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The challenge of raising recycling rates in the U.S.

It took me a little while to get my head around this McKinsey graphic but what it is saying is that typically in the U.S. post-use plastic waste stream, only 20–30% is recyclable (mainly HDPE and PET bottles, and increasingly PP tubs) . Further, and crucially, some of this waste stream, notably material recycling facility (MRF) film bales, are contaminated to a level rendering them unsuitable for use as chemical recycling feedstocks as they contain high levels of paper and PVC, for example. More on the McKinsey report findings can be found here.

Image: McKinsey

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