Our Committees and Working Groups
APR's committees are composed entirely of APR members and participation in these active committees is a valued benefit of membership.
Communications and Public Affairs Committee
The mission of the APR Communication & Public Affairs Committee is to support APR as The Voice of Plastics Recycling® with a commitment to the ultimate goal of increasing quality supply and demand through communication, education, and policy. The committee provides valuable feedback and insight into the development of the work outlined below.
Projects include:
- Educational webinars and podcasts.
- Resources to promote plastics recycling, including marketing materials and messaging tools.
- Media relations with support from an established PR firm.
- Legislative activity across the states and in Washington DC.
Film Technical Committee
The Film Technical Committee develops and executes strategies and tactics that boost polyethylene film recovery and markets. The Film Technical Committee spreads the message that plastic film is recyclable, regardless of the specific collection scheme.
Projects include:
- Verify and expand APR’s Design® Guidance for flexible film packaging by publishing guidance test protocols, encouraging APR members to test and verify design guidance, and urging film package designers and manufacturers to use these tests to determine recycling compatibility.
- Leverage partnerships with ACC's Flexible Film Recycling Group (FFRG), The Recycling Partnership, and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) to advance message of film recyclability.
- Ensure that APR's existing technical tools, such as the APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability and bale specifications, are current with regard to film recycling, adaptable to changes in collection schemes and markets, and easily accessible.
- Study how film impacts curbside collection and MRFs.
- Participate in partnerships that expand retail PE film collection.
Market Development Committee
The Market Development Committee (MDC) is the natural evolution of the former Olefin Rigids Committee. The committee works to: 1) promote understanding of the postconsumer resin (PCR) market differences by resin, processing technology or material form, throughout the value chain from collection to recycled resin sales; and 2) develop targeted programs to support PCR end markets and to help level the playing field with respect to low cost virgin and off-spec resins.
The MRF Sub-committee and the Chemical Recycling Research Working Group sit under the Market Development Committee umbrella and the activities of these groups are reported out in the MDC.
The MRF Sub-committee fosters strong communications between MRFs and the rest of the plastics recycling industry and explores the relationships between packaging design, MRF sortation, and recycled plastics commodity market requirements through education and defined projects as needed. Sortation protocols and model bale specifications are reviewed in the MRF Committee.
The Chemical Recycling Research Working Group is focused on identifying the key steps needed for chemical recycling processes to play an effective role in the recycling of plastic products. The group has the goal of clarifying the fundamental steps necessary to enable chemical recycling to complement traditional recycling technologies, and what is needed for chemical recycling to become a successful component of the overall recycling infrastructure.Market Development Committee programs also include:
- Manage the APR PCR Certification program to support and grow the use of PCR.
- Manage the APR Recycling Demand Champions program to help increase and stabilize end market demand for recycled resins.
Olefins Technical and PET Technical Committees
The Olefins, Films and the PET Technical committees support APR membership through the development of the APR Design Guide® for Plastics Recyclability, development of test methods benefiting plastics recycling, technical studies, and educational materials for rigid olefin, flexible polyethylene and PET plastic packaging, respectively.
Projects include:
- The olefins working groups address topics such as tube design, polyolefin contamination, barrier layer content and density of rigid polyethylene and polypropylene-based packaging.
- Specialized PET working groups to address topics such as labels, color stability, and additives used with PET packaging.
- Film working groups are addressing laminating adhesives, inks, metallization, and measurement of packaged product residues for polyethylene-based flexible packaging. Additionally, a new working group is tasked to develop PP flexible packaging design guidance for the Canadian market.
- In addition to the individual material-focused working groups, all technical committees
- Maintain the APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability.
- Develop and maintain test methods to facilitate packaging innovators, evaluate the impact of packaging developments on the recycle process and assess the quality of postconsumer resins.
- Provide recognition to innovators.
PET Reclaimers Working Group
The PET Reclaimer Working Group is open to all APR PET reclaimer members: companies that wash and process recycled PET material. The group meets approximately three times per year in conjunction with APR member meetings, or as needed. It offers a working environment through which members can delve into the impacts of package design on rPET quality and reclaimer productivity, as well as an opportunity for discussion about other topics of shared interest.
