Passing the sniff test: Overcoming PCR’s odor and color challenges

Sensory issues related to scent and tint pose unique hurdles for brands looking to incorporate more recycled plastic in consumer goods packaging. It’s spurring more creative applications for PCR.

What happened

Scott Trenor saw a stack of storage containers in a retail store and did what most consumers would never think to do: “I stuck my head in them and took a whiff.” Trenor, technical director at the Association of Plastics Recyclers, was met with the unmistakable smell of recycled plastic.

Odors are one of the major sensory limitations brands face when incorporating postconsumer recycled plastics into their rigids and films. Optics are another issue, as PCR often has a yellow or gray tint due to heat exposure during processing and residue from the plastic’s previous use, according to Crystal Bayliss, executive director of the U.S. Plastics Pact.

Why it matters

Tackling these challenges is especially important for food and beverage as well as personal care products, in which smells or colors could be off-putting to consumers — potentially swaying them to buy a different brand. The issue is becoming more urgent as states pass sustainable packaging policies incentivizing less virgin plastic use and, in some cases, specific recycled content minimums.

“A lot of folks are coming to us asking for PCR as a direct result of packaging EPR laws, particularly SB 54,” said Caroline DeLoach, director of sustainability at Atlantic Packaging, referencing the California regulation that established extended producer responsibility for packaging and single-use plastic foodservice ware products.

PCR uptake overall, however, is low. The U.S. Plastics Pact’s latest annual report said average use of PCR or responsibly sourced biobased content in plastic packaging is 14%. But year after year, the report shows small increases in PCR uptake, Bayliss said. “There’s steady and incremental progress.”

This news brief is based on reporting published by Packaging Dive on 2026-09-15. The original report is linked below.