Association News

APR STEPS UP MEMBERSHIP EFFORTS

The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR), Washington, has stepped up its efforts to expand its membership and become more financially independent.

“I am excited about the number of prospective companies who are interested in becoming members,” said Peter Lobin, head of APR’s membership recruitment activities. APR has already signed Evergreen Plastics Limited, a PET reprocessor from Mentor, Ohio; Champion Polymers, a reprocessor of HDPE, LDPE and PP from Winchester, Ky.; and Merlin Plastic Supply, Inc., a reprocessor of PET and HDPE located in Delta, British Columbia, Canada.

Membership qualifications are being broadened to include machinery and chemical suppliers, waste haulers, material recovery facilities and others. “We would eventually like to see all companies that have a vested interest in post-consumer plastics recycling be a part of APR,” says Lobin.

APR currently receives some funding from the American Plastics Council and NAPCOR. “The APR is working to sustain itself financially and recognizes that it needs to be more inclusive instead of exclusive,” said Dennis Sabourin, APR chairman and vice president of Wellman Inc, Shrewsbury, N.J.

APR is comprised of companies who acquire, reprocess and sell postconsumer plastics. Its membership includes independent recycling companies of all sizes and the recycling divisions of several major resin suppliers.

CAROLINA RECYCLING ASSOCIATION FORMED

The North Carolina Recycling Association (NCRA) and the South Carolina Recycling Association have finalized their agreement to form the Carolina Recycling Association (CRA). This is the first time in the country that two state recycling organizations have partnered to form a single entity. The merger, which was announced late last year, becomes effective on July 1.

CRA will have more than 625 members. Association staff offices will be in Raleigh, N.C.

ITRA OFFERS CREDIT CARD PROGRAM

The International Tire and Rubber Association (ITRA), Louisville, Ky., is offering a new processing program to its members designed to help them save money on credit card sales. ITRA has endorsed EFS National Bank to provide the association’s members with credit and debit care processing as well as check verification services.

The program’s Visa/MasterCard rate is 1.45% plus 20 cents per transaction or 1.61% with no transaction fee.

ITRA represents those segments of the transportation industry that manufacture, repair, recycle, sell, service or use new or retreaded tires.