The U.S. Plastics Pact (USPP) releases a detailed position paper on how physical and chemical recycling should be applied to support a circular economy for plastic packaging.
Addressing the responsible integration of physical and chemical recycling within a broader system designed to advance a circular economy by reducing plastic waste and reliance on virgin plastic.
The Purpose of This Paper
This position paper offers science-based, consensus-driven guidance to policymakers and industry leaders. Developed with input from the full plastics value chain, it provides clarity on how these technologies can help address hard-to-recycle plastics, while ensuring that they do not displace reduction, reuse, or mechanical recycling efforts.
The paper affirms that physical and chemical recycling are options for materials that cannot be feasibly addressed through reduction, reuse, and mechanical recycling. This paper notes that the scale-up of these technologies should expand—not duplicate—recycling system capabilities, while enabling high-quality postconsumer recycled content (PCR) including for applications requiring stringent health and safety standards.
Jonathan Quinn, President & CEO of the U.S. Plastics Pact, said that “Too often, these technologies are talked about in extremes — either as a silver bullet or as something to be dismissed outright. This position paper is exactly what the USPP is designed to do — bring Activators together in a pre-competitive space to wrestle with hard problems and consider data-driven real-world solutions.”
A thoughtful approach to understanding how each recycling pathway can help keep plastics in the value chain
The position reflects months of research, discussion, and review. The USPP examined scientific literature, existing policy approaches, and environmental assessments, and incorporated feedback from Activators across the plastics value chain—ensuring that a wide range of perspectives shaped the final guidance.