AMERIPEN and RRS Report: Best Practices for State Recycling Market Development Centers
October 13, 2021 – State governments, businesses, NGOs, and recyclers are driving recycling market activities, expanding the focus on developing domestic circular economies. AMERIPEN and Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) are pleased to release the Best Practices for State Recycling Market Development Centers report to be used as a tool to assist state governments and related stakeholders in establishing or improving local recycling market development centers.
According to the guide, “A state recycling market development center is an agency-led or third-party-led entity or program typically established and funded by state governments focused on facilitating growth within the recycling industry through market development activities.”
“The concept of recycling market development centers is not new. In the early 1990s, state-led programs existed in North and South Carolina, Minnesota, New York, and Washington,” said Bryce Hesterman, consultant for RRS. “Now, with restricted export markets, advancement in related technology, expanding requirements for recycled content, and increasing focus on creating domestic circular economies, there is a renewed interest in developing more of these centers.”
The best practices guide expands on four primary topics of focus for those looking to develop a state recycling market development center:
- Establishment: the formal framework for the center
- Funding: sources for operating and implementing the center
- Operations: how the center is directed, staffed, and governed
- Programming: center’s activities and the supportive tools and resources
“AMERIPEN was established on the premise of supporting sustainable solutions for the packaging value chain, including driving a circular economy. With an increasing number of companies setting voluntary recycling and recycled content goals, ensuring we have the systems in place to support these goals is essential to our success. Developing recycling end markets is key to that effort” said Dan Felton, executive director for AMERIPEN. “Our goal for the best practices guide is to assist governments and other stakeholders to advance the discussion and take action toward developing recycling market development centers that benefit the economy, communities, and the environment.”
Several existing recycling market development programs in the U.S. provided insights towards the development of the report that is available for free download on the AMERIPEN website: https://www.ameripen.org/page/state-market-development
AMERIPEN and RRS will host a free public webinar on October 20 to present key findings, discuss the impact of the report, and discuss the value of recycling market development with some of the organizations who contributed to the report. Interested parties can register here: https://www.ameripen.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1563954
###
About AMERIPEN
AMERIPEN – the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment – is a coalition of packaging industry entities dedicated to improving packaging and the environment. We are the only material neutral packaging policy association in the United States and our membership represents the entire packaging supply chain, including materials suppliers, packaging producers, consumer packaged goods companies and end-of-life materials managers. Our Vision is for packaging to be recognized for all its benefits, including preventing waste and driving a circular economy and our Mission is to be the leading voice for the packaging industry, using science to inspire, create and advocate for sustainable solutions for the packaging value chain. www.ameripen.org
About RRS
Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, RRS is a sustainability and recycling consulting firm that strives to create a world where resources are managed to maximize economic and social benefit while minimizing environmental harm. The firm has industry professionals, engineers, economists, technical analysts, and communication specialists who share this vision and possess core strengths in materials and recovery, life cycle management, applied sustainable design, and collaborative action development. www.recycle.com