Unrecyclable by Design: The Problem with Flexible & Film Plastic Packaging

A webinar on how the recyclability (or lack thereof) of flexible and film packaging shapes EPR for packaging policy and the global plastics treaty

Recycling plays a critical role in creating a circular system, but it’s not the solution to the plastics crisis—and it never will be. In this webinar, we’ll zero in on one major challenge for recycling systems—plastic film.

Despite industry claims that plastic film is recyclable, real-world experience shows that flexible film is difficult and prohibitively costly to collect, sort, and recycle effectively in curbside programs. 

But as more states and the globe design and implement producer responsibility for packaging policies, we must confront this problem head-on. The dilemma of flexible film in curbside recycling systems highlights the considerations recyclers weigh when trying to determine the recyclability of a material. 

The discussion will be moderated by Lucy Mullany, Policy Director for AMBR and Eureka Recycling, and feature speakers: 

• Martin Bourque, AMBR executive and Director of the Ecology Center
• Miriam Holsinger, AMBR executive and Co-President of Eureka Recycling 
• Prigi Arisandi, Founder of Ecological Observation and Wetland Conservation (ECOTON) in Indonesia