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★Mark us as a preferred sourceAccording to the latest industry research and statistics, the volume of post-consumer plastic recovered for recycling in the United States surpassed the 5.1 billion-pound milestone in 2024. While this increase in recycling volume is a positive development, the industry continues to face significant challenges due to the dominance of low-cost virgin plastics and shifting market conditions. A newly published joint report by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and the U.S. Plastics Pact provides a detailed overview of U.S. plastic recycling data, highlighting the varying performance of different material categories and emphasizing the critical need for legislative support and infrastructure investment.
Background and Key Figures of the 2024 Industry Study
The “2024 U.S. Post-Consumer Plastic Recycling Study” reveals that at least 5.1 billion pounds of post-consumer plastic generated in the U.S. were successfully recovered for recycling in 2024. This figure represents an exact increase of 114.9 million pounds compared to the previous reporting period in 2022.
The research was published by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) in collaboration with the U.S. Plastics Pact, with results made available on the “2024 U.S. Post-consumer Plastic Recycling Data Dashboard.” The comprehensive biennial survey is based on data collected by Stina Inc. and the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR). The authors note that this study constitutes the most accurate measurement of recovered post-consumer plastic volumes across the country, as it relies directly on operational data provided by recycling facilities.
Shifting Trends Across Plastic Categories
Although the total volume of recovered plastics increased on a national level, the growth rate varied significantly across different material categories. Plastic film saw the most substantial surge, registering a drastic increase of 206.8 million pounds, which brought the total recovered volume for this category to 1,317.2 million pounds (approximately 1.32 billion pounds).
Conversely, other categories experienced noticeable declines. Traditional plastic bottles saw a decrease of 89.3 million pounds, resulting in a total recovered volume of 2,694.7 million pounds (2.69 billion pounds) for 2024. The non-bottle rigid plastics segment also contracted, dropping by 7.5 million pounds to a total of 1,104.3 million pounds (1.1 billion pounds). Other plastic categories demonstrated fluctuating trends during the reporting period.
Market Challenges, Margin Pressures, and Virgin Plastic Dominance
“The industry has proven it can recover more than five billion pounds of post-consumer plastic, but holding steady isn’t the goal,” stated Steve Alexander, President & CEO of the Association of Plastic Recyclers. Alexander emphasized that plastic recycling is positioned for significant growth as a proven method to reduce waste and bolster domestic manufacturing. However, he highlighted the critical issue that the current market environment continues to favor low-cost virgin plastics over recycled materials. Achieving further growth requires policies that stimulate demand for recycled plastics and encourage investments throughout the value chain.
Surveyed industry participants described a market that remained under severe pressure throughout 2024. The combination of elevated bale prices, soft demand for post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin, and persistently low prices for virgin resin severely compressed profit margins across the recycling sector. This unfavorable economic climate made it increasingly difficult for reclaimers to invest in capacity expansion. The report specifically notes that these findings reflect market conditions prior to the PET recycling plant closures that took place in 2025 and 2026.
The Strategic Strength of North American Infrastructure
The data presented in the study clearly reaffirms the strategic commitment to recycling plastics domestically within North America, rather than relying on overseas exports. Nearly 94 percent of the plastics recovered for recycling—amounting to exactly 4.81 billion pounds—were processed by North American reclaimers, including facilities in Canada and Mexico.
U.S. reclaimers alone acquired and processed 4.35 billion pounds of this total. This volume highlights the substantial domestic recycling infrastructure already in place, which provides stable jobs and significant economic benefits through active plastic reclamation facilities operating in more than 21 U.S. states.
Conditions for Future Growth: Policy Measures and EPR Laws
Evaluating the research findings, Crystal Bayliss, Executive Director of the U.S. Plastics Pact, stated: “The findings reinforce that a stronger recycling system depends on every part of the value chain working together.” She added that the data consistently proves everyday recycling is effective, and residents and businesses should remain confident in placing recyclable plastics in their bins. However, achieving lasting, system-wide progress requires designing packaging for circularity, strengthening collection systems, and proactively expanding the demand for recycled materials.
While the analyzed dataset provides one of the industry’s most comprehensive assessments of recovered post-consumer plastics, the report also identifies a fundamental structural gap. Because the United States currently lacks a federal mandate for comprehensive plastic recycling reporting, a consistent and official national recycling rate cannot be calculated.
This finding aligns with the recommendations in APR’s recent report, How to Rebuild and Protect North America’s Recycling System. In a positive legislative development, seven U.S. states have now enacted Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) packaging laws. These modern frameworks are designed to secure dedicated funding for recycling systems and mandate more consistent reporting on the volumes of packaging produced, reused, recycled, or composted, which is expected to guide future investment decisions and policy developments.
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