About Recovery
A well-designed package isn’t headed for the landfill. Considering the recovery infrastructure of both today and tomorrow, we help the packaging value chain find solutions for a package’s end-of-life. This includes aligning with next-level mechanical recycling technologies like enhanced sortation equipment, AI, and robotics; as well as navigating the many technologies of chemical (also known as advanced or molecular) recycling.
Explore our other Pillars 
Collaboratives
Explore more about Recovery through our Collaboratives and learn how SPC Members can get involved
Recycled Content Collaborative
Get the data, resources, and industry alignment needed to support the uptake of recycled content in packaging.
SDO Film Recovery Collaborative
Explore how consumers interact with Store Drop-off while improving the quantity and quality of films collected through this system.
Recovery Technologies Collaborative
Understand how packaging companies can harness recovery technologies like AI and robotics for better collection and sortation.
Recovery Resources
SPC Research into Home Composting Behaviors
The latest findings on consumer perceptions of home composting and home compostable packaging.
How Food Residue Affects Paper Packaging Recyclability
Six key takeaways from SPC’s research into food residue’s affects on paper packaging recovery.
Retailers’ Guide: Collecting Plastic Film Through Store Drop-off
Insights into best practices for Store Drop-off programs to improve plastic film collection.
How Material Recovery Facilities (MRF’s) Work
An overview of how Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) work, identifying the main challenges regarding acceptance of materials.
SPC Data on US Municipal Composting Programs
An update and expansion by SPC of its dataset of residential access to composting programs.
Chemical Recycling Q&A
A resource designed to explain chemical recycling technologies relevant to packaging.
Glossary of LCA and Environmental Trade-off Terms
This short resource provides a single point of reference for terminology and acronyms frequently used when discussing life cycle assessment, environmental trade-offs, carbon footprints, and related topics.
Definition of Sustainable Packaging
The principles of sustainable packaging aid the value chain in approaching sustainable packaging systematically, minimizing negative impacts, while improving performance and purpose.
Designing Packaging to Prevent & Divert Food Waste
Reduce food waste at the consumer and retailer levels by prioritizing food waste prevention and deploying the right packaging design.
Intro to Flexible Packaging Recovery
Despite the benefits, flexible packaging is a challenge. Improved recovery is key to closing the loop for this material.
How to Know If Your Paper Packaging Is Recyclable
An introduction to paper packaging recyclability test methods & specifications to serve as a guide for overall packaging design.
Legislative Landscape for Chemical Recycling
Covering PCR Recycled Content, Chemical Recycling Legislation, EPR, Recovery and Policy.
Evaluating Store Drop-off as a Pathway for Film Recycling
This resource evaluates the current state of the Store Drop-off program and explores potential solutions and strategies to address the gaps identified.
Chemical Recycling
Chemical recycling refers to a spectrum of physical and chemical processes for transforming plastic or polymer waste into new products. Chemical recycling technologies fall under three main categories: purification, depolymerization, and conversion.
Intro to Chemical Recycling
Increased transparency around impacts, green chemistry principles, and collaboration to strengthen the entire. recycling system are crucial to the successful implementation of chemical recycling.
Intro to End Markets for Hard-to-Recycle Plastics
The circularity of hard-to-recycle plastics benefits from design for recyclability, improved infrastructure for collection and sortation, and increased demand pull from end markets.
Designing for End of Life by Product Category
Applying the right solution to the appropriate packaging challenge will offer the best use of stakeholders’ resources.
How Companies Use LCA Tools to Meet Packaging Goals
Case studies leveraging Trayak’s screening LCA tool, EcoImpact-COMPASS, to measure environmental impacts associated with a packaging change.
News & Updates
Stay up to date with the latest SPC news regarding Recovery
Chemical Recycling and the Circular Economy
How Can the Chemical Recycling Industry Optimize its Role in the Circular Economy for Plastics?
Can Paper Packaging Innovations Be Recycled?
New Paper Packaging Recyclability Test from Cepi Can Help
It Will Take a Village to Recycle All Plastics
SPC Advance 2022 Recap
Collaborating to create the future of flexible packaging at SPC Advance 2022
Get in Touch with an Expert
Paula Leardini
Learn more about advancements in sortation, reprocessing, and mechanical and chemical recycling – contact Paula to get involved!