Headwinds from tariffs and labor are hitting recyclers hard, but upcoming manufacturing and domestic recycling infrastructure trends offer a silver lining, ReMA says.
It’s been a tough year for recyclers in the U.S., most of whom are facing various levels of uncertainty related to the interconnected effects of tariffs, labor constraints and consumer confidence.
Though global and domestic economic pressures are expected to continue into next year, there’s reason to be optimistic about longer-term economic trends that could spur future demand for recycled content, said Emily Sanchez, chief economist at the Recycled Materials Association, at the National Recycling Congress at Wichita State University in Kansas.
A gracious thank-you to Megan Quinn for publishing this article in the October 6, 2025 edition of Waste Dive news
