APR and RecyClass Report Further Alignment on Global Plastic Recyclability Standards

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and RecyClass have released the third annual progress update on their joint effort to harmonize global recyclability standards for plastic packaging.

The collaboration, launched to improve consistency between North American and European recyclability guidance, focuses on aligning technical assessments and design-for-recycling criteria used across the plastics value chain.

Among the latest developments, the organizations reported alignment on design guidance for natural polypropylene packaging, agreement on tie-layer materials considered compatible with polyethylene film recycling, and a common approach to evaluating blue tints in PET packaging.

APR and RecyClass said the work is intended to reduce fragmentation in recyclability assessments as packaging producers face increasingly complex regulatory and reporting requirements across multiple markets.

“As we wrap up our third year of collaboration, our partnership with RecyClass continues to deliver meaningful alignment and progress,” said Steve Alexander, president and CEO of APR. “Together, we are strengthening global design for recyclability guidance, supporting innovation, and advancing practical solutions that move the plastics value chain closer to a circular economy.”

The organizations said they conducted coordinated testing campaigns over the past year, sharing data and aligning evaluation methods where possible. The approach was designed to reduce duplicated testing efforts while improving consistency in technical outcomes adopted by each group’s review committees.

Paolo Glerean, chairman of RecyClass, said harmonized standards are becoming increasingly important as legislative requirements around packaging recyclability continue to evolve globally.

“Our collaboration with APR enables us to base alignment on scientific evidence, reduce divergences in recyclability assessments, and provide clearer guidance to the entire plastics value chain,” Glerean said.

Both organizations said further joint testing initiatives are planned, targeting additional packaging formats and material combinations. Future work will continue focusing on strengthening Design for Recycling guidelines and improving interoperability between regional recyclability frameworks.

The collaboration comes as brand owners, packaging converters and recyclers face growing pressure to standardize packaging design in response to extended producer responsibility schemes, recycled-content mandates and recyclability labeling requirements.

Differences between regional recyclability standards have historically created compliance and product development challenges for multinational packaging producers, particularly in flexible packaging and multi-material formats.

Industry groups have increasingly pushed for technical alignment as governments in Europe, North America and Asia introduce stricter packaging circularity regulations.

Source: The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR)

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