report looks at recent and anticipated changes in municipal solid waste streams, principally plastics, to foster greater understanding among supply chain members.by anne marie mohan, senior editor, packaging worldenlargea new report, &ldquomaking sense of the mix analysis and implications for the changing curbside recycling stream,&rdquo provides insights into recent and anticipated changes in municipal solid waste streams and what those changes could mean for the recycling industry. sponsored by the american chemistry council&rsquos plastics division, the report focuses mainly on plastics, to promote greater understanding among government, materials recovery facilities mrfs, and waste management firms that are working to generate value from postuse materials.over the last decade, recyclers have had to adjust to a range of changes, from the sharp decline in newsprint to the adoption of larger carts and singlestream collection.the report provides a look at factors that have shaped today&rsquos waste stream and trends that are likely to influence the waste stream in the years ahead.among the key findingsbecause of performance advantages and lifecycle environmental benefits, plastics have been replacing metals, glass, and fibers, particularly in packaging. in many cases, newer types of plastic packaging are multimaterial laminates. these multilayered packages are very difficult to disassemble and recycle. as a result, plastics have become a growing part of msw and in some cases create new recovery challenges for mrfs and recyclers.consumer demand for recycled plastic content continues to grow. the combination of growing consumer demand plus the availability of &ldquotagalong&rdquo materials such as mixed rigid plastics has resulted in tremendous growth of collection and mrf processing for many different types of rigid plastics.designing for recyclability faces some inherent obstacles because it is a secondary consideration to performance in use, upstream environmental benefits, and marketing of productpackage life. as a result, other options for endoflife recovery for plastics, particularly energy recovery, are growing considerations.despite these rapid changes over a short time frame, many of these trends point to a continued resolve between materials and packaging manufacturers, brand owners, recyclers, and communities. stakeholders are working to adapt and implement new technologies and programs that maximize the recycling and recovery of valuable materials in the everevolving stream of waste.&ldquoplastics makers recognize the critical role that recyclers play in the value chain and in sustainable living,&rdquo says steve russell, vice president of plastics for the acc. &ldquothe evolving waste stream can create both challenges and opportunities for recyclers, and we want to help them succeed.&rdquo 
