APR Recycling Demand Champions Campaign generates 175 million pounds of PCR demand in its third year

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), Washington, says its program designed to expand market demand for recycled plastics has generated more than 175 million pounds, or 87,500 tons, of new demand for postconsumer resin (PCR) in its third year.

When the program launched in 2018, it increased PCR demand by 6.8 million pounds. In its second year, it increased PCR demand by 25.9 million pounds, the association says.

“We are thrilled with the growth we have experienced over the past year, particularly during the challenges the world faced in 2020,” Ali Briggs-Ungerer, APR director of market development, says. “While the crisis caused by the pandemic rages on, many big name-brand companies that had previously announced great initiatives to use more PCR in their products scaled back their sustainability goals. The companies participating in the APR Recycling Demand Champions Campaign are true leaders.”

APR Recycling Demand Champions that increased their use of PCR in the past year include:

• Annie's; 
• Automated Drop Stations LLC (Blusion Laundry); 
• Avangard Innovative; 
• Berry Global; 
• Champion Infiltrator; 
• Chick-fil-A; 
• Clean Tech Inc.; 
• Coldkeepers LLC; 
• Colgate-Palmolive; 
• Dart Container Corp.; 
• Dow; 
• EcoEnclose; 
• EFS-plastics Inc.; 
• Fabri-Kal Corp.; 
• Happy Family Organics; 
• Keurig Dr. Pepper; 
• Nestle Waters North America; 
• Novolex; 
• PAC Worldwide; 
• Pactiv Evergreen Inc.; 
• PakTech; 
• PepsiCo; 
• Procter & Gamble; 
• Rehrig Pacific Co.; 
• Revolution; 
• ScottsMiracle-Gro; 
• Target; 
• The Toro Co.; 
• Unilever; 
• UPM Raflatac; 
• Viva; and
• Waste Management. 

The APR says the level of demand increase seen in 2020 resulted in major economic and environmental benefits, including preventing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 45,494 passenger vehicles driven for one year, creating 2,000 jobs in plastics recycling and providing a new life for a years’ worth of all of the plastic recyclables from a city the size of Chicago.

“Creating new market demand, which is essential to the success of plastics recycling, is a key focus for APR,” says Steve Alexander, president and CEO of APR. “Even in these rapidly changing times, some facts remain – a strong and effective recycling chain is of paramount importance to protecting the environment and achieving climate and economic sustainability.”