The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) recently announced updates to the APR Design® Guide for Plastic Recyclability to align with RecyClass, the European based non-profit initiative focused on advancing plastics circularity. The APR Design® Guide will now state that six percent of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) is allowed for HDPE containers.
“Because the recycling process is very similar in both geographies, packaging will likely be processed similarly,” said Curt Cozart, APR chief operating officer. “Although some differences exist, APR Design® Guidance is nearly the same as RecyClass. The APR® Design Guide previously allowed for five percent EVOH in HDPE containers but will update to six percent to align with RecyClass Design for Recycling Guidelines.”
Through their respective technical committees, APR and RecyClass are accelerating global alignment of recyclability principles. In these groups, scientific data, gathered based on standardized testing protocols, is shared and serves as the base for discussions on uncovering the complexities of plastic packaging.
Guidance on the use of EVOH in PP containers have also been streamlined through this collaboration.
“To achieve a truly circular future for plastics, harmonization is essential,” commented Paolo Glerean, chairman of RecyClass. “The real value of the collaboration between APR and RecyClass is evident in these latest recommendations, providing clearer guidance to the plastics industry globally. These joint efforts will allow the plastic packaging value chain to standardize their products on a larger scale and make the path towards the circular use of plastics more cost efficient.”