APR unveils its APR Design Assessment Tool

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) revealed its new APR Design Assessment Tool at Pack Expo 2025. Powered by Recyda, the tool evaluates the recyclability of entire plastic packages, not just individual components. Set to launch in Q1 2026, the digital platform combines live updates from the APR Design Guide for Plastics Recyclability with smart technology that provides packaging designers, brands, and manufacturers with real-time, actionable insights. APR partnered with software provider Recyda to bring the solution to market.

The solution will help users optimise packaging for recyclability, flag missing data, reduce compliance risks, and prepare for emerging legislative and regulatory reporting requirements. With APR being a leading authority on plastics recyclability in North America, the company offers trusted third-party verification, helping companies avoid self-appraisal risks while continuously assessing packaging portfolios against the latest design guidance.

“For more than three decades, the APR Design Guide has been the gold standard for recyclable plastic packaging design,” said Steve Alexander, APR President & CEO. “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.”

Key benefits of the APR Design Assessment Tool:

• The only assessment tool APR manages directly.
• Goes beyond component self-assessments and analyses the entire package with third-party verification.
• Streamlines packaging data management, reducing errors and supplier back-and-forth.
• Helps companies meet EPR and other reporting requirements.
• Automatically updates with new APR guidance.

With three subscription levels, the solution is accessible to companies of various sizes. The first two provide access to the APR Design Assessment Tool Powered by Recyda, while the third enables the Recyda Enterprise Solution with Built-In APR Design Guide.

Starter APR Design Assessment Tool powered by Recyda includes: 

• Unlimited single-package assessments.
• Real-time updates allow users to stay up to date with the latest APR Design Guide.
• Warnings for missing information and design corrections.
• Integrated with APR Design Recognition to confirm validated components.

Core APR Design Assessment Tool, powered by Recyda, includes (in addition to the previous tier): 

• Users can upload multiple packages at once using CSV templates organised by packaging format type.

Advanced Recyda Enterprise Solution with built-in APR Design Guide includes (in addition to the previous tiers): 

• Automatic API integration with systems (EPR, PLM, SAP, etc.).
• Built-in, live APR Design Guide ruleset.
• Users can evaluate non-plastic packaging and standards across 20+ countries.
• Forecasting tools for EPR fees and potential cost savings.
• Interactive dashboards and exportable reports.