Our host Steve Alexander is joined this week by Kate Bailey, Policy and Research Director of Eco-Cycle, to discuss her work advocating for a zero waste future, her insights on the packaging crisis, and the challenges she sees for the future of recycling and potential paths forward.

Ep 15: The Recycling Paradigm Shift with Kate Bailey of Eco-Cycle

As we get ready for this year’s Plastics Recycling Conference, a gathering of over 2000 power players in plastics and recycling industries, the Recycled Content team welcomes back Dan Leif, managing editor at Resource Recycling, Inc. Host Kara Pochiro and Dan discuss hot topics in plastics recycling that will be covered at the conference, including the issues that keynote speaker Monica Medina, Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs at the State Department, will address. Tune in to hear insights from Dan on how to improve plastics recycling to keep up with the times, the latest market trends, and how universities are vital to recruiting the next generation of industry innovators.

Ep 22: Plastic Recycling Conference Predictions with Dan Leif

Ahead of the 2024 Plastic Recycling Conference, Recycled Content is back with a new episode hosted by the Association of Plastic Recycler’s (APR) VP of Communications and Public Affairs, Kara Pochiro as she sits down with Steve Alexander, President &amp; CEO of APR, and Maite Quinn, a lead member for Resource Recycling’s Plastic Recycling Conference planning team. Kara, Steve, and Maite discuss the upcoming Plastics Recycling Conference, a gathering of over 2,000 power players in plastics and recycling industries, including key speakers who will discuss the annual plastics recycling study, key issues and challenges to address during the conference, and more! Want to hear a sneak peak into what the Plastic Recycling Conference will be focusing on in just a few weeks? Then tune in!

Ep 30: Getting ready for the Plastic Recycling Conference w/ Maite Quinn & Steve Alexander

The Recycled Content Podcast welcomes back Emily Tipaldo, Executive Director of the U.S. Plastics Pact, for a sit-down with show host and VP of Communications &amp; Public Affairs at APR, Kara Pochiro. With the Pact turning four, as well as Earth Day and INC-4 just around the corner, the two discuss the meaning of the current moment in the plastic recycling industry’s efforts to manage material that could otherwise be waste. Kara and Emily highlight the need for both voluntary and mandatory commitments to improve recycling. Tune in to hear about these strategies and the important goals and initiatives of the U.S. Plastics Pact. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!

Ep 31: Recycle More, Use Less: A conversation with the U.S. Plastics Pact’s Emily Tipaldo.

In this second bonus episode ahead of the&nbsp;, guest host and reporter at Resource Recycling, Inc., Antoinette Smith, interviews Bill Robberson, Co-Founder, President and Chief Technology Officer of KAMILO, Inc. Together, they dive into KAMILO’s work in digital tracking and traceability within the recycling industry and how it impacts Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies. Antoinette and Bill also discuss the importance of transparency in supply chains while maintaining confidentiality, and the need for authenticity to drive efficient recycling practices. Want to hear more about how KAMILO’s innovative digital tracking process is impacting the plastic recycling industry? Then tune into this conversation and check out&nbsp;. &nbsp;

Ep. 41: Traceability and Transparency in Plastics Recycling w/ Bill Robberson of KAMILO, Inc. & Antoinette Smith of Resource Recycling, Inc.

In this bonus episode of Recycled Content, guest host and leader in the recycling space, Maite Quinn, President of Re-Colab and Resource Recycling, Inc. interviews Marisa Adler, Senior Consultant at RRS, and Beth Forsberg, Senior VP &amp; Chief Sustainability Officer at Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, to highlight Resource Recycling’s first-ever Textile Recovery Summit at the Plastics Recycling Conference. The conversation explores the growing importance of textile recovery, the innovative solutions driving circularity in the textile industry, and the role of synthetic fibers in textiles. They also dive into how lessons from plastics recycling can be applied to textiles and the future of recovery technologies. Tune in to hear about exciting new opportunities and initiatives for sustainability in the textile industry, and don’t miss the Textile Recovery Summit from March 24th-26th!

Ep. 42: Unraveling the Future of Textile Recovery with Maite Quinn, Marisa Adler, and Beth Forsberg

To kick off Recycling in Action Month, Recycled Content host Kara Pochiro is joined by Pia Baker, APR’s Director of Marketing and leader of the Recycling in Action initiative. Throughout the month of May, Material Recovery Facilities (MRFS) and recyclers will offer tours for an up-close in-person look at the journey recyclables take from collection, sortation, and transformation. The two deep dive into common and harmful myths about recycling and the thought process behind launching Recycling in Action this year. Want to hear more about how you can get involved in this inaugural initiative and see what it’s like to witness recycling in action for yourself? Then sign up for a tour, tune in, and check out&nbsp;.

Seeing is Believing: Recycling in Action with Pia Baker

Debra Wilson, Materials R&amp;D Director at Amcor and recipient of the inaugural APR Recycling Leadership Award for Outstanding Leadership, joins Recycled Content host&nbsp;Kara&nbsp;Pochiro to discuss Debra’s&nbsp;33+ years of commitment to plastic standardization activities. The two dive into Debra’s influential role in aligning APR Design® Guidance with RecyClass standards, as well as her work with ASTM International and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Debra reflects on her proudest accomplishments during her tenure and the importance of collaboration and involvement across the value chain. Tune in to hear how the plastics recycling industry has evolved over the last 30 years and the continued progress that Debra, APR, and the broader industry are making for a more sustainable future. &nbsp;

Ep. 45: Advice from an Influential Leader in Recycling w/ APR’s Outstanding Leadership Award Winner Debra Wilson

In this episode of Recycled Content, host Kara Pochiro is joined by Meredith Boyd, Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer at Unifi, to discuss the innovation behind REPREVE®, which received the APR Recycling Technology Innovation Award. Together, they explore how REPREVE® has transformed textile recycling by leveraging multiple sources into different sustainable fibers. Meredith shares insights on the importance of transparency, sustainability, and market diversity in building a true circular economy, as well as why textile recycling is about longevity, rather than “downcycling.” The conversation highlights how policy and mindset shifts drive change, the challenges of the recycling industry, and offers insights into what the future holds for textile recycling. Tune in!

Ep. 46: Transforming Post-Consumer Plastics and Textiles into Sustainable Fiber and Resin w/ Meredith Boyd of Unifi

In the third episode of our series highlighting APR’s Recycling Leadership Award winners, host Kara Pochiro is joined by Darren Scholl, the Chief of Operations at KW Container, winner of the PCR Utilization Award. The two highlight KW Container’s work transforming the paint-and-coatings industry by creating fully recyclable paint cans made with recycled plastics and driving demand by consuming over 1 billion pounds of curbside-collected polypropylene in the last 14 years. With more than 30 years of experience in plastics, Darren offers a behind-the-scenes look at KW’s latest innovations, the challenges of scaling recycled content, and what it takes to overcome existing hurdles to create a new design. Tune in to hear how KW Container is proving that recycled plastics don’t just compete with traditional products, they can set a new standard for performance and sustainability.

Ep. 47: Painting a New Future for PCR Utilization w/ Darren Scholl, Chief of Operations at KW Container

In this episode of Recycled Content, APR Technical Director Scott Trenor takes over hosting duties to explore the FDA’s role in ensuring recycled plastics are safe for use in food packaging with guest Sean Fischer, an FDA Regulatory Review Scientist within the Division of Food Contact Substances. The two dive into the evaluation process, and critical need behind the FDA’s No Objection Letters (NOL), an official statement from the FDA signaling that the agency has reviewed a recycling process and has no concerns about its ability to produce material suitable for food-contact use. The conversation also tackles common misconceptions, international alignment with Europe’s EFSA, and how recyclers can better navigate regulatory pathways. Tune in to hear how recycled plastics move from curbside collection to safe, food-contact applications, and what it means for the future of circular packaging.

Ep. 48: FDA Insights on Recycled Plastics for Food Packaging w/ FDA Regulatory Review Scientist Sean Fischer

In Recycled Content’s fourth episode spotlighting APR’s Recycling Leadership Award winners, host Kara Pochiro sits down with Dr. Jun Wang, Director of Packing Innovation at Colgate-Palmolive, winner of the Design Innovation Award. Together, they explore how Dr. Wang led the team behind Colgate-Palmolive’s innovative mono-material toothpaste tube, which earned APR Design® Recognition and helped shift an entire product category toward recyclability. The two discuss how Colgate turned a long-standing non-recyclable package into one compatible with existing recycling systems, the importance of collaboration across the value chain, and why Colgate chose to share its design publicly to accelerate industry adoption. Interested to hear about what sustainable packaging innovations are coming next for Colgate-Palmolive? Then tune in!

Ep. 49: Inside Colgate-Palmolive’s Journey to a Recyclable Toothpaste Tube w/ Dr. Jun Wang

This month, Recycled Content host Kara Pochiro is joined by the Association of Plastic Recyclers' (APR) Kate Eagles, Program Director of Policy & Markets, and Emily Tipaldo, Program Manager for the Market Development Committee. Together, they break down the APR Recycling Demand Champions Program, an initiative supported by The Recycling Partnership, that recognizes companies committed to the long-term use of North American post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. They also discuss how this year's recognized champions, Amcor, Charter Next Generation, Kraft Heinz, Novolex, and Triton Group, demonstrated strong commitments to purchasing or manufacturing products with recycled plastics and expanding PCR use.

Kate and Emily discuss current market pressures facing the plastics recycling industry, including low-cost virgin plastic and rising imports, and explain why strong, reliable demand for PCR is essential to maintaining and scaling a circular plastics economy. Tune in to learn how the APR Recycling Demand Champions Program drives investment in high-quality PCR, keeps recyclable materials in the value chain, and helps strengthen the circular economy for plastics.

This episode is sponsored by MCC Label, visit iml.mcclabel.com to learn more.

Ep. 50: Inside the APR Recycling Demand Champions Program w/ Kate Eagles and Emily Tipaldo

APR President and CEO Steve Alexander returns to the Recycled Content podcast to dig deeper into what is really holding the American recycling system back and the ongoing fight against misinformation surrounding plastic recycling. In this episode, Steve and host Kara Pochiro unpack misleading recycling rate statistics, push back on the false claim that plastics placed in household recycling bins do not get recycled, and clarify why today’s challenge is not capacity, but market demand and material supply. The two dive into how APR is working to close these gaps through policy leadership, design guidance, and market-building programs. The conversation also previews key issues that will take center stage at the Plastics Recycling Conference this February in Chula Vista, California, and looks ahead to APR’s priorities as the industry heads into 2026.

FINAL-Recycled Content with Steve Alexander_mixdown

Where is plastics recycling really headed? Recycled Content, brought to you by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), goes beyond the headlines to unpack what’s driving progress in plastics recycling. Each month, we sit down with industry leaders across the value chain, including brand owners, recyclers, policymakers, and innovators, to discuss the breakthroughs, roadblocks, and market shifts reshaping sustainable packaging.

From design for recyclability to EPR laws and emerging technologies, this podcast offers real-world insights and honest conversations for anyone working to close the loop.

New episodes drop monthly. Subscribe to stay informed and stay in the loop.

Visit plasticsrecycling.org for more information.

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