The Association of Plastic Recyclers

What The Association of Plastic Recyclers does

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) is an international non-profit trade association founded in 1994 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., serving as the largest North American organization focused exclusively on improving plastics recycling. APR represents more than 300 member companies spanning the full recycling value chain, including reclaimers, brand companies, packaging converters, retailers, waste managers, and equipment suppliers. Its core technical asset is the APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability — a 30-year-old standard covering PET rigid, HDPE rigid, PP rigid, and PE flexible packaging — supplemented by the APR Design® Assessment Tool, peer-reviewed Testing Protocols (NIR, size, metal, color, 2D/3D sorting), the APR Design® Recognition program (Preferred Design, Critical Guidance, Responsible Innovation pathways), and the APR PCR Certification program aligned with ISO 22095 and harmonized with EU RecyClass.

APR's business model combines recurring membership dues with multiple professional-services revenue streams: Design Recognition fees ($1,400-$9,000 per recognition depending on pathway and member status), annual PCR Certification fees ($850-$1,700/site/year for APR's portion, plus separate third-party certification body fees starting at ~$5,000), and tiered Design® Training programs (full-day, express, two-day with tours). Distribution is primarily direct enterprise engagement with member companies, complemented by self-serve tools on plasticsrecycling.org and the members-only portal, with go-to-market reinforced by member meetings, the annual Recycling in Action facility tour initiative, the APR Recycled Content Podcast, webinars, and active policy advocacy (U.S. Senate testimony, engagement with state EPR programs in Oregon, California, and Colorado).

Recent strategic activity centers on internationalization (ANIPAC partnership for Mexico, Global Design Compliance Catalog covering 12 countries), standard harmonization (third year of APR-RecyClass cooperation), EPR integration (Circular Action Alliance), and product expansion (new digital Design Guide tool, semiannual update cadence, multilingual translations, new Reclaimer Standard). APR is led by President and CEO Steve Alexander and Chief Policy Officer Kate Bailey, with a small staff (11-50 employees) and governance by a Board composed of nine Full Members and two Affiliate Members.

Name

The Association of Plastic Recyclers

Legal name

The Association of Plastic Recyclers

Website

https://plasticsrecycling.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) is a Washington, D.C.-based international non-profit trade association serving 300+ companies across the North American plastics recycling value chain. It sets the APR Design® Guide recyclability standard and operates recognition, PCR certification, testing, and training programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plastics Recycling Standards and Certification

NAICS

All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing (326199), Plastics Materials and Basic Forms and Shapes Merchant Wholesalers (424610)

SIC

Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability Testing, Certification & Compliance (LCA, Recyclability/Compostability Testing, FSC/PEFC) (IMALAMAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Packaging Recovery & Closed-Loop Programs (Take-Back, Deposit-Return, EPR Support) (IMALAMAF), Recycled Content & rPET/rPP Food-Contact Safety Testing (decontamination challenge tests) (AFALAIAO)

Keywords

• Plastic recycling standards
• Recyclability certification services
• Design for recyclability
• Sustainability training programs
• Trade association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: APR operates as a membership-based organization with companies across the plastics recycling value chain as members. Membership provides access to tools, resources, committees, meetings, and member-only content. The organization is governed by plastic recyclers.
2. APR Design® Training Programs: APR offers full-day, express, and two-day training programs with tours for companies that design, manufacture or use plastic packaging. Training costs vary by program and APR membership status.
3. APR Design® Recognition Fees: Companies pay fees for design recognition assessments. Preferred Design fees range from $1,400 to $3,400. Critical Guidance and Responsible Innovation fees are $6,000 for members and $9,000 for non-members.
4. APR PCR Certification: APR charges annual fees for PCR certification: $850 USD for single site plus $250 per additional site for members; $1,700 for single site plus $250 for non-members. Certification body fees are separate and start at approximately $5,000 USD.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

APR is an international non-profit trade association that provides the definitive North American technical standards and certification programs for plastic packaging recyclability. Its core offerings are the APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability, the APR Design® Assessment Tool, the APR Design® Recognition program (Preferred Design, Critical Guidance, Responsible Innovation pathways), the APR PCR Certification Program for post-consumer recycled content, APR Design® Training Programs, and the Buyers & Sellers Directory for recycled plastic commodities.

Product overview

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) operates as an international non-profit organization offering a comprehensive suite of tools, programs, and resources centered around the APR Design Hub platform. The core offering is the APR Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability, a 30-year-old technical standard covering PET rigid, HDPE, PP, and PE flexible packaging. This is complemented by the APR Design Assessment Tool for evaluating packaging recyclability, the APR Design Recognition program with Preferred Design, Critical Guidance, and Responsible Innovation pathways, and the APR PCR Certification Program for validating recycled content authenticity. Additional offerings include the APR Design Training Program, Testing Protocols Library, Buyers & Sellers Directory, APR Global Design Compliance Catalog, and the Recycling in Action facility tour program. The APR Design Hub serves as the central access point for all these interconnected tools and resources aimed at improving plastics recycling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability The definitive North American technical standard for designing plastic packaging compatible with recycling systems, providing criteria covering base resin, color, barriers, closures, labels, inks, and adhesives across PET, HDPE, PP, and PE flexible packaging. Used by packaging manufacturers, converters, brand owners, and reclaimers.
• APR Design® Assessment Tool Digital tool that assesses and validates the recyclability of plastic packaging designs against APR Design® Guide criteria. Used by packaging designers, converters, and brand companies to test designs before submission for APR Design Recognition.
• APR Design® Recognition Third-party recognition program with three pathways (Preferred Design, Critical Guidance, Responsible Innovation) validating that plastic packaging designs meet APR recyclability standards. Used by packaging manufacturers, converters, and brand companies seeking external validation of recyclable packaging claims. 138 products were recognized in 2024 and 120+ companies have received recognition.
• APR PCR Certification Program Third-party certification program providing transparency and traceability of post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin through independent certification body audits, aligned with ISO 22095 chain-of-custody standards and harmonized with EU RecyClass. Used by recyclers and resin producers supplying PCR resin to brand customers.
• APR Design® Training Program Educational training program teaching packaging professionals how to design plastic packaging for recyclability, offered as Full Day Training, Express Training, and Training & Tours formats with facility visits. Used by companies that design, manufacture, or use plastic packaging.
• APR Testing Protocols Peer-reviewed library of test protocols that evaluate how package design features affect sortation and recycling outcomes, including NIR sorting, size sorting, metal detection, color sorting, 2D/3D sorting, and material-specific protocols. Used by APR Recommended Testing Facilities, packaging designers, and recyclers.
• Buyers & Sellers Directory Industry directory that connects companies seeking to buy or sell recycled plastic commodities and resins, facilitating transactions across the plastics recycling supply chain.
• APR Global Design Compliance Catalog Catalog outlining current plastic packaging recyclability guidelines across different countries and regions (12 countries as of 2023), covering rigid PET, HDPE, PP, and flexible PE film packaging to support global compliance efforts.
• Recycling in Action Annual public facility tour program visiting material recovery facilities and plastic reclaimers across the United States, Canada, and Mexico to demonstrate how plastics recycling works and counter misinformation.
• APR Demand Champions Program that grows demand for recycled plastics by engaging brands and stakeholders to commit to and report on using recycled plastic content in their packaging and products.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 billion pounds of plastic kept out of landfills annually in North America
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting and notable.

• ANIPAC (Mexico's National Association of Plastics Industries)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026APR and ANIPAC signed a collaboration agreement to strengthen plastics recyclability and advance circular economy practices in Mexico. APR provides technical tools, training programs, and design criteria while ANIPAC leverages its supply chain reach across Mexico's plastics sector to promote adoption of international recyclability standards. Organizations will exchange technical and regulatory information, develop joint projects, and facilitate recycling of plastic packaging across Mexico.
• RecyClasscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026APR and RecyClass completed their third year of technical cooperation to align recyclability guidance for plastic packaging. Organizations reached agreement on design guidance for natural polypropylene, tie layers in polyethylene film recycling, and blue tints in PET. Conducted joint testing over the past year and plan additional test campaigns to further develop Design for Recycling guidelines. The collaboration aims to harmonize standards globally and reduce duplicate work for companies.
• Circular Action AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025APR is working with Circular Action Alliance, the nation's main packaging producer responsibility organization, to develop unified third-party audit systems for responsible end market verification. Collaboration spans Oregon, California, and Colorado EPR programs, coordinating with state regulators to develop REM compliance standards.
• Canada Plastics PactmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPR joined the Canada Plastics Pact to engage with key organizations in Canada and position APR as a North American leader with key tools and resources focused on improving plastics recycling. APR engages with leading Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) in Canada and informs development of Canadian policies and standards.
• ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPR collaborated with ISRI to develop the multi-material 2d3d sorting potential test method. ISRI provided supporting funding for the development of Sorting Potential Test Methods including protocols for NIR, Size, Metal, and Color Sortation.
• Bottle ConsortiumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPR participated in research with the Bottle Consortium published in Nature Communications exploring how machine learning can redesign multilayer film packaging to be compatible with mechanical or chemical recycling. APR contributed technical expertise on recyclability requirements.
• Nova Chemicals Corp. / Borouge InternationalnotableOthersNova Chemicals' Syndigo1 linear low-density polyethylene recycling facility in Connersville, Indiana earned APR postconsumer recycled certification. The facility is operated under Borouge International (global polyolefins platform formed by ADNOC's investment arm XRG and OMV).
• Health Canada and FDAsupportingOthersNova Chemicals Syndigo1 facility received letters of nonobjection from Health Canada and the FDA supporting food-contact applications for recycled LLDPE.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• How2Recycle: Consumer-facing recyclability labeling program administered by GreenBlue/SPC that competes with APR's Design Guide for being the default recycler guidance for North American brands. Same target customer (brand owners, packaging converters), same product category (recyclability claims).
• RecyClass: EU plastic packaging recyclability standards body operated under PlasticsEurope. RecyClass is explicitly identified as APR's harmonization counterpart and the two have completed three years of technical cooperation to align design guidance — direct functional peer across geographies.
• Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC): Industry coalition housed within GreenBlue that drives sustainable packaging practice, including the widely adopted How2Recycle label. SPC targets the same CPG/brand and packaging-converter audience as APR with overlapping tools (precycling/precycling design, label guidance), making it the closest US peer.
• ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries): Largest US trade association for the broader scrap recycling industry. ISRI and APR are referenced as collaborating partners (joint development of multi-material 2D/3D sorting potential test methods with ISRI funding), and they share members across the recycling value chain.

Emerging players

• SCS Global Services: Third-party certifier with established recycled content and recycling-chain-of-custody certification programs (e.g., RCS, FSC). SCS competes for PCR certification audit work and overlaps with APR's chain-of-custody standards (aligned with ISO 22095).
• ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification): Global certification system for recycled and bio-based content with growing use by CPGs for PCR claims. ISCC overlaps with APR's PCR Certification offering, particularly for multinational brands seeking a single global scheme, but has broader scope (carbon, bio, renewables).

Broad incumbents

• Bureau Veritas: Large TIC (testing, inspection, certification) incumbent operating in packaging, environmental claims, and recycled-content verification globally. Comparable to UL as a potential third-party certifier competing for the audit work behind APR's programs.
• Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS): Largest US trade association for plastics manufacturers overall (resin producers, processors, equipment suppliers). Overlapping membership base and policy advocacy footprint, but PLASTICS covers virgin plastics broadly while APR focuses specifically on recycling — a complementary rather than directly competing role.
• UL (Underwriters Laboratories): Global testing, inspection, and certification major with a sustainability practice serving packaging and plastics claims. UL could compete with or partner as a third-party certifier for APR PCR certifications and provides scale and global footprint APR lacks.

Others

• Closed Loop Partners: Investment firm and platform focused on the circular economy and recycling infrastructure. Adjacent ecosystem player that channels capital into APR's member reclaimers and brand owners, influencing recycling economics APR's standards underpin.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/APRrecycles
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-of-plastic-recyclers

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Association of Plastic Recyclers