Resource Recycling Systems
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersAnn Arbor, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Resource Recycling Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Resource Recycling Systems
- Legal name
- Resource Recycling Systems, Inc.
- Website
- https://recycle.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Resource Recycling Systems industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainability Consulting
- NAICS
- Business Support Services (5614), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920)
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- On-site Recycling Programs (Single-Stream, Source-Separated) (BPABALAB), Donation, Reuse & Sustainability Returns Programs (TLAIAHAJ), Asset Recovery, Surplus & Decommissioning Services (EUAIANAD)
Keywords
Where Resource Recycling Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ann Arbor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Resource Recycling Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Sustainability Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for circular economy, materials management, recycling optimization, and sustainability strategy. Services are customized to each client's needs and delivered by a multidisciplinary team of experts.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Resource Recycling Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Resource Recycling Systems is an employee-owned sustainability consulting firm that sells customized advisory services to public, private, and non-profit organizations across the recovery value chain. Its core offerings are organized into four service lines — Materials & Organics Management, Product & Packaging Sustainability, Sustainability & Climate Action, and Strategic Initiatives — delivered through capabilities such as planning, economic analysis, data and GIS mapping, waste characterization, policy development, stakeholder engagement, and training. The firm also runs managed programs including the NextCycle Michigan accelerator and the Poly Coated Paper Alliance.
Product overview
Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) is a sustainability consulting firm offering a comprehensive suite of advisory services rather than a unified software product. The company's service portfolio centers on four primary practice areas: Materials & Organics Management, Product & Packaging Sustainability, Sustainability & Climate Action, and Strategic Initiatives. These are delivered through specialized capabilities including Planning & Program Development, Economic Analysis & Financing Strategies, Data & Mapping, Training & Workshops, Community & Stakeholder Engagement, Policy Development, Communications & Marketing, Waste Characterization, Procurement & Contract Assistance, Due Diligence, and Markets & Supply Chains. RRS also manages industry-specific initiatives including NextCycle Michigan (a circular economy accelerator program) and the Poly Coated Paper Alliance. The firm primarily serves municipalities, governments, brands, manufacturers, retailers, non-profits, and institutional clients across North America.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Materials & Organics Management Consulting service line covering recycling process optimization, organics diversion, food waste composting and anaerobic digestion solutions for municipalities, brands, manufacturers and institutions.
- Product & Packaging Sustainability Advisory services helping brands, manufacturers and retailers evaluate and improve product and packaging sustainability through lifecycle analysis, recyclability assessment, and circular economy strategies.
- Sustainability & Climate Action Strategic consulting developing and implementing climate action plans, carbon neutrality strategies and ESG reporting frameworks for organizations including cities, counties and higher education institutions.
- Strategic Initiatives Development and implementation support for extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs, recycling system optimization plans, policy development, and collaborative industry initiatives such as the U.S./Canada polystyrene recycling infrastructure study.
- NextCycle Michigan Michigan-based circular economy accelerator program facilitated by RRS that supports innovative community and organizational projects through mentorship, technical assistance, and funding opportunities.
- Poly Coated Paper Alliance National alliance managed by RRS to expand coated paper recycling under EPR through end market development and consumer education, targeting standard curbside recyclability of paper cups and ice cream tubs by 2028.
Quantifiable outcome
- 167% increase in volume of composted food waste at University of Michigan
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Resource Recycling Systems
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Resource Recycling Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Resource Recycling Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and minor.
- Polystyrene Recycling Alliance (PSRA)coreRRS partnered with the Polystyrene Recycling Alliance to conduct comprehensive study mapping polystyrene recycling infrastructure across US and Canada. Study identified 126 companies operating 169 facilities that process or reclaim polystyrene.
- Center for Sustainable Materials Management (CSMM)coreRRS served as technical partner to CSMM for comprehensive New York State recycling needs assessment. Supported data collection, synthesis, and presentation for Phase 2 findings revealing major gaps in recycling access and performance.
- Closed Loop PartnerskeyJoint development of MRF Best Practices Guide to help Material Recovery Facilities optimize operations amid changing economic and policy landscapes. RRS provided technical support and expertise.
- American BeveragekeyCollaborated with Closed Loop Partners and RRS to publish comprehensive MRF Best Practices Guide addressing challenges including rising contamination, volatile commodity markets, and EPR implementation.
- SignalFire Group (Subsidiary of RRS)coreSignalFire Group, a subsidiary of RRS, sponsors the EPR Academy - an on-demand training resource to help companies understand and comply with extended producer responsibility packaging legislation.
- Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)coreRRS conducted Michigan 2025 Battery Gap Analysis for EGLE, revealing over 10,000 tons of batteries end up in Michigan landfills annually. Study identified barriers and opportunities for battery circularity strategy.
- Circular Action Alliance (CAA)coreRRS collaborated with CAA to develop Oregon's first Extended Producer Responsibility program for packaging and paper products. Supported data collection from 240+ jurisdictions and developed investment schedule for recycling service expansion.
- Fashion for GoodkeyRRS collaborated on 'Sorting for Circularity USA' report exploring textile waste composition and consumer disposal behavior. Report identified $1.5 billion opportunity for fiber-to-fiber recycling in the US.
- Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI)keyOngoing collaboration on paper cup recycling initiatives. FPI's Community Partnership program expanded recycling access to 20% of US population. RRS compiled data supporting these milestones.
- Paper Cup AlliancekeyAlliance founding members including Graphic Packaging International, Clearwater Paper, Dart Container, Huhtamaki, Novolex, Seda, Smurfit Westrock, and Sustana collaborated to expand end markets for recycled paper cups from 4 in 2017 to 35 today.
- NextCycle MichigancoreRRS facilitates NextCycle Michigan initiative, an accelerator program helping communities and organizations develop circular economy projects. Program includes I2P3 Accelerator Track for collaborative waste reduction and recycling initiatives.
- Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)coreRRS conducted recycling contamination analysis and regulatory enhancement plan for ECCC, evaluating plastic contamination rates across 5 Canadian provinces to inform recycled content and labeling requirements.
- Poly Coated Paper Alliance (PCPA)keyRRS manages the PCPA, which launched national strategy to expand coated paper recycling under EPR. Alliance working to make paper cups and ice cream tubs standard curbside recyclables by 2028.
- Mexican Plastics PactminorPSRA announced partnership with Mexican Plastics Pact to boost HIPS dairy packaging recycling in central Mexico.
- Foam CycleminorPSRA collaboration with Nashville Department of Waste Services through Foam Cycle program for polystyrene recycling.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Resource Recycling Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Eunomia Research & Consulting: Independent environmental consultancy delivering policy, economic analysis, and recycling/circular economy advisory to governments and PROs across Europe, North America, and Australasia - closely comparable in service mix and client base to RRS.
- Cascadia Consulting Group: Seattle-based sustainability and resource management consultancy serving municipalities and businesses on waste prevention, recycling, and materials management planning - directly comparable to RRS in service lines and West Coast client base.
Broad incumbents
- SCS Global Services: Large, multi-disciplinary sustainability consulting and certification firm offering recycling system assessments, packaging evaluations, and circular economy advisory with global reach - overlapping RRS scope at greater scale.
- Antea Group: Global environmental, health, and sustainability consulting firm operating in compliance, ESG, and circular economy advisory for corporate and government clients - comparable as a broader environmental consultancy spanning RRS' domains.
- Environmental Resources Management (ERM): World's largest pure-play sustainability consultancy, with deep capability in circular economy, packaging, and waste advisory for global brands - comparable in offering scope but materially larger than RRS.
- Ramboll Group: Global engineering, sustainability, and consulting firm with significant circular economy, materials, and waste practice serving public and private sector clients - a broader incumbent that overlaps with RRS' full-stack service portfolio.
Emerging players
- GreenBlue: Non-profit organization advising companies on sustainable packaging, materials, and circular economy strategy - directly comparable to RRS' Product & Packaging Sustainability and Strategic Initiatives practice areas.
- Think Beyond Plastic: Circular economy advisory and materials consulting firm focused on plastic packaging and EPR program design - closer in niche specialization than most consultancies and a relevant emerging peer to RRS' EPR practice.
Others
- Circular Action Alliance: Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) implementing US state EPR programs - a partner to RRS on the Oregon program but also an adjacent ecosystem stakeholder competing for delivery work in EPR implementation.
- Closed Loop Partners: Investment platform and circular economy advisory firm funding and guiding recycling and reuse infrastructure - RRS partnered with Closed Loop Partners on the MRF Best Practices Guide, making it both a partner and adjacent ecosystem player in the same domain.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Resource Recycling Systems social profiles
Digital presenceResource Recycling Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Resource Recycling Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Resource Recycling Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Resource Recycling Systems M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Resource Recycling Systems
What does Resource Recycling Systems do?
Resource Recycling Systems is an employee-owned sustainability consulting firm that sells customized advisory services to public, private, and non-profit organizations across the recovery value chain. Its core offerings are organized into four service lines — Materials & Organics Management, Product & Packaging Sustainability, Sustainability & Climate Action, and Strategic Initiatives — delivered through capabilities such as planning, economic analysis, data and GIS mapping, waste characterization, policy development, stakeholder engagement, and training. The firm also runs managed programs including the NextCycle Michigan accelerator and the Poly Coated Paper Alliance.
Is Resource Recycling Systems a public or private company?
Resource Recycling Systems is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Resource Recycling Systems founded?
Resource Recycling Systems was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Resource Recycling Systems based?
Resource Recycling Systems is headquartered in Ann Arbor, United States, in the North America region.
How does Resource Recycling Systems make money?
One revenue line is on record: sustainability Consulting Services.
Who are Resource Recycling Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Eunomia Research & Consulting and Cascadia Consulting Group. Broad incumbents are SCS Global Services, Antea Group, Environmental Resources Management (ERM) and Ramboll Group. Emerging players are GreenBlue and Think Beyond Plastic. Others are Circular Action Alliance and Closed Loop Partners.
Does Resource Recycling Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Resource Recycling Systems.
What industry is Resource Recycling Systems in?
Resource Recycling Systems's product category is Sustainability Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAH, Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration, with a secondary code of BPABALAB, On-site Recycling Programs (Single-Stream, Source-Separated). Its NAICS code is 5614 and its SIC code is 4953.