Paper
North Carolina and South Carolina are expanding their curbside recycling programs. Efforts are being made to include paper cups in residential recycling programs in both states. This announcement is made in partnership with the Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI), a leading industry association working to increase recovery of foodservice packaging. FPI is working closely with local material recovery facilities (MRFs) and paper mills to add this highly desirable fiber as an acceptable commodity for curbside recycling.
“This recycling initiative in North Carolina and South Carolina represents a significant milestone in the advancement of sustainability and recycling efforts. Our team has worked closely with stakeholders in both states, and we are thrilled to witness the realization of this initiative. This is the initial phase of our roll-out plan, and we plan to extend our collaboration with counties and cities across the Carolinas,” said Natha Dempsey, president of the Foodservice Packaging Institute.
The FPI is partnering with local communities to launch educational campaigns informing residents about the acceptance of clean and empty paper cups for recycling. Collected recyclables will be sent to Sonoco Recycling for processing. Recovered material will be supplied to the Sonoco paper mill in Hartsville, South Carolina, where it will be converted into new products, advancing the circular economy in the region.