US Plastics Pact Reports Progress, But Warns of Long Road to a Circular Economy

PITTSBURGH, PA – January 12, 2026 – The U.S. Plastics Pact (USPP), a consortium of over 100 businesses, non-profits, and government entities, today released its 2024–25 Impact Report, painting a picture of measurable progress against a backdrop of formidable systemic challenges. The report reveals that member companies, known as Activators, are making significant strides in redesigning packaging and incorporating recycled materials, yet it underscores a stark reality: corporate commitments alone are not enough to solve America's plastic waste problem.

The report's headline figures show clear momentum. Fifty-four percent of the plastic packaging placed on the market by USPP members is now classified as reusable, recyclable, or compostable, a substantial increase from 36 percent in 2021. Furthermore, the average use of postconsumer recycled (PCR) or responsibly sourced biobased content has climbed to 14 percent, nearly doubling the 8 percent reported in 2021. These gains reflect a concerted effort within the Pact to phase out problematic materials and innovate toward more sustainable designs.

However, the report serves as more than a progress update; it marks a strategic pivot. As the USPP transitions from its initial “Roadmap to 2025” to a more aggressive, execution-focused “Roadmap 2.0,” the organization is signaling a shift from setting goals to implementing them at scale.

“This Impact Report captures how our work is evolving,” said Jonathan Quinn, President and CEO of the USPP, in a statement accompanying the release. “Through our Roadmap 2.0, we are delivering more tangible, action-oriented outcomes, from practical position papers and best-practice policy guidance to cross-value-chain initiatives and tools that help companies evaluate their businesses and make informed decisions across USPP targets.”

A Tale of Two Realities: Corporate Gains vs. National Gaps

While the progress among USPP Activators is notable, it exists within a silo that contrasts sharply with the national landscape. The 54% reusability, recyclability, or compostability rate achieved by members is a significant achievement, but it stands against a national plastic recycling rate that has long stagnated in the low double-digits. External data, including historical figures from the EPA, suggests the broader U.S. system captures and recycles only a fraction of the plastic packaging consumed annually, highlighting a deep chasm between the ambitions of industry leaders and the country's infrastructural capacity.

The report does not shy away from this disparity. It explicitly states that overall recycling rates remain severely “constrained by gaps in infrastructure, end-market demand, and consistent national data.” This acknowledgment points to the core challenge of the circular economy movement: even the most perfectly designed recyclable package is destined for a landfill if consumers lack access to collection systems, or if those systems lack the technology and market demand to process the material effectively.

The USPP’s findings echo broader industry analyses, including those from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which oversees the global Plastics Pact network. For years, such organizations have warned that initial 2025 targets were ambitious to the point of being aspirational, requiring systemic changes far beyond the control of individual companies. The USPP's clear-eyed view of these challenges suggests a maturing perspective, one that pairs corporate responsibility with a call for wider, collaborative action.

From Pledges to Playbooks: The Shift to Roadmap 2.0

The centerpiece of the USPP’s evolving strategy is Roadmap 2.0, a new framework designed to carry the initiative to 2030. This next phase moves beyond foundational goal-setting and into what the organization calls an “execution-focused” era. It introduces five interconnected targets that build upon the original goals, adding new layers of ambition and specificity.

Key targets for 2030 include:
* Eliminating all items on the USPP’s Problematic and Unnecessary Materials List.
* Reducing the use of virgin plastic by 30 percent.
* Ensuring 100% of plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable.
* Achieving a 50% recycling rate for plastic packaging and establishing the framework for scaled collection.
* Averaging 30% postconsumer recycled or responsibly sourced biobased content across all packaging formats.

Critically, Roadmap 2.0 places a much stronger emphasis on reuse as a key strategy for reducing virgin plastic use. A new target focuses specifically on identifying and scaling viable reusable packaging systems. To support these goals, the USPP is arming its Activators with practical tools. These include “Design for Circularity Playbooks” to guide packaging redesign, a “PCR Toolkit” to help companies source and incorporate more recycled content, and the “U.S. Pact Reuse Catalyst” program to foster innovation in refillable and returnable models.

This shift demonstrates an understanding that circularity is not a single pathway. It requires a multi-pronged approach that includes eliminating harmful materials, improving recycling, and, perhaps most importantly, developing systems that decouple consumption from single-use packaging altogether.

The Policy Puzzle: A Call for a United Front

The Impact Report is unequivocal in its conclusion that industry action, while essential, is insufficient on its own. The document functions as a strong call to action for policymakers to create a legislative and regulatory environment that enables a circular economy. The USPP advocates for unified federal action to harmonize the patchwork of state and local regulations that currently complicates national supply chains.

Among the key policy recommendations is the implementation of well-designed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs. EPR laws, which shift the financial and operational burden of recycling from municipalities to the producers who put packaging on the market, are seen as a critical mechanism for funding much-needed infrastructure upgrades. While five states have enacted EPR legislation since the USPP’s founding in 2020, the lack of a federal framework creates a fragmented and inefficient system.

The Pact also calls for standardized definitions for recycling, composting, and reuse, as well as significant public and private investment in data collection to provide a clearer picture of material flows across the country. Without consistent data, stakeholders cannot effectively measure progress, identify bottlenecks, or direct investments where they are needed most.

“Progress is real, but it is not automatic,” Quinn stated. “The Impact Report takes a clear-eyed view of these challenges, outlining where progress is building and where additional alignment and investment are still needed to achieve circular outcomes at scale.”

As the USPP and its members move forward under the new roadmap, their mission remains the same: a future where plastic never becomes waste. The 2024–25 report makes it clear that while the industry's most committed players are making genuine headway, building that future will require a national strategy that aligns corporate innovation with robust public policy and infrastructure investment.