The Need: APR firmly believes that companies want to design packaging that is recyclable and sustainable. The process of creating a recyclable package can be complex and confusing. To ensure a package’s compatibility with recycling, package designers must measure each aspect of a package design against industry accepted criteria. However, most package designers are not also recycling experts, and a package design that is recyclable in region of the world or the United States may not be recyclable in another.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has created new challenges for education and collaboration, both within and across teams and organizations.
The Solution: With the APR Design® for Plastics Recyclability Training Program, APR’s experts walk your team through the design process, offering customized guidance to meet the unique needs of your company and its products. In 2020, APR expanded its training programs into the virtual arena, offering full detailed trainings and abbreviated “lunch and learn” training sessions.
What makes it particularly smart or circular? The virtual training programs allowed APR to reach an even larger audience and enabled global companies to engage more team members across departments and geographies. Increased education and collaboration across teams results in better packaging in more places!
Results, Benefits, and Outcomes to Date:
Conducted 1 on site full day APR Design® Guide Training Program session prior to shut down for the pandemic before transitioning to a virtual program which allowed APR to reach an even larger audience within some global companies. We completed 8 virtual programs with audiences throughout the US, Canada, India, Europe and the far East. The attendees came away with expert advice specific to their package portfolios and a clearer understanding of not only what changes to make, but also why they matter.
Benefits:
Which of the Pact’s 4 Targets does your work help achieve? TARGET 2: 100% of plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025
What’s Next? When it is safe to do so, APR plans to resume regional training programs. Our regional training programs are scheduled periodically and are paired with a facility tour. The focus is more generalized and is ideal for companies just getting started thinking about recycling design and/or companies on a tight budget. Contact us to be notified of upcoming events of this type.
Core Team, Partners, & Participants: APR, Package Design Engineers, Sustainability Managers, Product and Market Managers, Procurement Managers
Quote: “Let us help you design better packaging,” said Curt Cozart, APR’s Chief Operations Officer and manager of the APR Design® Guide Training Program. “The APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability is the most comprehensive resource in the marketplace today, and you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.”
Attachments:
APR Recycling Demand Champions 3 Year Comparison
APR Recycling Demand Champions Year 3 Report