Why Join APR?
APR is your voice advocating for large-scale improvements to our recycling systems, from engineering to economic to legal changes. APR is your connection to the latest developments in plastics recycling and the people making them. We understand the challenges faced by organizations at each step in the value chain, and we bring the industry together to come up with solutions that work.
Membership Benefits
Influence the future of plastics recycling.
Help enact changes that strengthen and improve the existing recycling system.
Your APR membership amplifies the voice of the plastics recycling industry in state capitols across the US, on Capitol Hill, and around the world.
Learn More About APR’s Policy Efforts
Have a seat at the table where guidelines, programs, and priorities are discussed and set.
Run for APR committee or board membership, and directly participate in discussions that set APR’s agenda.
Explore APR CommitteesNetwork with Your Supply Chain
Three APR member meetings each year help you get the most out of your membership. See what our committees are up to, stay connected with members, and hear from APR’s experts on the latest industry issues.
Expand your reach with target audiences across the value chain.
Find New Customers or Suppliers with APR Directory Listings and Access
- List your materials in the Buyers & Sellers Directory.
- Search companies or individuals in our member directory, and request personal introductions from staff.
Take Advantage of APR’s Marketing and Communication Tools
- Member badges proudly display your APR membership.
- Infographics illustrate key concepts about how recycling works.
- Talking points help you inform the conversation around plastics recycling.
Gain insight on issues affecting the industry.
Be the First to Hear About Products Up for APR Design® Recognition
Gain early access to the latest developments in recyclable packaging components with APR Design® Recognition webinars.
Stay on Top of Regulatory and Market Trends
Have industry trends and forecasts curated for you in APR’s weekly news roundup.
Never Miss an Update
Access presentations and other materials from APR member meetings.
Keep up with Us Between Member Meetings
Stay on top of APR activity in our monthly newsletters. Our newest, Tech Talk, focuses on technical committees and working groups.
Still Can’t Find the Answer You Need?
Discover solutions to problems affecting your company with tailored guidance from staff.
Meet the TeamSave thousands with APR member discounts on:
APR Design® Training Program
Customize training for your team on how and why to design for recyclability.
Learn More
APR Design® Recognition Program
Get third-party validation that your packaging design is compatible with the North American recycling system.
Learn More
APR Global Compliance Catalog Subscription
Compare recyclability requirements for different regions around the world.
Learn MoreMembership Costs
APR membership dues covers the calendar year (January 1 – December 31). Annual costs are determined by your organization’s primary business function—to see what your annual cost would be, choose the option that applies to your company below. If you cannot answer “yes” to either of these questions, your company is not eligible for APR membership.
Apply for Full Membership if you’re primarily a post-consumer plastic recycler or material recovery facility (MRF) operator. Recyclers must use two or more of the following processes to qualify for full membership:
- Grinding
- Washing
- Pelletizing
- Densifying
- Mechanically Upgrading
Dues for full members are based on annual throughput capacity:
| Annual Throughput Capacity | Annual Membership Dues | |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Over 100 million pounds (45,359.2 metric tonnes) per year | $11,000 USD |
| Level 2 | 50 – 100 million pounds (22,679.6 – 45,359.2 metric tonnes) per year | $8,800 USD |
| Level 3 | Under 50 million pounds (22,679.6 metric tonnes) per year | $6,600 USD |
Apply for Affiliate Membership if you don’t meet—or only partially meet—the full membership criteria, but still have a direct business stake in the recycling process. Recycling stakeholders that may qualify for affiliate membership include those involved in:
- Collection, such as plastic collectors and recycling haulers
- Design and remanufacturing, such as brand owners, manufacturers, and suppliers of manufacturing equipment or materials
- Technical partners, such as technical consultants and testing labs
- Industry support, such as trade associations and producer responsibility organizations
Chemical recyclers and parties solely in the business of brokering plastic material for recycling may apply for affiliate membership.
Affiliate membership dues are based on your company’s total annual revenue, with set fees for brokers and non-profits:
| Annual Company Revenue | Annual Membership Dues | |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Over $5 billion per year | $22,000 USD |
| Level 2 | $1-5 billion per year | $16,500 USD |
| Level 3 | Under $1 billion per year | $13,200 USD |
| Brokers | $12,000 USD | |
| Trade Associations | $8,800 USD |
Joining in the Middle of the Year
For companies that join between July 1 and October 31, membership dues for the current calendar year are prorated 50%.
From November 1 until the end of the year, new members pay the full amount for the next calendar year and receive the rest of the current year for free.
Your membership begins when we receive your first dues payment. Learn more about the application process.
How to Join
Apply
Fill out the full or affiliate membership application.
Not sure which member type to choose? See our explanation of member types here.
Wait for Approval
Your application will be processed for approval. We will reach out if any changes are needed.
If the application is approved, our member services manager will follow up with you.
Pay Your Dues
Your membership does not become active until we receive your first dues payment. Payment instructions will be on your invoice.
Membership renews annually on January 1 for the calendar year.
We recommend waiting to pay your invoice until after your membership has been approved, so we can make any necessary adjustments and ensure you are paying the correct amount based on the application you’ve submitted. On approval, we will adjust your invoice if needed to the prorated amount—dues are prorated 50% beginning July 1. Learn more about prorated dues.
Getting Started as a New Member
After we receive your first dues payment, we will send a welcome email to the person who submitted the membership application with instructions on:
- How to add any additional employees who should have access or who you would like to add to our email list. You will have the ability to add up to 20 people under your company membership initially, but we can expand that number if you need more seats.
- A marketing toolkit with sample communications you can use to announce your APR membership.
- Where to go to take advantage of member benefits.
Membership FAQs
Benefits are nearly identical for each member type, with some voting restrictions for affiliate members. While APR member companies span the entire value chain, we are ultimately governed directly by plastic recyclers, with nine Full Members and two Affiliate Members comprising our Board of Directors.
An APR member is a company, not an individual. APR member companies can give employees access to member benefits by adding them as individual users under their company membership.
As many as you want! We encourage APR members to get many employees involved from a variety of roles and departments. You will be able to add up to 20 users initially, but please contact us if you need more seats.
When you add an employee to your company membership, you invite them to create an individual login and profile. They can use this to access member benefits such as:
- Registering for APR Member Meetings and events at the member rates
- Utilizing your company’s complimentary subscription to the APR Global Design Catalog
- Accessing members-only resources like communications tools, webinar recordings, and member meeting materials in the APR Member Hub
This will also add them to the APR member email distribution list to receive APR newsletters and updates on events and programs. All email recipients can unsubscribe at any time.
Only your company’s primary contact has permissions to add and remove individual users from your company membership. If you don’t know who your company’s primary contact is, please contact us—we can direct you to the appropriate person with instructions they can use to add new users.
Please reach out to your company’s primary contact—this is the person with permissions to invite you to create a profile under your company’s membership. This will get you added to the distribution list for APR newsletters and other updates on APR events and programs. Creating a profile under your company’s membership also gives you access to members-only resources in the APR Member Hub.
Not sure who your primary contact is? Please contact us.
There could be a few reasons for this. Most likely, APR’s emails are being caught in your company’s firewall. Please check with your IT department to ensure emails from info@plasticsrecycling.org are allowed and not flagged as spam. You can also check your spam or junk folders, and add info@plasticsrecycling.org to your address book or safe sender list.
If you’ve unsubscribed by accident, you can click the “unsubscribe” link in one of our emails again to re-subscribe.