The decision to revert the designation came after the Recycling Partnership, another industry-funded group, gave $6.7 million to recycling facilities to expand their acceptance and sorting of polypropylene.The group now estimates that more than half of recycling facilities in the United States accept and sort the material. Paul Nowak, the executive director of How2Recycle’s parent organization, sees this as a success story. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that just 2.7 percent of polypropylene containers and packaging was reprocessed in 2018. While Keefe Harrison, chief executive of the Recycling Partnership, acknowledges that little polypropylene is being turned into new material right now, she argues that more investment in sorting and reprocessing facilities would improve the chances. Polypropylene recycling is at a “tipping point,” she said, noting that Oregon is considering including polypropylene on a forthcoming list of recyclable materials that municipalities are required to collect, sort and sell.

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Persons: Paul Nowak, ”, Dell, Keefe Harrison, Matt Seaholm Organizations: Recycling Partnership, Environmental Protection Agency, Partnership, Recycling, Plastics Industry Association Locations: United States, Oregon