The APR (Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers) is the largest alliance of plastic reclaimers in America, representing companies that total more than 94% of the country’s plastic processing capacity, along with Canada and Mexico. APR is continually seeking new ways to strengthen environmentally responsible and economically viable production of recycled post-consumer plastics.
To meet the increasing need for recycled resins, there is a strong demand for new feedstock. Rigid recyclable plastics, like those found behind-the-counter in supermarkets, provide important feedstock for reclaimers and other stakeholders in the plastic recycling industry.
APR developed the website www.recyclegroceryplastics.org with help from the American Chemistry Council – the result of 2½ years of work, which included two studies. The purpose of its creation is to provide a tool for the grocery industry as it looks for new methods of ‘greening up’ its plastic recycling initiatives.
A conservative estimate is that 350 million pounds of rigid recyclable plastics are generated every year by more than 35,000 medium to large size supermarkets in the U.S. An average-sized grocery store generates at least 40 pounds of rigid containers every week, with bigger stores generating 60 pounds or more. If pharmacy stock bottles, spools, etc. are included, there’s the potential to double this volume.
A higher cost savings from recycling rigid plastics is realized by stores with pharmacies because RX stock bottles represent about 50% of the weight of rigid plastics.
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