APR announces second annual Plastics Recycling Showcase

The APR Plastics Recycling Showcase, a program designed to highlight and promote innovations that have a positive effect on plastics collection and recycling, is accepting nominations.

Developed by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), Washington, the second annual program focuses on recently commercialized innovations developed by APR member companies. The APR has added a category focused on community engagement to the 2017 Showcase. The nomination deadline is Oct. 31, 2016. 

“This program is part of APR’s Champions for Change Program, which was created to encourage innovators to address technical challenges facing plastic recyclers,” says John Standish, APR Technical Director. “We recognize that innovation drives the growth of recycling and is essential to the success of the plastics recycling industry.” 

Possible candidates include the following types of recently commercialized technology or programs:

• packaging products;
• processing equipment;
• recycling process step improvement;
• bale capability;
• collection or supply capability for postconsumer plastics;
• PCR (postconsumer resin) products, products with high PCR content or new applications of PCR;
• community education programs;
• demonstration programs within communities to identify new approaches to collection or materials processing; and
• studies and reports that benchmark today’s capabilities and identify best practices or improvement opportunities.

Showcase recipients are selected by a committee made up of APR members representing a variety of roles within the value chain. The selected innovators will be recognized during The APR Technical Forum, held in conjunction with the Plastics Recycling Conference, March 6, 2017, in New Orleans. Showcase innovations will be displayed at the APR booth during the 2017 Plastic Recycling Conference and during other trade shows throughout the year. They will also be featured on the APR website and in an APR Educational Web Seminar.

The APR thanks the 2016 innovators for their commitment to the growth of plastics recycling:

• multipurpose high-density polyethylene (PE) cable reel from Carris Reels;
• Coca-Cola’s “Simply Beverages” line of juices and juice drinks with Constantia SpearRC Pressure Sensitive Labels;
• PE and PP (polypropylene) compatibilization with Dow Intune olefin block copolymers;
• Indorama's PolyClear EBM PET 5507 resin for extrusion blow molding; and
• Autosort Flake by TOMRA Sorting Solutions.

Additional information and applications are available at www.plasticsrecycling.org/champions-for-change/programs.