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Executive Summary -
National Mixed Rigid Plastic Bale Composition Study &
Analysis of Non-Bottle Rigid Plastic Available for Recycling
Fall 2011
Overview of the APR Rigid Plastics Recycling Committee
The Association of Post Consumer Plastics Recyclers (APR), North America’s largest alliance of plastics reclaimers, represents companies totaling over 94% of the post-consumer plastic recycling processing capacity. APR is constantly seeking new ways to strengthen the economically viable and environmentally responsible recycling of post-consumer plastics.
In 2008 APR created the Rigid Plastics Recycling Program to increase the recycling rate of rigid plastics beyond #1 and #2 bottles. Rigid plastic recycling “stakeholders” - collectors, recyclers, brand users, resin producers and public policy makers - are openly discussing the issues, concerns and problems towards creating non-bottle rigid plastic recycling solutions. A national approach to rigid plastic recycling, collection infrastructure for rigid plastics, and the availability of post consumer polypropylene recycled resin are some of the long term goals of the program.
Purpose of Study
This study was undertaken to determine the composition of the various types of mixed rigid plastic bales generated in North America and to provide a theoretical estimate of the volume and type of nonbottle rigid plastic available for recycling. Making more accurate estimates of the types, volume and destination of rigid plastic waste currently are recycled, and understanding the type and tonnage of rigid plastic available for recycling in North America will strengthen and advance non-bottle rigid recycling.
Overview of Study
Moore Recycling Associates and the APR Rigid Plastic Recycling Committee have identified seven distinct types of mixed resin bales being produced in North America that contain non-bottle rigid plastic – 1.All Rigids Bale, 2.Bottles & Containers Bale, 3.Prepicked Bale, 4.Small Containers Bale, 5.Tubs & Lids Bale, 6.Bulky Rigids Bale and 7.Olefin Bale. Using these seven bale types as a base, twenty nine bales were sorted from 24 MRFs located on the West Coast, East, Midwest and Canada. In addition, other bales which contained non-bottle rigid plastics and became available to the “team” were also sorted. Before the bales were sorted they were photographed and weighed. In total, between product
categories and resin type, baled material was divided into 82 sorts. All percentages in report are based on weight.
Please click here to view a PDF of this entire document, including results of the study.
The full 77 page study is available to purchase from the APR. It contains a breakout of each type of bale, sorted by product and resin categories and shows average percentage of each category in the bale as well as data from two specific bales sorted. In addition, Appendix’ includes detailed sort data broken down both by bale type/product category and by bale type/ resin. Report also includes information on five additional bale types which were sorted – Colored HDPE bottles with Olefin containers, Mixed PP, Mixed HDPE, All Rigid with Film,
and Residual.
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