June 11, 2026
NAPCOR Executive Director Laura Stewart joins the Sustainably Speaking podcast to explore what happens after the blue bin, how AI and advanced sorting technologies are improving PET recycling, and why recycling remains vital to the circular economy.
May 27, 2026
A recent Plastics News editorial highlights growing recognition that PET recycling success depends on strong domestic collection, recycling infrastructure, stable end markets, and practical policy solutions.
May 6, 2026
In a recent Q&A with Anne Marie Mohan of Packaging World, NAPCOR’s Director of Data Services, Lauren Laibach, breaks down the findings from our 2024 PET Recycling Report and what they signal...
March 31, 2026
Learn how consumers, policymakers, and industry work together to strengthen PET recycling. Insights from NAPCOR’s Laura Stewart on the future of PET recycling in North America.
March 23, 2026
NAPCOR’s latest insights about PET (polyethylene terephthalate, look for the #1 in the triangle) plastic recycling are reaching new audiences. A summary of our 2024 PET Recycling Report was...
March 20, 2026
NAPCOR’s Program Director, Alasdair Carmichael, and Director of Data Services, Lauren Laibach, recently joined S&P Global Research Head Olivier Maronneaud and Chemical Week podcast host Vincent...
March 17, 2026
Public attention on microplastics has surged in recent years. Concern about environmental pollution and human health is legitimate, and continued research is essential. At the same time, it is...
March 10, 2026
Recent media coverage highlights growing pressure on the North American recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate, universally recognized by the #1 on the packaging) plastic market and the broader...
March 4, 2026
Why Replacing PET Plastic Isn’t the Answer As concerns about plastic pollution and microplastics grow, some voices call for eliminating plastic altogether. Plastic pollution is a real problem in...
February 17, 2026
It is no secret that the PET plastic recycling business in the US is under enormous strain, and NAPCOR Executive Director Laura Stewart recently painted the picture for attendees of this year’s The...
February 3, 2026
The US recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate, universally recognized by the #1 inside the triangle) plastic market is facing what industry experts are calling a “perfect storm” — where...
January 26, 2026
In an age where headlines often travel faster than facts, how do we ensure that science guides public understanding of complex issues like microplastics? This past week, renewed attention to...
January 20, 2026
We wanted to highlight a recent episode of C-Suite Perspectives, a podcast series by The Conference Board, where guest host Alex Heil, Senior Economist at The Conference Board, sits down with John...
January 15, 2026
At NAPCOR, we believe that progress happens when education meets action. That spirit was on full display in Ann Arbor this fall, when University of Michigan fans, students, and partners came together...
January 8, 2026
At NAPCOR, we hear it often: recycling in the United States is broken. But when it comes to PET (polyethylene terephthalate, recognized by the #1 inside the triangle), the material used in beverage...
December 16, 2025
In recent years, scientific research has increasingly found itself competing with click-driven headlines. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the public conversation around microplastics, where...
November 25, 2025
As conversations about packaging grow louder and more polarized, one material continues to be analyzed, scrutinized, and reaffirmed by regulators worldwide: PET (polyethylene terephthalate),...
November 3, 2025
Sound science depends on context, precision, and transparency, especially when public concern runs high. When headlines outpace the evidence, important questions about safety and sustainability can...
October 28, 2025
Packaging’s circular future is rapidly coming into focus, and PET (polyethylene terephthalate, universally recognized by the #1 resin identification code) thermoforms play a pivotal role. PET...
October 16, 2025
The Resource Recycling article “A Pivotal Year in EPR Policy,” quoting our Executive Director, Laura Stewart, captures a moment of transformation in US recycling and waste policy. What was once...
September 17, 2025
We’re excited to share the latest episode of the Redefining Plastics podcast, where host Justin Riney sits down with our Executive Director, Laura Stewart, for a deep dive into the world of PET...
July 28, 2025
At NAPCOR, we believe in facts over fear. That’s why we welcomed The Economist’s recent series (links below), which challenges the dominant narrative around plastics. For once, the focus wasn’t...
July 9, 2025
There are no globally standardized methods for the collection, detection, and quantification of microplastics—or, more accurately defined, microparticles—yet recent headlines would suggest...
June 25, 2025
NAPCOR recently announced that the US PET plastic bottle recycling rate climbed to 33% in 2023, its highest point since 1996. NOTE: Certain 2023 figures have been updated since publication of the...
April 29, 2025
Texas has long been a leader in energy and innovation. But when it comes to recycling, the Lone Star State is falling behind. Texans bought 23.7 billion beverage containers in 2021, according to a...
March 6, 2025
NAPCOR’s Q&A with Waste360 Recently, NAPCOR’s Program Director Alasdair Carmichael and Director of Data Services Lauren Laibach sat down with Waste360 for a wide-ranging interview....
February 13, 2025
On February 11, The Denver Post published NAPCOR’s letter to the editor responding to the January 24 column by Karen Mockler titled “Time to end the lie of plastics recycling and get...
January 21, 2025
Click here to read the article we recently published in POLITICO outlining three steps to help end plastic waste. Here’s a quick snapshot: PET (polyethylene terephthalate)—easily...
March 11, 2024
Based on the misguided idea that alternatives to plastic are always more sustainable, there is a growing trend towards plastic bans. These types of measures, such as bans on plastic bottles in large venues like airports and stadiums, come with damaging environmental consequences that NAPCOR is dedicated to addressing through increased information and data sharing. Contrary to popular belief, a recent LCA comparing beverage packaging indicates that recyclable PET bottles are a more sustainable choice for beverage packaging than common alternatives.
September 27, 2022
NAPCOR defended PET recycling in the U.S., after an ABC News attack claimed that PET bottles are the main culprit of "toxic fires" happening more frequently at recycling facilities.
November 9, 2021
Earlier this month, Alaska Airlines eliminated the use of all plastic water bottles onboard its aircrafts, opting instead to offer Boxed Water is Better – water in a box, made from multiple layers of paper, plastic and aluminum. While switching to a beverage container that’s 92% plant-based may seem like an environmentally friendly alternative, a closer look reveals that this latest action to shift materials in an effort to responsibly reduce waste does not actually solve the problem. Understanding why offers a powerful opportunity to help guide other businesses, corporations, industries and individuals on the right path as they evolve their sustainability initiatives.
April 30, 2021
When recycled properly, PET bottles can be reprocessed for reuse, over and over, into millions of products. We highly encourage Formula 1 to contribute to the circular economy by collecting the PET used in its facilities rather than banning its use altogether.
April 29, 2020
“We fought these fights a generation ago. Apparently, winning did not end the fight.” Dave Cornell is a technical resource for NAPCOR, a plastics Hall of Fame member and all-around chief plastics expert who reflects on PET’s image and why we continue to fight the environmental battle.
January 17, 2019
We can't overlook the heightened awareness of the plastic conversation in our everyday lives. We take a look at what to expect in 2019 related to PET.
July 17, 2018
Fun Fact: If each of the 42 million travelers over Memorial Day weekend recycled just one PET water bottle, that would be enough to power 27,870 cylinders of propane used for outdoor barbecue grills, or the equivalent of annual emissions from 141 automobiles.
June 13, 2018
When contained in a closed-loop system, PET can be recycled again and again, which results in substantive environmental and economic benefits. The question, then, is how can sustainable closed-loop PET recycling be reconciled with environmental threats such as marine pollution?
May 16, 2018
Overwhelmingly, the plastic industry is responding to brand owners’ requirements for increased recycled content, and it is evident that the plastic that bears the “Number 1” resin identification code - polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – and its industry are ready to support those goals.
April 21, 2018
Welcome to the first post of NAPCOR’s blog – the PET Insider – giving our readers inside access to all things PET! The PET Insider will cover a range of topics related to the PET molecule, from packaging to equipment to reclamation. We will also discuss trends related to recycled PET content and other activity within the industry.