From Make-Use-Throw Away to Circular: Plastics Manufacturing’s Next Chapter w/ Ross Eisenberg
Ross Eisenberg, President of America’s Plastic Makers (the plastics division of the American Chemistry Council), discusses the industry's shift from a linear 'make-use-throw away' model to a circular economy driven by advanced chemical recycling. He explains how chemical recycling processes like pyrolysis and depolymerization can handle flexible plastics and contaminated waste that mechanical recycling cannot, effectively 'unbaking' plastic back to its molecular building blocks. Eisenberg highlights the regulatory hurdles facing the industry, specifically the need for federal legislation like the Recycling Technology Innovation Act and the Recycle Materials Attribution Act to clarify permitting and grant credit for recycled content to brands.