Resource Recycling Systems

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

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

• Sustainability consulting
• Circular economy advisory
• Recycling program design
• Materials management services
• Extended producer responsibility

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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

Core 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

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and minor.

• Polystyrene Recycling Alliance (PSRA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026RRS 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)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2025RRS 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 PartnerskeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2025Joint 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 BeveragekeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2025Collaborated 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)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2025SignalFire 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)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 5 May 2025RRS 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)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 September 2024RRS 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 GoodkeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2024RRS 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)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing 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 AlliancekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance 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 MichigancoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRRS 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)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRRS 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)keyImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRRS 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 PactminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSRA announced partnership with Mexican Plastics Pact to boost HIPS dairy packaging recycling in central Mexico.
• Foam CycleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSRA collaboration with Nashville Department of Waste Services through Foam Cycle program for polystyrene recycling.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct 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

• Xx.com/recycle_com
• Facebookfacebook.com/resourcerecyclingsystems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Resource Recycling Systems