Column: With Recycling at an Inflection Point, CPGs to Shape What Comes Next
The Recycling Partnership found Keefe Harrison says that as new EPR laws reshape recycling, CPGs stand at a crossroads. By designing for recyclability, demanding recycled content, and investing in infrastructure, brands can transform a fragmented system into one that works, and one that lasts.
Sortation on a belt at a material recovery facility (MRF).
The Recycling Partnership
The U.S. recycling system is shifting, and CPG brands are at the center of it. Single-use plastic accounts for half of all plastic production, and the food and beverage industry consumes 35% of global packaging. Ninety-five percent of food packaging is discarded after a single use, contributing to the nearly 20 million metric tons of plastic entering the environment every year.
Americans see the gap. The majoritysay the U.S. government isn’t doing enough to protect the environment. States like California are stepping in with extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies that require companies to meet recyclability and recycling rate thresholds. Compliance will soon be the cost of doing business in markets like California, the world’s fourth-largest economy. But waiting for mandates misses the opportunity. CPGs shouldn’t wait; they must lead. Here’s why. Keefe Harrison, founder and CEO, The Recycling PartnershipThe Recycling Partnership
Recycling systems work but need support
Across the country, successful recycling programs can and do exist. But they often operate in isolation, under-resourced, and out of sync. This fragmentation limits participation, reduces capture of material, and creates uncertainty.
The good news? Progress is measurable and repeatable. Communities investing in infrastructure, education, and outreach are seeing results. The Recycling in Americawebinar series highlights local leaders—from cities to material recovery facilities (MRFs) to brands—proving that with the right support, recycling can thrive.
Consumers want to recycle, but trust must be earned
Recycling isn’t just a systems challenge; it’s also a people challenge. Seventy-two percentof Americans believe recycling makes a difference, has a positive impact, and is worth the effort. Eighty percentare willing to pay more for sustainably sourced goods. Americans want to be able to recycle the packaging their goods come in, from butter tubs to potato chips. But belief and intention don’t automatically translate to participation, as evidenced in this Springdale, AR case study.
Currently, 73% of single-family homes have curbside recycling access, compared to just 37% of multifamily homes. And even where access exists, confusion and skepticism persist. Trust will only come with transparency: people need to see that what they sort is actually recycled.
CPGs play a pivotal role in this. Through packaging design, labeling, and shopper engagement, they influence how households interact with recycling every day.
Retailers and CPGs can help close a very real demand gap
Even when cities can process every type of recyclable material, the system breaks down if there’s no home for it. Without consistent demand, recycled materials go unused. This is where retailers, their brands, and CPGs hold the most power.
By consistently using North American recycled content, brands and retailers can make recycling viable and scalable. That demand helps balance the market, allowing MRFs to invest in technology and stay economically sustainable.
Build the foundation for a system that works
Recycling isn’t just about collection. It requires an integrated value chain that spans recovery, sorting, and reintroduction as a new product. Brands can design for recyclability and create packaging that works with the system. But first, people need access. That means delivering recycling to the 27% of single-family and 63% of multifamily households that currently don’t have it.
Then we must show them it works. Recycled materials need to be more than technically recyclable. They must be useful, desirable, and market-ready.
According to Keefe Harrison and The Recycling Partnership, consumers want to recycle, they just need to trust in a system that's clear and consistent. As a stakeholder in a circular economy, CPGs can play a role in earning that trust.The Recycling Partnership
CPGs must lead the way today
As EPR policies roll out in more states, CPGs and brands are uniquely positioned to shape what comes next. Supporting recycled content and investing in recycling infrastructure is not simply a corporate responsibility; it is a strategy for supply chain resilience and risk mitigation.
So, what’s the hold up? First, we are not seeing enough voluntary commitments to North American recycled content. Without them, demand remains patchy. Second, upgrading the U.S. recycling system is a large-scale effort with many pieces to consider. It’s not easy. But it is necessary. And with major U.S. CPGs and brands leading, we can build the momentum needed to change the system.
A resilient recycling future is within reach
We’re nearing the limit of what’s possible without bold change. That’s why we are calling on CPGs and brands to join us in making an unwavering shift toward a sustainable, scalable model.
Companies can’t do this alone. We can’t do this alone. Real systems change takes collective action—policymakers, communities, and industry leaders working in lockstep. When we align around shared goals, drive consistent demand, and invest where it counts, we can transform recycling into a system that truly delivers for people, the economy, and the environment.
This is how we build something better: it needs to be measurable, repeatable, and built to last.
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Keefe Harrison, founder and CEO, The Recycling PartnershipThe Recycling Partnership
