Recycled Content

APR President and CEO Steve Alexander joins Recycled Content to discuss APR’s testimony before the Office of the United States Trade Representative and how low-priced imports are impacting domestic recyclers. Steve and Kara explore policy solutions, PCR certification, and why global conflict is not a long-term answer for the recycling industry.

On this episode of Recycled Content, host Kara Pochiro sits down with Kat Smith, Packaging Associate Manager at Pizza Hut, to discuss the company’s redesigned Wing Bowl, winner of the 2026 APR Recycling Leadership Award for Package Design Innovation. The two dive into Smith’s work leading packaging initiatives at scale and how her team turned a complex recyclability challenge into a practical, system-wide solution, from removing carbon black to balancing operational needs in restaurant settings, and including 10% recycled content. Tune in to learn more about this award-winning innovation developed in partnership with Anchor Packaging and what it signals for the future of foodservice packaging.

Dr. Ed Socci, recipient of the 2026 APR Recycling Leadership Award for Outstanding Leadership, joins host Kara Pochiro to reflect on more than three decades in packaging innovation and collaboration. As R&D Director for Packaging Technology Platforms at PepsiCo, Dr. Socci has played an important role in recyclable packaging design, contributing to APR’s Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability, and a wide variety of other significant achievements in the world of sustainability. In this episode, he discusses how his career in packaging began, the collaborations that helped drive key design for recyclability improvements, and why innovation, collaboration, and optimism remain essential to the future of plastics recycling.

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!

In this episode of Recycled Content, host Kara Pochiro is joined by Megan Byers, Program Director at the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), and Chris Max, Research Lead in Sustainable Packaging Innovation at Kraft Heinz company. Kara, Megan, and Chris dive into the APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability as APR celebrates 30 years of shaping how brands design packaging with a focus on sustainability and recycling. During the discussion, Megan walks through the evolution of the APR Design® Guide from a simple technical manual to an internationally recognized tool influencing packaging design across the globe, including the latest updates on APR's expanding ecosystem of recycling support programs. Want to get a real-world look at how Kraft Heinz is using the APR Design® Guide to meet sustainability goals and reengineering packaging for greater recyclability? Then tune in!

Recycled Content host Kara Pochiro and Miriam Holsinger, Co-President and Chief Operating Officer at Eureka Recycling, take you behind the scenes of one of the nation's cleanest Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to explore their critical role in the recycling supply chain. Miriam shares her expertise on how recyclables are collected, sorted, and processed at MRFs, and explains the technologies used to separate different materials like plastics, aluminum, and glass so they can eventually be made into new products. They dive into some of the challenges MRFs face, common misconceptions about recycling, and the impact of policy on recycling efforts. Want to know how much of what you put in the bin actually gets recycled? Then tune in!

The Association of Plastic Recyclers' (APR) Chief Policy Officer, Kate Bailey, joins Recycled Content host Kara Pochiro to focus on battling the misinformation being spread regarding plastic waste and recycling. Kate and Kara break down major headlines and claims regarding the plastic recycling industry that are often aimed at taking down the plastics industry rather than focusing on the benefits of recycling or addressing solutions to improve the system. Want to know how plastic recycling actually works? Want to hear real data points from actual recyclers? Then tune in!

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 & 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!

Host and APR's VP of Communications and Public Affairs, Kara Pochiro, is joined by Bruce Magnani, APR's Legislative Advocate in California, and VP of Houston Magnani Associates. Kara and Bruce start by breaking down the basics of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and California's SB 54 that focuses on packaging. The two discuss the EPR wave that is passing through various state legislatures, why it took multiple legislative sessions for it to pass in CA, catalysts for the bill, covered materials, key targets, and timelines. They then answer member's questions about SB 54 regarding recycling rates, whether this law is being used as a copy & paste law for other states, and determining the classification of certain types of packaging now with this new law in place. To learn more about plastics recycling, head to www.plasticsrecycling.org.

In Recycled Content's first episode of 2023, host Kara Pochiro is joined by Steve Alexander, President and CEO of APR, to highlight the progress made in 2022 and what APR is focusing on moving into 2023. Kara and Steve discuss the rising tide of misinformation surrounding plastics recycling, how APR was able to amplify its engagement in state and federal legislation, the progress made on extended producer responsibility laws (EPR), APR Design® for Recyclability, PCR Certification, as well as additional progress and success APR made in 2022. Tune in to hear where APR is focusing its efforts in 2023, including the need to harmonize collection programs across the U.S., the importance of consistent recycling labeling, and more!

On this episode of Recycled Content, APR sits down with two representatives from member companies Unilever and Nestle. Nicole Camilleri, the Packaging Sustainability Manager at Nestle, and Melissa Craig, the Senior Manager for Packaging Sustainability in North America for Unilever, helped shine a light on what the future holds for both companies, including initiatives to create products that are circular by design and how APR's design guide is helping to lead the way. Tune in to hear about the successes, challenges, and opportunities that companies face while creating sustainable products.

We're back with an excellent interview diving into what the current results of the 2020 election mean for the near future of plastic recycling. Liam Donovan and Anna Burhop, members of APR's DC lobbying team at the Bracewell's Policy Resolution Group, join to discuss the ins and outs of the 2020 election, insights on the Georgia runoffs, and what the results mean for policies and regulations that impact the plastic recycling industry.

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR)'s President Steve Alexander and VP of Communications & Public Affairs Kara Pochiro talk with Sarah Peery, the Legislative Assistant to Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), about the RECYCLE Act, her work in Congress to amplify the voices of Ohioans, and more. Find out more about Senator Portman's work on Twitter at @SenRobPortman or on his website, portman.senate.gov. Have any questions you want us to address on future episodes? Email us at info@plasticsrecycling.org or tweet at us at @APRrecycles.