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  • APR Design® for Recyclability Recognition Program
    APR Design® for Recyclability Recognition Program

The Seal of Approval for Plastic Packaging Design

Which APR Design® Recognition Path Is Right for Me?

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More companies than ever are taking action to improve the recyclability of their packaging. While this is great news for our industry and our planet, brands and manufacturers need a simpler way to identify trusted solutions from suppliers.

APR Design® for Recyclability Recognition provides third-party validation that a package or packaging component’s design is compatible with the North American recycling system. This is done by confirming that the item has met the highest criteria for recyclability according to the APR Design® Guide. Complete packages and all components of package design (including labels, barrier materials, dispensers, and more) are eligible for APR Recognition.

APR encourages widespread adoption of packaging designed to work within the recycling system. Recyclable packaging means less waste, more efficient use of limited natural resources, and more high-quality PCR.

Since its inception, the program has reviewed and recognized packaging from more than 120 companies and has led to the mainstream adoption of impactful innovations like pressure sensitive adhesives, NIR sortable black colorants, and crystallizable PET shrink sleeves.

Who is this program for?

For component and packaging manufacturers:

  • Helps you meet clients’ goals for recyclable packaging
  • Provides independent validation and credibility that your item is designed for recyclability
  • Rewards your investment in solving recycling challenges and replacing problematic items, by increasing visibility and credibility with customers
  • Improves the supply of high-quality PCR to use in future packaging
View the APR Recognition Paths

For brand and retailer procurement teams:

  • Saves time, effort and resources needed to identify and validate recyclable packaging
  • Increases confidence and reduces risk when making recycling claims
  • Makes it easier to meet the design standards of organizations like the US Plastics Pact, The Recycling Partnership, and How2Recycle
  • Helps you prepare for legislative requirements
  • Improves the supply of high-quality PCR to use in your future packaging
View APR Recognized products

APR Design® Recognition Paths

There are different paths for APR Design® Recognition, each with its own test and review criteria, depending on the item being submitted.

    • Formerly known as Meets Preferred Guidance (MPG) Recognition
    • Provides 3rd party recognition for manufacturers of materials, components and/or complete packages whose items are listed as Preferred in the APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability AND are within categories that have been reviewed and approved by the APR committee. NOTE: Not all Preferred items are eligible for Preferred Design Recognition yet, but we will be adding items regularly, so follow us so stay in the know
    • Recognition may be requested by brands and retailers for increased confidence, and to save time, money and resources when researching recyclable packaging
    • The path generally takes 2-6 weeks, and consists of an evaluation by the APR Design® Guide Administrator and technical staff, measuring the candidate item against each APR Design® Guide criterion for a Preferred design
    • If successful, results in an APR Design® for Recyclability Recognition letter, certificate and marketing toolkit, and APR will promote item across its media channels and list on website

    Ready to apply for APR® Design Recognition for Preferred Design?

    • Provides component and packaging manufacturers 3rd party recognition for significant new technologies or package components that solve long-standing problems in sustainable package design, and encourages wide commercial use of such innovations
    • Provides a path for testing the impact of any packaging design feature on the recycling system, available when a testing protocol exists but the design feature has not been detailed in the APR Design® Guide
    • Applies to both specific package design components, and to packages incorporating the component
    • Recognition makes a design feature eligible to be included in packaging assessed as Preferred Design for Recycling
    • The path is generally completed within 3-6 months, including testing, and consists of:
      • Conducting testing with an independent, 3rd party lab
      • Submitting non-proprietary, non- confidential results demonstrating the design feature meets APR‘s testing criteria and pay program fee on APR website
      • Completing an APR member webinar, technical panel review and stakeholder discussion of results
        NOTE: If the item will remain in recycled pellets at the end of the testing process, companies should conduct APR Application Guidance testing as well
    • If successful, results in an APR Design® for Recyclability Recognition letter, certificate and marketing toolkit, and APR will promote item across its media channels and list on website.

    Ready to apply for APR Design® Recognition for Critical Guidance?

    • Provides component manufacturers 3rd party recognition for significant new technologies or package components that solve long-standing problems in sustainable package design, and encourages wide commercial use of such innovations
    • Provides a path for testing design features that do not currently fit under APR Critical Guidance protocols
    • Applies to specific package design components, not complete packages
    • Recognition makes a design feature eligible to be included in packaging assessed as Preferred Design for Recycling
    • Requires trials and testimonials from recyclers that the innovation does not cause problems with productivity, yield, or final product quality
    • The path consists of:
      • Conducting commercial sortation trial at two MRFs & recycling trials at two reclaimers
      • Submitting non-proprietary, non-confidential trial results and testimonial letters from MRFs and reclaimers to APR and paying program fee
      • Completing an APR member webinar, technical panel review and stakeholder discussion of results
        • NOTE: If the item will remain in recycled pellets at the end of the testing process, companies should conduct APR Application Guidance testing as well
    • If successful, results in an APR Design® for Recyclability Recognition letter, certificate and marketing toolkit. APR will promote item across its media channels and list on website

    Ready to apply for APR Design® Recognition for Responsible Innovation?

    • Review the Operating Procedures
    • Submit this Program Agreement to Program Administrator This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    • For component manufacturers that have completed either the Critical Guidance or Responsible Innovation path, when their final product will remain in recycled pellets (i.e. not removed from the stream during reclaiming)
    • 3rd party recognition for significant new technologies or package components that solve long-standing problems in sustainable package design, and encourages wide commercial use of such innovations
    • Requires APR Application Guidance test protocol performed by an independent 3rd party testing laboratory

    Ready to apply for APR Design® Recognition for Applications Guidance?

 

APR Design® for Recyclability – Recognized Components

APR commends the following companies for having designed products that meet the highest criteria for recyclability according to the APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability.

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