Announced at SPC Impact by GreenBlue Executive Director Paul Nowak, the Task Force brings together GreenBlue, the U.S. Plastics Pact, The Recycling Partnership, the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA), the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), and the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR).
While many plastic packaging formats are technically recyclable, they often face real-world barriers like inconsistent collection, limited sortation, or weak end-market demand that prevent them from being recycled at scale. Packaging design is just one piece of the puzzle. Under the How2Recycle® system, recyclability is assessed across five pillars: applicable law, collection, sortation, reprocessability, and end-market availability—all of which can shift based on local policies, infrastructure, or broader market trends.
To help brand owners navigate these dynamic conditions, the Task Force will develop clear, actionable guidance focused on improving recyclability beyond design alone. Its initial focus will be on PE squeeze tubes (currently labeled “Not Yet Recyclable”) and PET thermoforms (labeled “Check Locally”). By uniting expertise from across the packaging and recycling value chain, the Task Force aims to equip companies with the tools needed to move these formats—and others in the future—toward broader acceptance and higher recyclability classifications.
The Task Force is building on years of progress—led by companies like Colgate-Palmolive, Haleon, and others—to advance recyclability for these formats.
“The only reason we’re able to take on this challenge in a meaningful way is because of the years of work companies have already put in,” said GreenBlue Executive Director Paul Nowak. “Thanks to their leadership and collaboration, we now have the foundation to push these formats even further.”
The Task Force will draw on two leading industry tools—the How2Recycle® recyclability assessment framework and The Recycling Partnership’s Pathway to Circularity Framework—to develop its guidance for brand owners. The Task Force will assess packaging formats to pinpoint barriers to higher effective recycling rates, acceptance in more local programs, and reaching a higher How2Recycle® recyclability category.
“Improving recyclability requires more than just good design—it takes collaboration across the entire packaging ecosystem,” said Jonathan Quinn, CEO of the U.S. Plastics Pact. “This Task Force brings together the right expertise to create practical solutions that work at scale.”
The findings will inform a comprehensive guidance document aimed at helping companies consider and navigate the many factors related to recyclability. Elements will include:
- Action steps brand owners can take to close gaps in recyclability beyond design
- Minimum thresholds required across key recyclability criteria
- Direction on which organizations to engage in their process
- How to verify that necessary recyclability thresholds have been met
By addressing the full spectrum of what makes packaging truly recyclable, the Packaging Recyclability Advancement Task Force aims to accelerate progress toward a more circular packaging system. Each participating organization brings its unique expertise—from design guidance and recyclability labeling to infrastructure, policy, and end-market development—ensuring that solutions reflect the realities of the entire packaging and recycling value chain.
The resulting guidance will serve as a roadmap not only for PET thermoforms and PE squeeze tubes, but as a scalable model for improving recyclability across more packaging formats in the future. This collaboration will help ensure that innovation keeps pace with the realities of recycling while empowering brands to make lasting change.
“Design for Recycling® is crucial but there’s so much more to recyclability: access, end markets, sortation,” said Natalie Messer Betts, ReMA’s AVP of Sustainability. “ReMA is thrilled to be joining forces with these organizations to develop guidance on the whole picture of recyclability and how brands can work to get more packaging material effectively recycled.”
