Image courtesy of the Association of Plastic Recyclers
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), Washington, has announced the new APR Design Assessment Tool, powered by German software company Recyda. APR claims the new tool is the only platform that evaluates the recyclability of entire plastic packages—not just individual components.
APR plans to launch the new digital platform in the first quarter of 2026. It combines live updates from the APR Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability with smart technology to give packaging designers, brands and manufacturers real-time, actionable insights. The organization says it helps companies optimize packaging for recyclability, flag missing data, reduce compliance risks and prepare for emerging legislative and regulatory reporting requirements.
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APR notes its ability to offer third-party verification, helping companies avoid the risks of self-appraisal while continuously assessing packaging portfolios against the latest design guidance.
The APR Design Assessment Tool was demonstrated for the first time at Pack Expo 2025 in Las Vegas, held Sept. 29-Oct. 1, and will be shown again at APR’s Fall Member Meeting in Salt Lake City Oct. 21-23.
“For more than three decades, the APR Design Guide has been the gold standard for recyclable plastic packaging design,” APR President and CEO Steve Alexander says. “This new tool takes that legacy to a new level, giving companies a one-stop solution to improve recyclability and compliance while saving time and money.”
APR partnered with Recyda, which develops software specializing in sustainable packaging, to bring the new tool to market. Along with full-package evaluation and savings, for example, APR says the assessment tool is compliance ready, helping companies meet extended producer responsibility (EPR) and other reporting requirements as policies evolve across states and countries.
APR will offer three subscription tiers for the assessment tool in the effort to make it accessible for companies of any size. The first two tiers provide access to the assessment tool, and the third enables the Recyda Enterprise solution with the built-in APR Design Guide.
The “Starter” subscription tier meant for first-time users and package developers comparing single packages. APR says the tool includes unlimited single-package assessments; real-time updates to stay current with the latest APR Design Guide; warnings for missing information and needed design corrections; and is integrated with APR Design Recognition to confirm validated components.
The “Core” subscription tier is geared toward growing teams and portfolios with up to 100 SKUs and includes the same features as the “Starter” tier but adds the ability to upload multiple packages at once using CSV templates organized by packaging format type.
The “Advanced” tier is aimed at global enterprise companies and includes all the features of the first two tiers, plus automatic API integration with systems (EPR, PLM, SAP and more). Additionally, APR says the third tier includes a built-in, live APR Design Guide; the ability to evaluate non-plastic packaging and standards across more than 20 countries; forecasting tools for EPR fees and potential cost savings from design changes; and interactive dashboards and exportable reports for internal and external use.