Extrusion International 3-2023-USA

39 Extrusion International 3/2022 The Recycling and Compost- ing Accountability Act would improve data collection on our nation’s recycling systems and explore the potential of a na- tional composting strategy. The Recycling Infrastructure and Ac- cessibility Act would establish a pilot recycling program at the EPA. This program would award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities for improving re- cycling accessibility in a commu- nity or communities within the same geographic area. Green Guide Comments to Federal Trade Commission on Behalf of Industry Submitted PLASTICS has submitted com- ments in response to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) request for public comment on its Guides for the Use of Environmental Market- ing Claims (Green Guides or Guides). PLASTICS’ comments strongly sup- port and encourage national com- mon-sense standards to promote truth in advertising on all aspects of environmental marketing. “The FTC Green Guides have long set the marketing rules for things like recyclability and ideally they would into the future,” said Matt Seaholm, President and CEO of PLASTICS. “Only recently did certain states begin to wade into this territory, creating confusion and establishing an unworkable patchwork of laws. Our industry is hopeful that this process provides greater clarity for manufacturers and marketers and that this re- view will serve as an opportunity for those states to attain guidance and adjust their respective laws ac- cordingly. PLASTICS will be fully en- gaged throughout the process.” “While updates are needed, revi- sions to the Green Guides should continue to offer claims guidance in a technologically and materi- al-neutral manner,” said Patrick Krieger, Vice President of Sustain- ability for PLASTICS. “The FTC green guides must promote the principle that truthful, non-mis- leading and substantiated mar- keting claims contribute to an ef- fective circular economy, through uniform national standards for environmental marketing claims and by allowing consumers to ex- ercise choice. These guidelines can thereby contribute positively to an environmentally conscientious un- derstanding of responsible use by consumers.” PLASTICS recognizes the FTC Green Guides as important guidance to industry on making environmen- tal marketing claims, as the Guides assist the plastics industry with crafting truthful messages about the environmental benefits of their products and appropriate methods of disposal. As the market and tech- nology have changed in the past de- cade, and as there is increased inter- est by state and local governments setting policy in this area, the Guides are now due for an update. The Guides are non-binding state- ments of interpretation that are technologically and material-neu- tral and recognize the constitution- al framework that protects truthful free speech, including advertising claims. PLASTICS’ comments have stated that revisions to the Green Guides should: • Continue to offer claims guid- ance in a technologically- and-ma- terial-neutral manner; • Continue to promote the prin- ciple that truthful, non-misleading, and substantiated marketing claims contribute to the marketplace of ideas that allows consumers to exer- cise choice; and • Continue to promote the goal of uniform national standards for envi- ronmental marketing claims. Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) www.plasticsindustry.org APR Recognition for Recyclability with Polyethylene Film Earned The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) has granted Critical Guidance Recognition to Polyplastics USA for flexible multilayer laminated polyethylene (PE) films for stand-up pouches with up to 20% TOPAS® 8007F- 600, 7010F-600, and 6013F-04 cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) grades. The APR recognition demonstrates that Polyplastics’ TOPAS COC delivers significant thermal im - provement and is compatible with the PE recycle stream. To meet the packaging industry’s demands for a cir- cular economy, Polyplastics is aggressively developing necessary data to support industry-wide sustainabil- ity efforts. This will allow companies to confidently use COC to enhance the performance of recyclable prod- ucts. In 2021, Polyplastics earned APR Critical Guidance Recognition for flexible multi-layered film for stand-up pouches with up to 14%TOPAS®cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) and high-gloss HDPE containers with 20% COC. TOPAS COC has also been certified as a recyclable ma - terial by the European independent testing lab, Institut cyclos-HTP. In Europe, TOPAS materials are the first cy - clic olefin resins in the industry to be deemed recyclable with PE and polypropylene (PP) for film and injection molding uses. Polyplastics’ innovation has been recognized as meet- ing or exceeding APR PE-CG-01 Critical Guidance Proto- col for PE film and flexible packaging criteria. These APR protocols are intended to improve the quality of the recycled stream by helping companies make informed