2021 Annual Virtual Meeting and Training Symposium

One of the defining goals of a circular economy is the inclusion of recycled content in consumer products, as this keeps materials cycling through the economy for a longer period of time and simultaneously decreases the need for the introduction of new materials into the economy.

As pressures increase for manufacturers to become "greener" and work toward a more circular economy, production of goods containing recycled or post-consumer materials is becoming more common, and even a factor that consumers demand.

Different markets are in various stages of addressing this general movement. This panel seeks to:

- Highlight those markets that are paving the way, such as:

-- US: Washington State enacted bills to require reusable plastic bags to contain a minimum percentage of post-consumer content; and California's State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign (SABRC) statutes require all state departments, boards, commissions, offices, state universities, and District Agricultural Associations to procure products and materials containing a minimum amount of post-consumer recycled content.

-- France: National Assembly adopted new circular economy measures, which include the abolition of the practice of destroying non-food unsold goods -- companies would have to reuse, redistribute, or recycle unsold or returned apparel, cosmetics, hygiene products, electrical goods, and other products.

- Present a case study of a company that produces at least one product line incorporating recycled content; and

- Discuss safety concerns and/ or obstacles producers may experience.

The case study portion of the panel is an opportunity for audience participation. We will set up certain obstacles that the company would have encountered and ask the audience what they would do in each situation (multiple choice). We will subsequently inform on how the company handled each obstacle.