Dive Brief:

• Statistics from a study commissioned by the Plastics Division of the American Chemistry Council show that rigid plastic recycling increased by 10% from 2011 to 2012. 
• The recycling of rigid plastics reached over one billion pounds in 2012, three times the amount recycled since 2007. It is the fastest-growing category of recycling in plastics. 
• According to the National Report on Postconsumer Non-Bottle Rigid Plastic Recycling, polypropylene comprised 38% of the post-consumer plastics, and high-density materials constituted 34%. 

Dive Insight:

The increase in rigid plastics recycling has been attributed to the ease of recycling these materials. Consumers find it simple to throw recyclables into a large bin, which is then collected through a single-sort system. Rigid plastics include toys, cups, creates, buckets, lids, auto parts and outdoor products.