Policy Priorities
APR is focused on the most critical policies to improve recycling for plastics.
Why Policy is Needed
Plastics recycling is globally recognized as a crucial part of the comprehensive approach needed to end plastic pollution. Yet the US recycling system is underfunded and underperforming and lacks strategic coordination. Smart, robust public policies are essential to scale recycling programs and transition to a circular plastics economy.
Plastics recycling works each and every day, but it can and should work better, and these policy solutions will reduce plastic pollution and carbon emissions while strengthening domestic supply chains and US manufacturing.
Priority Policies to Improve Plastics Recycling
Design
Harmonized design standards can help reduce consumer confusion and increase participation in recycling, streamline processing, and deliver higher quality recycled plastics.
Collection
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws provide the needed funding and coordination to scale local recycling programs. Bottle deposit programs incentivize recycling and reduce litter for beverage containers.
Remanufacturing
Minimum recycled content standards, tax credits, and other economic tools create stronger end markets and unlock investment and innovation so recycled plastics replace virgin plastics as the primary feedstock for new plastic products.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging and printed paper is the only proven policy to provide sufficient, ongoing, and dedicated funding to increase recycling for all packaging types. EPR policies increase recycling rates and reduce plastic waste; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; drive more sustainable packaging design; and reduce costs to local and state governments. Learn more about APR’s work on packaging EPR laws.
Minimum Recycled Content Requirements
Minimum recycled content requirements strengthen the market demand for recycled resins, which helps support increased collection volumes and drive investment into recycled material processing. Using more recycled materials lowers energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and replaces the use of virgin material derived from petrochemicals and fossil fuels. Learn more about APR’s work on recycled content requirements.
Design for Recyclability
Plastic packaging must be designed to be easily and effectively recycled. The APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability is the leading technical assessment of recyclability and has provided technical guidance to thousands of companies. Policy and regulatory adoption of design standards are needed to provide high-quality recycled content and efficiently scale recycling infrastructure and consumer education programs. For example, California’s Accurate Recycling Labeling Law (SB343) references the APR Design Guide as part of the criteria to determine if a product or packaging is recyclable. Learn more about APR’s Design Guide.
Bottle Deposit Policies
Recycling refunds are a proven solution to increase recycling rates and decrease litter for beverage containers. Higher recycling rates means more recycled resin supply, which strengthens the domestic supply chain for US manufacturers and reduces the need for virgin materials, helping lessen carbon pollution. These policies are complementary to packaging EPR.
APR also supports these policy solutions to improve plastics recycling:
National policies and leadership can harmonize and complement state and private sector actions. Federal opportunities include developing national frameworks for packaging EPR, bottle deposits, recycled content requirements, and product labeling. Federal-level policies such as tax credits, subsidies, and government procurement can foster the economic conditions for the recycling industry to quickly scale. Federal agencies, national labs, and public-private partnerships can leverage invaluable research, innovation, data, and stakeholder coordination.
The United Nations negotiations to craft a global agreement to end plastic pollution is a historic milestone and a tremendous opportunity to catalyze US progress and leadership. APR is an accredited observer and active stakeholder in the UN process and a member of the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty. Read more on APR’s role and key messages for the global scale.
Clear, consistent labeling standards will increase household participation in recycling and provide a cleaner stream for processors to make higher quality recycled content. A national standard will eliminate the challenges of conflicting state laws, provide regulatory certainty, reduce trade barriers, and streamline compliance.
More than 55% of plastics are used in non-packaging applications. Policies can unlock greater investment and innovation to improve the recycling of plastics used in textiles, carpet, automotive parts, construction materials, and other applications in order to increase the circularity of all plastics.