Page 47 - Plastics News November 2025
P. 47
BUSINESS NEWS
The company points to global limitations in col- Rising demand from global brands has outpaced
lection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure. supply, keeping prices for recycled plastics high.
Flexible plastic formats, widely used in oral care Colgate has committed to scaling innovation and
and personal care, lack effective recovery sys- industry partnerships. It says systemic change is
tems in most markets. Despite these barriers, needed, including government action, improved
Colgate highlights ongoing progress. In 2024, infrastructure, and cross-sector collaboration.
it expanded rollout of recyclable toothpaste Without these, it argues, circular packaging tar-
tubes, already available in more than 100 mar- gets will remain difficult to achieve.
kets. It also increased the use of post-consumer
recycled resins across personal care bottles. Progress, Setbacks, and the Road Ahead
As 2025 nears its end, many companies ac-
knowledge falling short of their packaging tar-
gets. Experts discussed these challenges at the
2025 Plastics Recycling Conference in National
Harbor, Maryland. Anja Brandon of Ocean Con-
servancy warned that delays carry heavy costs,
with millions of tons of plastic entering oceans
each year. Jonathan Quinn of the U.S. Plastics
Pact emphasized transparency, urging brands to
explain challenges and progress clearly. Others
cited regulatory shifts, weak infrastructure, and
high PCR costs as barriers. Despite missed mile-
stones, brands continue to invest, experiment,
The journey of Colgate squeeze tube recycla-
bility. Courtesy of Colgate 2023 Sustainability & and collaborate. The 2025 goals may slip, but
Social Impact Report. momentum toward systemic change remains
alive.
The company stresses the cost and availability Source – Plastics Engineering
of recycled feedstock remain significant hurdles.
November 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 47
