PLASTICS President and CEO Matt Seaholm: “Fix the Recycling System, Don’t Abandon It”

Allie Richardson
Manager, Press & Public Affairs
Plastics Industry Association

The Wall Street Journal recently published a letter to the editor from Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) President and CEO Matt Seaholm emphasizing the need to modernize America’s recycling system rather than abandon it.

Responding to an earlier piece which argued “most recycling is a waste,” Seaholm makes the case that recycling is about more than reducing waste. It plays a critical role in American manufacturing by recovering valuable materials and providing inputs for new products.

The letter highlights the investments American companies are making to improve efficiency and recover more materials.

“American companies are investing heavily in new recycling technologies and infrastructure, including the advanced sorting and processing that does the work Mr. Lomborg says machines rather than households should do,” Seaholm writes in the letter. “This kind of innovation is how we recover more materials at a lower cost.”

While innovation is essential, Seaholm also emphasizes the need for a more consistent national approach to recycling to address challenges facing consumers and manufacturers.

“America needs clear, consistent rules that make recycling as easy as possible,” Seaholm argues in the Journal. “Today, consumers and companies face a patchwork of state programs and conflicting labeling requirements. Access to recycling programs varies, and what is recyclable in one state can be different in another state. Congress is considering a handful of bipartisan proposals that would help solve those problems. When the system is easy to use, consumers can do their part by recycling right.”

Ultimately, Seaholm cautions against mistaking a system that is still evolving for one that isn’t worth improving, emphasizing the importance of practical solutions that benefit consumers and American manufacturers.

“The goal should be to recover materials where it makes sense, strengthen the markets that give them value and make recycling work better for consumers and American manufacturers,” Seaholm concludes.