Extrusion International 5-2026-USA

42 Extrusion International 5/2026 42 INDUSTRY NEWS Microplastic Forum – Understanding and Reducing Microplastics October 20-21, 2026 Baltimore, MD, USA Whether you're evaluating how microplastics are generated through- out the product lifecycle, exploring detection and mitigation technolo- gies, or preparing for evolving regu- latory and customer expectations, organizations are under increasing pressure to understand and address microplastics in practical, measurable ways. SPE's Microplastics Forum brings professionals from plastics manufac- turing and processing, material devel- opment, environmental and sustain- ability programs, regulatory affairs, academia, water and wastewater treatment, consulting, and legal disci- plines to nd solutions to one of the in - dustry's most signi cant technical and regulatory challenges. The forum focuses on practical strategies for understanding, detect- ing, reducing, and managing micro- plastics while supporting material per- formance, product innovation, and regulatory alignment. Topics include: • The evolving science and regulato- ry landscape surrounding microplastics • Detection, quanti cation, and characterization methods • Strategies to reduce and prevent microplastic generation and release • Capture, ltration, separation, and material recovery technologies • Product, material, and process in- novations that support responsible plastics manufacturing www.4spe.org/mpf26/ New Report The U.S. plastics industry supported more than one million jobs and over $533 billion in annual shipments in 2025, according to the latest edition of the Plastics Industry Association’s agship analysis, The Size and Impact Report. The 2026 Size and Impact Report measures the annual economic foot- print of the U.S. plastics industry across employment, shipments, investment, production and other key indicators. This year’s ndings show the plastics industry continues to outpace broader manufacturing employment growth and maintains a signi cant economic presence across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, despite ongoing economic uncertainty. Key ndings from the report in - clude: • The U.S. plastics industry account- ed for more than one million jobs (1,049,200) and $533.6 billion in ship - ments in 2025. • Including suppliers, plastics-relat- ed employment rises to 1.66 million jobs, with total shipments reaching $715.8 billion. • From 2015 to 2025, plastics manu - facturing employment grew at an av- erage annual rate of 0.8%, outpacing overall manufacturing employment growth of 0.3%. • Plastic products manufacturing ranked as the eighth-largest U.S. man- ufacturing industry by gross output in 2024 (the latest year for which data is available). • The plastics industry has a pres- ence in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Texas had the largest workforce in 2025 with 91,600 em - ployees, followed by Ohio (77,500) and Michigan (69,000). “The U.S. plastics industry contin- ues to demonstrate its resilience, even amid economic uncertainty and a chal- lenging operating environment,” said Matt Seaholm, PLASTICS President and CEO. “That strength comes from the essential role plastics play across our economy—from medical care and transportation to food preservation, infrastructure and manufacturing. More than one million jobs and $533 billion in shipments reect not only the enduring demand for plastics, but the drive of the people and compa- nies behind the material.” “This year’s report reinforces what the data have shown over nearly three decades: the U.S. plastics industry is a durable and important part of the na- tion’s economic output,” said Dr. Perc Pineda, PLASTICS Chief Economist. “Over the past 28 years, the plastics industry has outperformed the overall manufacturing sector in employment, real shipments and real value added. That sustained endurance, combined with the industry’s scale and broad domestic footprint, underscores its re- silience and enduring contribution to the U.S. economy.” PLASTICS plasticsindustry.org Matt Seaholm Dr. Perc Pineda