Page 48 - Plastics News April 2025
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BUSINESS NEWS
A long road ahead By integrating policy, innovation, and community
action, countries across the Asia-Pacific region
Despite these encouraging developments, sig- are forging a path towards a cleaner, more sus-
nificant challenges remain. tainable future.
Enforcement of plastic bans can be inconsistent, Their efforts not only address local environmen-
particularly in informal economies where cheap tal concerns but contribute to the global mission
plastics are still prevalent. Infrastructure for col- of curbing plastic pollution.
lection and recycling is often underfunded, es-
pecially in rural and island areas. As these initiatives continue to evolve and ex-
pand, they will serve as enduring examples of
There is also a need for greater public education how diverse nations can come together to pro-
to shift consumption habits and promote alter- tect the planet.
natives.
Source – Packaging Gateway
However, the foundations being laid today offer
real hope.
Five trends for plastic
recycling in 2025
— it does — but whether the right choices will be
made now to strengthen and expand it.
Here are five key trends that I believe will define
plastics recycling in the year ahead
1. 30 Years of Smarter Design
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the
Association of Plastic Recyclers Design Guide
for Plastics Recyclability, a milestone that un-
derscores how critical design is to the success
2025 is a pivotal year for plastics recycling,
where progress, promises and policies are set of plastics recycling (Editor’s note: See “The
to collide. As companies reevaluate their long- Design Guide Turns 30,” page 24). Since its in-
standing commitments, policymakers push for troduction, the APR Design Guide has become
new regulations and misinformation clouds pub- the globally recognized standard for designing
lic perception, recyclers must navigate a land- packaging that can be effectively recycled. It
scape filled with both challenges and opportuni- provides detailed, practical guidance for pack-
ties. The question isn’t whether recycling works aging designers and engineers to ensure their
products are compatible with recycling systems
48 PLASTICS NEWS April 2025
