APR certification for recycled plastic

The demand for recycled plastic continues to grow worldwide. At the same time, customers, brand owners and legislators are setting increasingly higher requirements for the origin, quality and traceability of recycled materials. With APR certification, you can independently demonstrate how much post consumer recycled (PCR) plastic your organization uses and where this material comes from. Kiwa supports organizations in obtaining an APR certificate according to the APR PCR Certification Standard. As the only independent certifier in the world, Kiwa offers both APR and RecyClass certification. This enables organizations active in multiple international markets to efficiently combine their certifications.

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What is APR?

APR stands for Association of Plastic Recyclers, the leading trade association for plastic recycling in North America. The APR PCR Certification Standard was developed to enable organizations to independently demonstrate how much post consumer recycled plastic they use and how the traceability of this material is ensured. The certification scheme helps companies substantiate reliable claims about their use of recycled plastic and increases the confidence of customers, buyers and other stakeholders.

Also active in the European market?

In addition to APR, Kiwa also offers RecyClass certification, a certification scheme widely used in Europe to demonstrate the quality, traceability and transparency of recycled plastic. RecyClass supports organizations in meeting the requirements of the European market and addresses the growing demand for reliable information about recycled materials. As the only independent certifier in the world, Kiwa offers both APR and RecyClass certification. Learn more about RecyClass.

Who is APR certification for?

APR certification is suitable for organizations that produce, process or trade post consumer recycled plastic, including:

  • Plastic recyclers
  • Manufacturers of plastic compounds
  • Converters
  • Manufacturers of plastic products
  • Brand owners
  • Distributors and other organizations that want to demonstrate their use of PCR plastic.

What does an APR audit assess?

During the audit, Kiwa assesses whether your organization meets the requirements of the APR PCR Certification Standard. This includes looking at:

  • The origin of the post consumer recycled plastic
  • The traceability of material flows
  • The mass balance of recycled material
  • The registration of incoming and outgoing material flows
  • Process control
  • Quality assurance
  • Documentation and internal controls

After a positive assessment, your organization receives an APR certificate.

What are the benefits of APR certification?

With APR certification, you:

  • Independently demonstrate how much post consumer recycled plastic is used
  • Increase the transparency of your material flows
  • Strengthen the confidence of customers and other stakeholders
  • Support sustainability and circularity goals
  • Meet the expectations of the North American market
  • Have an internationally recognized certificate for PCR plastic.

What does the certification process involve?

The certification process generally consists of the following steps:

    Assessment of your organization and activities

    Determining whether APR certification is suitable for your products and processes

    Preparing for the audit and reviewing the required documentation

    On site audit by a specialized Kiwa auditor

    Assessment of the audit results and issuance of the certificate

    Periodic follow up audits to maintain the certification

Combining APR and RecyClass

Many organizations supply products to customers in both Europe and North America. In that case, it may be beneficial to obtain both APR and RecyClass certification. Kiwa is the only independent certification body to offer both certification schemes. This means that audits can be combined where possible. This reduces the audit burden, prevents duplicate work and makes the certification process more efficient and often more cost effective.

Why APR certification by Kiwa?

Kiwa has an international team of specialized auditors with extensive knowledge of plastic recycling, traceability and quality assurance. Our experts support organizations worldwide in demonstrating the quality and origin of recycled plastic. Thanks to our experience with both European and North American certification schemes, we can guide organizations that operate internationally and need one reliable certification partner.

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