leadership Awards for Outstanding Leadership, they discuss how Canada’s producer responsibility organizations (PROs) are working together to develop national eco-design guidelines, that are aligned with the APR Design® Guide—helping producers navigate recyclability, reduce fragmentation, and improve recycling outcomes across the country.

Ep. 56: Inside Pizza Hut’s Award-Winning Recyclable Wing Bowl w/ Kat Smith Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Recycled Content, host Kara Pochiro sits down with Kat Smith, Packaging Associate Manager at Pizza Hut, to discuss the company’s redesigned Wing Bowl, winner of the 2026 APR Recycling Leadership Award for Package Design Innovation. The two dive into Smith’s work leading packaging initiatives at scale and how her team turned a complex recyclability challenge into a practical, system-wide solution, from removing carbon black to balancing operational needs in restaurant settings, and including 10% recycled content. Tune in to learn more about this award-winning innovation developed in partnership with Anchor Packaging and what it signals for the future of foodservice packaging.

Ep. 55: Policy, Demand, and Closed-Loop Recycling w/ Crystal Howe Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Crystal Howe, Vice President of Sustainability and Government Relations at Ice River Sustainable Solutions, joins host Kara Pochiro to discuss her work advancing closed-loop plastics recycling at Blue Mountain Plastics Recycling, the recycling division of Ice River Springs and recipient of the 2026 APR Recycling Leadership Award for Processor of the Year. In this episode, she shares insights on building and operating a closed-loop system, the importance of design and material quality, and the challenges recyclers face in today’s market. Howe also highlights why stronger policy, collaboration, and increased demand for recycled content are critical to the future of plastics recycling.

Ep. 54: Recyclable Packaging Design & Industry Collaboration w/ APR Leadership Winner Dr. Ed Socci Mar 11, 2026

Show notes

Dr. Ed Socci, recipient of the 2026 APR Recycling Leadership Award for Outstanding Leadership, joins host Kara Pochiro to reflect on more than three decades in packaging innovation and collaboration. As R&D Director for Packaging Technology Platforms at PepsiCo, Dr. Socci has played an important role in recyclable packaging design, contributing to APR’s Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability, and a wide variety of other significant achievements in the world of sustainability. In this episode, he discusses how his career in packaging began, the collaborations that helped drive key design for recyclability improvements, and why innovation, collaboration, and optimism remain essential to the future of plastics recycling.

Ep. 53: Unlocking Textile Recovery in a Data-Driven System w/ Jennifer Wang, & Traci Kinden Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Recycled Content, host Kara Pochiro hands hosting duties over to Marisa Adler, a leader at the intersection of textile recovery systems, data, and policy and the lead for the Textile Recovery Summit taking place alongside the Plastics Recycling Conference and Resource Recycling Conference this February. Marisa is joined by Traci Kinden of TexRoad and Jennifer Wang of Full Cycle Resources to unpack what "data" really means in textile recovery, where today's information comes from, and why gaps in end-market and operational data can create real risk for policy, investment, and system design. They also dig into the realities of collecting data in informal markets, why trust and incentives matter, and what it will take to build better measurement and accountability across the textile value chain.

Many of these themes will continue at the Textile Recovery Summit, February 23–25 in San Diego. For more information, visit: https://www.textilerecoverysummit.com/.

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