Ep. 55: Policy, Demand, and Closed-Loop Recycling w/ Crystal Howe

Crystal Howe, Vice President of Sustainability and Government Relations at Ice River Sustainable Solutions, joins host Kara Pochiro to discuss her work advancing closed-loop plastics recycling at Blue Mountain Plastics Recycling, the recycling division of Ice River Springs and recipient of the 2026 APR Recycling Leadership Award for Processor of the Year. In this episode, she shares insights on building and operating a closed-loop system, the importance of design and material quality, and the challenges recyclers face in today’s market. Howe also highlights why stronger policy, collaboration, and increased demand for recycled content are critical to the future of plastics recycling.