2023 Year In Review: Creating a Path Towards the Future of Plastics Recycling

Published on March 28, 2024

Recycling works. It is essential, along with reduction and reuse, in the ever-evolving landscape to create a circular economy. As an international non-profit and the only North American organization focused exclusively on improving recycling for plastics, it has remained the focus of APR’s work for over 30 years. We stand at a pivotal moment, where the actions we take today can significantly shape the future of our planet.

Improving plastics recycling requires the collaborative efforts of many. While reclaimers, the companies that recycle plastics every day, are the core of APR, our members represent the entire interconnected recycling industry, including every link of the chain from initial design to eventual manufacturing. APR membership has now grown to more than 300 member companies, including 68 companies that have been members for 10+ years and 22 companies for 20+ years.

We expanded our team of skilled and knowledgeable professionals to better serve the industry and our members. Check out the full APR team here. We were also pleased to announce that APR’s President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Policy Officer were recognized as Notable Leaders in Sustainability by Plastics News in 2023.

The plastics recycling industry faces headwinds on many fronts. Although the release of the 2022 U.S. Post-Consumer Plastic Recycling Data highlights these challenges, it also reports that North American recyclers kept over five billion pounds of plastic out of landfills in 2022.

APR’s recycler members have the capacity to recycle more material today if they could increase their supply through collection programs. At the same time, the proliferation of new, inexpensive virgin plastic often undermines the demand for recycled materials.

We look forward to working with our members to address these challenges as we create a path forward in 2024 and beyond to improve circularity for plastic.

Improving Recycling Through Public Policy

Policymakers at every level of government are looking for solutions to reduce plastic pollution, and the APR greatly expanded its policy efforts in 2023 to champion the economic and environmental benefits of scaling plastics recycling and the needed policy solutions. The APR elevated its profile as a solutions-driven organization focused on three priorities: collect more plastics for recycling, ensure more plastic packaging is designed to be recycled, and strengthen market demand for using more recycled content in more product lines. In addition to advocating for new policies, APR also provides credible, technical support for policy development and implementation to agency staff and other stakeholders. In addition, APR staff are frequent speakers and leading voices at national conferences, webinars, and in media on the role of recycling and effective policy solutions.

Across the States

The APR prioritizes state-level policies and rulemaking as the most influential vehicle for success. APR focuses on supporting well-crafted Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging and Minimum Recycled Content policies. The APR engages with key states through several activities, including lobbying, meeting with elected officials, submitting testimony, working with coalition partners, providing technical bill language, and other efforts. In 2023, APR supported bills in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, and Washington. In addition, APR provided feedback on policy implementation in California, Oregon, and Washington. APR also developed resources for members on recycled content legislation.

Federal Activity

APR President and CEO, Steve Alexander, was one of three featured national experts to testify at a Congressional hearing before the United States Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s Subcommittee Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight. Read Steve’s talking points on how Congress can improve plastics recycling here.

APR supported two national bills to improve recycling data and access, and also met with 10 Senate offices in support of a national recycling refund program for beverage containers.

APR advised on national strategy and provided technical resources on several federal agency programs and rulemakings, including the EPA Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution and the FTC Green Guides. APR was also selected as a panelist during the FTC Green Guides hearing. In addition, APR frequently met with several federal agencies on both federal initiatives and the global plastics pollution negotiations, including staff with the White House Council on Environmental Equality (CEQ), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the US State Department, the US Trade Representative (USTR), and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). APR presented the APR Design® Guide as a national and global model during an interagency workshop with over ten agencies in attendance.

Global Efforts

APR scaled up its global engagement in 2023 to ensure recyclers are represented in the United Nations negotiations to reduce plastic pollution. APR attended the May UN negotiations in Paris, and was one of six featured speakers at a US Embassy event showcasing US leadership in reducing plastic pollution.

APR also spoke on an official UN panel during the negotiations and then during two UN webinars before the next round of negotiations. The APR Design® Guide has been referenced as a global model for recycling standards, and APR also met with elected officials and key stakeholders in the EU to highlight our efforts to harmonize design standards with RecyClass. As we head into the fourth round of global negotiations, read more about APR’s key priorities and our takeaways on the global momentum.

Working with Canada

APR joined the Canada Plastics Pact and engaged a Senior Advisor to build relationships with key organizations in Canada and position APR as a North American leader with key tools and resources focused on improving plastics recycling. APR has engaged with leading Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) in Canada and is also informing the development of Canadian policies and standards by participating in multi-stakeholder engagement processes, serving as a member of the Oversight Task Force for the Canadian Standards Association Group’s Plastics Recycling Standard, submitting comments on Canadian labeling requirements, and consulted with USDA on trade implications of Canadian policies.

Taking Action to Improve Plastics Packaging Recyclability 

Global Harmonization Efforts

APR and RecyClass culminated a year-long collaboration to accelerate global alignment of Design for Recycling Guidance with the publication of a report detailing accomplishments and key milestones.

The APR-RecyClass Cooperation Report highlights the multiple alignments achieved between the APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability and RecyClass Design for Recycling Guidelines. With a comprehensive focus on recycling streams commonly addressed by both organizations, including HDPE, PP, PE flexible packaging, and PET, the collaboration has yielded robust scientific data and harmonized Design for Recycling Guidance.

First launched in 2022, the Global Design Guidance Catalog outlines the most current plastic packaging recyclability guidelines for different countries and regions around the world. We expanded coverage to 12 countries in 2023 and added additional packaging parameters. The catalog includes recyclability evaluations for rigid PET, HDPE, PP, and flexible PE film packaging

Continuous Improvement to the APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability

APR published a first of its kind, multi-material 2d3d sorting potential test method, “Evaluation of the 2D/3D Sorting Potential of a Whole Article,” developed through supporting funding from the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI). This completes the series of Sorting Potential Test Methods, which also includes test methods that assess how package design affects Near Infrared (NIR), Size, Metal, and Color Sortation. These test methods enable brands and their suppliers to assess how packaging performs at each step of the sortation required to make it through the full recycling process.

Through the collaborative efforts of APR’s Technical Committees, the APR Design® Guide has been continuously improved and updated. Recent work includes:

PET Technical Committee

Olefins Technical Committee

The Films & Flexibles Committee

Expanding APR Design® Recognition and Training

Once again, a significant number of companies were recognized in the past year for improving the recyclability of their packaging. Companies receive APR Design® Recognition through 4 pathways:

2023 saw continued expansion of the PDR Program, formerly known as Meets Preferred Guidance (MPG). The APR was pleased to issue 46 PDR recognitions between 18 companies.

Exceeding plans for expansion in the last year, the following new categories were added to the program:

Additional categories are in progress and planned to be implemented in 2024 as the APR Design® Guide is regularly updated.

Significant new technologies, or package components that solve long-standing problems in sustainable package design, received Critical Guidance Recognition. APR was pleased to recognize 47 innovations in 2023. Specific areas of impact include:

The APR conducted 9 APR Design® Guide Training sessions over the past year, where our experienced staff explains the recycling process, and helps align teams on how to design for recyclability and why it’s important. This helps companies meet voluntary and legislative requirements, communicate better with customers, improve the supply of high-quality PCR, and reduce plastic waste going to landfills. Watch our video to hear first-hand experiences with APR® Design Training:


Examining the Potential for Pyrolysis to Complement Mechanical Recycling

Following over a year of work with the Chemical Recycling Research Working Group, APR released a comprehensive report that models the potential of pyrolysis technologies, as a complement to mechanical recycling, to recycle FFP back into plastic resins to be remanufactured into new plastic products. Prepared by Eunomia Research & Consulting, “How to Scale the Recycling of Flexible Film Packaging: Modeling Pyrolysis’ Role in Collection, Quantity and Costs of a Comprehensive Solution,” details the opportunities for increased FFP recovery volumes, the logistics and costs necessary to get materials to pyrolysis and other reprocessor markets, as well as the package design and policy necessary for change.

Supporting a Reliable, Robust PCR Market

The APR Design® Guide and the APR PCR Certification Program work hand in hand to ensure products are Circular by Design.

APR Certified PCR ensures that recycled plastics from postconsumer sources giving new life to plastic that has met it’s intended use. The APR Design® Guide provides the tools to ensure plastic products can be recycled.

The program has now grown to include 26 companies that have met the necessary qualifications to provide certified recycled content. APR hired a new Program Director to lead the next phase of the program which includes expanding the program to the product level.

Communicating the Facts About Recycling Plastic

With a focus on counteracting a rising tide of misinformation and fostering rational, fact-based dialogue around plastics recycling, APR continues to develop a variety of content and resources highlighting the tools needed to scale recycling effectively as a key solution to reduce plastic waste and move toward a more sustainable, circular economy.

Social Media

APR’s social media channels continued to grow now surpassing 24,000 followers on LinkedIn, our primary social media platform. APR continues to rank on LinkedIn as not only the #1 most followed organization in our field, but also the fastest growing and most engaged with recycling organization in North America

Podcast and Webinars

APR’s podcast, Recycled Content, focuses on highlighting topics of interest to the plastics recycling industry, exceeding 500 average downloads per episode over the past year. Recent topics include APR Preferred Design Recognition, the APR Design® for Recyclability with a focus on PET, Recycled Content Requirements & EPR, a new model for plastics recycling, California’s SB 54, and other hot topics in the recycling world.

APR’s educational webinar series has also continued to tackle issues of interest, with record attendance for the Plastics Recycling Myth Busters session which set the facts straight on some recently circulated misinformation about recycling plastics. Other topics covered in 2023 included APR Design® Recognition, Policy, and Boosting Demand for Recycled Plastics.

In the Press and on the Blog

APR publishes regular blog posts covering a wide range of subjects including APR Programs, UN Global Negotiations, Plastics News’ Notable Leaders in Sustainability, APR’s testimony for the Senate EPW Committee, EPR, issues with wide-spec virgin plastic, and much more. We welcome contributions from members and other organizations.

APR works to get ahead of the stories that affect our industry. We gather facts and data, develop press releases, announcements, statements, fact sheets, and additional resources to set the facts straight. Our insights and programs are regularly featured in trusted industry publications including Resource Recycling, Plastics News, Recycling Today, as well as national publications including the Washington Post, New York Times, Politico, and The Hill.

APR Members are Committed to the Success of Plastics Recycling.

We know the ongoing challenges facing our industry will not simply disappear, but we will continue our path forward taking advantage of available opportunities, while creating more along the way.