Innovation in plastics and packaging is necessary to maintain a healthy and competitive industry. To support innovators, the APR has developed a variety of laboratory test method documents that can be used to assess the impact of a plastic design feature or component on recycling. APR test methods combine laboratory practices and measurements developed specifically by and for plastic recyclers with standard ASTM tests. The objective of testing is to determine the impact of a design feature on the processability of a package item as well as the ability of post-consumer resin (PCR) derived from such feedstocks to meet quality specifications for end-use applications. To view APR’s test method definitions, click here.
ADDENDUM UPDATE
As of March 19th, 2024 the APR Guidance Table for PET have been updated with all of the addendum contents. As March 22nd, 2024, these addendums will no longer be available on our website. All future updates will be made directly into the APR Design Guide and Guidance Table, eliminating the need for separate addendums.
| Design Feature | Recyclability Category | APR Design forRecyclability Test Methods | APR Recognized Commercially Available Options | Additional Resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BASE RESIN | ||||
| Melt Index and Density |  Preferred ifMelt Index range = 0.20 - 1.61 g/10min per ASTM D1238 and Density range = 0.941-0.970 g/cm3 per ASTM D792 | |||
 Detrimental ifMelt Index or Density is not within Preferred Range Why? | ||||
| Blends of HDPE and other resins |  Needs Testing Untested blends may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results |  HDPE-CG-01 | ||
COLOR | ||||
| Unpigmented (Natural) | Preferred | |||
| Opaque or Translucent | Preferred | |||
| All other colors | Preferred if L value > 40 or average NIR reflectance is > 10% | APR Design® for Recyclability Recognitions | NIR Sortation | |
| Needs Testing if L value < 40 or average NIR reflectance is ≤ 10% | SORT-S-01 SORT-B-01 | |||
DIMENSIONS | ||||
| Large size boundary | Preferred if ≤ 7.5 liters (2 gal.) in volume | |||
| Detrimental if > 7.5 liters (2 gal.) in volume Why? | ||||
| Small size boundary | Preferred if > 2 in (5 cm) in two dimensions | Size Sortation | ||
| Needs Testing Untested size boundary may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-recyclable results | SORT-B-02 | |||
| 2D/3D Boundary | Needs Testing Use SORT-B-05 to determine if packaging is Preferred or Detrimental | SORT-B-05 | ||
CLOSURES, CLOSURE LINERS & SAFETY SEALS | ||||
| Closure Colors on Natural HDPE bottles | Preferred if Natural or white closures | |||
| Preferred if Colors with L value ≥ 40 where blend Δ E < 3.5 when tested using APR-HDPE-S-01 or APR-HPDE-CG-01 Path 1-B | HDPE-S-01HDPE-CG-01 | |||
| Detrimental if Color with L value ≥ 40 where blend Δ E > 3.5 when tested using APR-HDPE-S-01 or APR-HDPE-CG-01 Path 1-B Why? | HDPE-S-01HDPE-CG-01 | |||
 Non-Recyclable if Black or dark colored closures with L value < 40 | Polyethylene (PE) Closures,Liners or Safety Seals | Preferred if Melt Index of closure, liner or safety seal and base resin blend < 4.0 g/10min per ASTM ASTM D1238 or calculate per APR-RES-MRF-01 | RES-MFR-01 | APR Design® for Recyclability Recognitions |
| Detrimental if Melt Index of closure and base resin blend is not within Preferred Range Why? | ||||
| Polypropylene (PP) Closures | Preferred if Closure is < 10% of total package weight | |||
| Detrimental if Closure is ≥ 10% of total package weight Why? | ||||
| Closures, liners or safety seals with density > 1.0 g/cm3 | Preferred if Sinks in water per APR-O-S-01-PO and Does Not contain PVC | O-S-01-PO | ||
| Detrimental if Sinks in water per APR-O-S-01-PO and Contains PVC materials Why? | ||||
| Needs Testing if Floats in water per APR-O-S-01-PO | O-S-01-POHDPE-CG-01 | |||
| Closures or lidding with metal components | Needs Testing Untested closures or liddings may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results | SORT-B-03 | Metal Sortation | |
| EVA and TPE Liners | Preferred | |||
| Closure liners or safety seals of ANY material that are designed to be COMPLETELY removed before the package can be opened | Preferred | |||
| Polypropylene (PP) closure liner or safety seal | Preferred | |||
| Closure liners or safety seals that are composites of AL and paper | Detrimental if Remain with package after disposal Why? | |||
SPRAY DISPENSERS AND PUMPS | ||||
| All Plastic Dispensers, Pumps and Valves made with PP, HDPE, LDPE, and/or PE copolymers including TPO, EVA and TPE elastomers | Preferred if all material floats in water per APR O-S-01-PO | O-S-01-PO | APR Design® for Recyclability Recognitions | |
| Spray Dispensers, Pumps or Valves with density > 1.0 g/cm3 | Preferred if Sinks in water per APR-O-S-01-PO and Does Not contain PVC | O-S-01-PO | ||
| Detrimental if Sinks in water per APR-O-S-01-PO and Contains PVC materials Why? | ||||
| Needs Testing if Floats in water per APR-O-S-01-PO | O-S-01-POHDPE-CG-01 | |||
| Valves or springs made of metal | Needs Testing Untested blends may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results | SORT-B-03 | ||
BARRIER LAYERS, COATINGS, ADDITIVES & FILLERS | ||||
| EVOH Barriers | Preferred ifEVOH ≤ 6.0 wt% + PE-g-MAH tie layers with MAH > 0.1 wt% and EVOH:tie layers ratio ≤ 2 | APR Design® for Recyclability | ||
| Detrimental if EVOH > 6.0 wt% + PE-g-MAH tie layers with MAH > 0.1 wt% and EVOH:tie layers ratio ≤ 2 Why? | ||||
| Non-Recyclable if EVOH > 1% with any other tie layers | ||||
| Fillers, pigments or additives with densities greater than 1.0 g/cm3 | Preferred if PE blend density is ≤ 0.97g/cm3 | APR Design® for Recyclability | ||
| Non-Recyclable if PE blend density is ≥ 1.0 g/cm3 or < 51 wt% of PE blend floats per APR O-S-01 | O-S-01 | |||
| Needs Testing if PE blend density is > 0.97 g/cm3 and < 1.0 g/cm3Untested blends may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results | O-S-01 | |||
| "Workhorse" additives | Preferred if PE blend density is ≤ 0.97 g/cm3 | APR Design® for Recyclability | Needs Testing if PE blend density is > 0.97 g/cm3 Workhorse Additives with unknown PE blend density may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results | O-S-01 |
| Optical Brighteners | Detrimental Why? | |||
| Non-HDPE layers and barrier materials other than EVOH | Needs Testing Untested barrier materials may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results | SORT-S-01 | APR Design® for Recyclability | Squeeze Tubes |
| Degradable Additives | SEE APR POSITION PAPER |  APR Position Statement | ||
LABELS, ADHESIVES & INKS | ||||
| Surface Area Coverage for Any Labels used on HDPE Packaging | Preferred if Surface Area <= 55% for Volumes <= 550mL Surface area <= 75% for Volumes > 550mL | |||
| Needs Testing Surface Area > 55% for Volumes <= 550mL Surface area > 75% for Volumes > 550mL Higher Surface Area Coverage may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results | SORT-B-01 | APR Design® for Recyclability Recognitions | ||
| Polyolefin Film Labels Designed to Remain Adhered to HDPE Flake | Preferred if Label material does not interfere with HDPE flake floating in water | APR Design® for Recyclability Recognitions | ||
| Detrimental if Label material, ink or adhesive causes HDPE flake to sink Why? | ||||
| Polyolefin Film Labels Designed to Seperate from HDPE Container | Preferred | APR Design® for Recyclability Recognitions | ||
| Film labels with Density > 1.0 g/cm3 that sink in water | Preferred if Label is designed to release from HDPE container in wash | APR Design® for Recyclability Recognitions | ||
| Detrimental if Label is designed to stay adhered to HDPE container in wash Why? | ||||
| Film labels that contain PVC | Detrimental Why? | |||
| Labels containing metal foil or metalized films or Inks | Preferred if 1) Label does not interfere with HDPE flake floating AND 2) Metalized Area Meets APR Design Guide Preferred Criteria per APR RES-SORT-4 | RES-SORT-04 | ||
| Detrimental if Label causes HDPE flake to sink Why? | ||||
| Needs Testing 1) Label does not interfere with HDPE flake floating AND 2) Metalized surface area is > max allowable per APR RES-SORT-4 Use SORT-B-03 test methods to determine if spherical equivalent threshold yields Detrimental or Non-Recyclable results | SORT-B-03 | |||
| Paper Labels | Detrimental Why? | |||
| Film Labels where adhesive release and substrate float/sink behavior are not known | Needs Testing Untested label/adhesive combinations may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results | O-S-01 HDPE-CG-01 | APR Design® for Recyclability Recognitions | |
| Label Inks | Needs Testing Untested inks may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results | HDPE-S-01 HDPE-CG-01 | APR Design® for Recyclability Recognitions | |
| Direct Printing on HDPE containers | Needs Testing Untested labels may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results | HDPE-S-01 HDPE-CG-01 | APR Design® for Recyclability Recognitions | |
ATTACHMENTS | ||||
| Plastic Attachments with Density > 1.0 g/cm3 | Preferred if Does Not contain PVC materials | |||
| Detrimental if Contains PVC materialsWhy? | ||||
| Paper Attachments | Detrimental Why? | |||
| Polypropylene Attachments | Detrimental Why? | |||
| RFID | Detrimental Why? | |||
| Non-HDPE Attachments | Needs Testing Untested attachments may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results | O-S-01 | ||
| Metal, Metalized, and Metal Containing Attachments | Needs Testing Untested attachments may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results | SORT-B-03 | ||
| Welded Attachments | Needs Testing Untested attachments may yield Preferred, Detrimental, or Non-Recyclable results | O-S-01 HDPE-CG-01 | ||
Optical Brighteners
Optical brighteners are not removed in the recycling process and can create an unacceptable fluorescence for next uses of recycled HDPE. It is difficult to identify material with this negative effect until extremely late in the recycling process where a great deal of added cost has been imparted into a material of low value due to the additive.Melt Index Density Closure
Extrusion blow molding (bottles) and extrusion (pipe) are the two largest volume applications for recycled HDPE. Since polyethene closures and HDPE bottle resins combined in the HDPE recycling process, the melt flow index and density of the blend are required to be within the Preferred range for processability and mechanical performance required for the future use applications.Polypropylene closures
When blended with HDPE it negatively affects the impact properties and can render the material brittle. Although very small amounts of PP, such as that contributed by labels, are regularly accepted by HDPE reclaimers, closures and dispensers comprising a larger weight percentage of the package have a greater negative affect.PVC Closures and Tamper-evident safety sleeves
PVC is relatively easy to remove in the float-sink tank since it sinks while the HDPE floats.However, the float-sink tank is imperfect and even a very small amount of PVC with the recycled HDPE renders large amounts of it unusable as the PVC degrades at lower temperatures than those at which HDPE is processed.pvc labels
When used with an adhesive that releases in the wash, these labels sink in the float-sink tank where they are removed. But because the float-sink tank is imperfect, and even a very small amount of PVC entering the extruder causes severe quality and yield problems, this material is detrimental.Paper Labels
The HDPE reclamation process involves water and agitation.The paper that detaches from the container when subjected to these conditions becomes pulp, which does not sink intact but remains suspended in the liquid, adding load to the filtering and water treatment systems.Paper remaining adhered to the HDPE travels with the HDPE to the extruder where the material carbonizes and causes color defects. Even after melt filtering, the burned smell and discoloration remain with the recycled HDPE thereby negatively affecting its potential reuse.
