Kickstart: Everything's bigger in Texas, including bottle bills

If, as the saying goes, everything's bigger in Texas, then could that also apply to bottle bills?

A new study from the Mosbacher Institute, an economics think tank at Texas A&M University, thinks it could.

It makes the case for a deposit return system, or DRS, in the Lone Star State that would start with plastic bottles.

Fewer than one in five plastic bottles are recycled in the state. Of all the 23.7 billion beverage containers sold in Texas in 2021, only 5.2 billion, or 22 percent, were recycled, the January study says.

The 10 U.S. states with bottle bills recycle much more effectively. The Mosbacher report said those states recycle an average of 46 percent of their plastic water bottles, compared with 10 percent in the 40 states without container deposits.

The bottle bill debate has been going on for decades, but it's interesting to me that the messenger here is an economic policy think tank named for Robert Mosbacher, who was secretary of commerce under President George H.W. Bush.

Not a typical voice on the pro-bottle bill team, at least historically.

The report points out hurdles to building a DRS system in Texas, including "the availability and low cost of virgin plastics" that make it uneconomical to buy recycled plastic and the need to build support from retailers since a lot of the implementation burden falls on them.

But there is both a strong environmental and economic rationale for DRS, the report argues.

A California PET recycling organization is rebranding with an eye toward "distinguishing PET — a highly recyclable and sustainable material — from other plastics."

The former Plastic Recycling Corp. of California is now the PET Recycling Corp. of California.

On one hand, it's just a name change for a group that has been around for 30 years, doing the hard work of improving the quality of PET recycling in California and stabilizing markets.

But it's also an implicit acknowledgment that the PET bottle industry, which is arguably the most successful part of plastics recycling chain, is concerned it'll be hurt by association with other plastics sectors where recycling struggles much more.

In its announcement, PRCC said it didn't want to be grouped so much with other plastics.

"By adopting this new name, PRCC takes a bold step to combat the misconception of grouping all plastics together and to highlight PET's unique qualities and its success as a recyclable material," it said.

The PET sector has pushed that message of separation in other forums, including at the United Nations plastics treaty.

As diplomats try to craft global policies around plastic, the PET bottle industry has staged events at the talks to push the idea that PET is "no ordinary plastic" and urged those writing the treaty to consider their material different from all those other plastics.

Three makers of synthetic roofing are forming a new alliance, seeing opportunities for their materials amid more extreme weather and environmental challenges.

Brava Roofing Tiles, DaVinci Roofscapes and EcoStar LLC, makers of roofs from plastics, rubber and other materials, say their new alliance under the Polymeric Exterior Products Association will focus on advocacy, recycling and sustainability initiatives and outreach to property owners and trade professionals.

"The synthetic roofing category is on the cusp of major growth as consumers, businesses and governments recognize the need for robust and sustainable solutions," said Mark Pagel, general manager of DaVinci, in the announcement.

The alliance under PEPA comes after the association expanded its membership category in January to include polymeric roofing companies.

"As weather extremes, environmental challenges and the need for sustainable solutions increase, the demand for stronger, longer-lasting roofing materials has never been greater," PEPA said.

PEPA changed its name from the Vinyl Siding Institute in 2024.