For years we have heard and seen massive investments towards improving “plastics pollution” as soon as 2025. What has really changed since the surge of sustainability initiatives announced since 2020? Is the world of plastics sustainability meaningfully different today, and how close is the USA to really addressing the important problems?

Will the USA ever catch up to Europe’s accomplishments around recycling? After all, the “recycling issues” are similar; bottle collections, operations margins, fiduciary responsibilities, and consumer behavior all matter when it comes to addressing plastics recycling - regardless of the region. While there is regional diversity, there are also best practices and learnings that matter.