if you work for a plastics packaging company — especially a maker of thermoformed packaging —  then I imagine you get tired of neighbors and family members complaining about your products.

Most communities need manufacturing jobs. Plastics factories create those jobs. It's that simple.

This year's film and sheet ranking of 163 North American companies shows a 3 percent gain, adding $2 billion over last year's total. Pulling together $42.9 billion in related sales, a huge figure.

At one point I joked that I felt like my email inbox was recycling announcements from the 1990s, when it seemed like all the virgin resin suppliers were introducing products with post-consumer content.

We feel that there has never been a more appropriate time to recognize the individuals and organizations that are driving progress toward sustainability.

College is not necessary for everyone. But considering how many people do choose to go to college, something has to be done about out-of-control price increases.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, we talked about the impact it would have on the plastics industry. Early on I wondered, would this mean that the push toward circularity would go on the back burner?

In our Women Breaking the Mold 2023 special report, noted a trend: More nominees had titles of director, vice president, manager or leader than we'd seen before, and more worked in industries such as environmental health, safety, regulations and operations. One quote that kept popping up among honorees this year was "if you can see it, you can be it."

There is a market for recyclables. But after years of trying, bags and flexible packaging are still struggling.