The Recycling Leadership Council launched its Taking Action to Reduce Plastic Waste initiative last week, bringing together industry groups from across the recycling, manufacturing, packaging, and consumer products sectors to focus on reducing plastic waste and modernizing the U.S. recycling system. The coalition is led by the Consumer Brands Association and begins its work in Washington, D.C.
Explains the RLC, “Our goal is simple: expand circularity, strengthen transparency and consumer confidence, and enable existing and new recycling technologies to work together to recover more materials, support U.S. manufacturing, and reduce waste.”
The council plans to work with Congress in 2026 to encourage recycling innovation and American manufacturing, with an emphasis on improving how plastics are managed throughout their lifecycle. The effort centers on updating the nation’s recycling infrastructure to better handle today’s plastic materials.
“To reduce plastic waste, we must modernize our recycling system. The formation of the Recycling Leadership Council is a pivotal step toward transforming how America manages plastic waste,” says John Hewitt, SVP at the Consumer Brands Association. “Leaders across technology, automotive, consumer goods, toys, and other industries are working together to meaningfully address policies and practices that prohibit plastic recycling at scale.”
The council highlights the role plastic plays in everyday life, from preserving food and supporting medical devices to protecting electronics and improving transportation efficiency. As demand for plastic products grows, the volume of plastic waste continues to rise, increasing pressure on existing recycling systems.
Council members point to outdated policy frameworks as a barrier to progress, noting that they often fail to account for emerging recycling technologies and can undermine consumer confidence in recycling labels and claims. The group says addressing these challenges is a necessary first step toward improving recycling outcomes.
“The RLC is united in support of policy frameworks that will unlock the investment and manufacturing innovation needed to modernize America’s aging recycling infrastructure to adequately handle the amount and types of plastic materials discarded today,” Hewitt says. “The RLC has the strength of America’s leading industries behind it, sending a powerful signal to policymakers and consumers that the urgency to act is here.”
Current members include the American Chemistry Council, Closed Loop Partners, the Retail Industry Leaders Association, the Vinyl Institute, and several other national trade groups representing the food, packaging, automotive, household products, and manufacturing sectors. PW
