Post Consumer Recycled (PCR) Material
Demand Hub
Table of Contents
About
Strong, dependable demand for post-consumer recycled materials is critical to making the recycling system work. When stable end markets aren’t in place, recyclers lack the economic motivation to collect, sort, and process used packaging and products. Organizations and individuals can support recycled markets by purchasing products or materials with post-consumer recycled content (PCR).
The PCR Material Demand Hub highlights programs and resources that organizations can leverage through their purchasing power to strengthen domestic markets for recyclable materials. By prioritizing post-consumer recycled content, participants can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with virgin material production and manufacturing, while also decreasing pollution and material waste.
As the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) Demand Champion Program outlines, consistent demand for North American PCR is necessary to scale recycling. To realize this, organizations can take the following three actions:
1) Commit to PCR Use: Integrate PCR into manufactured products or facility purchases, prioritizing certified North American PCR.
2) Secure Long-Term PCR Supply Agreements: Establish contracts for purchasing North American PCR and product containing recycled content.
3) Expand PCR Adoption: Utilize PCR in non-standard formats or specify PCR in purchased goods to drive market demand.
Explore Recycled Content and Environmentally Preferably Purchasing (EPP) resources below.
Roadmap and Examples
APR Recycling Demand Champions Program
APR’s Recycling Demand Champions Program, supported by The Recycling Partnership, recognizes companies that commit to long-term use of North American post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR). These organizations aren’t just diverting plastic from landfills and the environment; they’re strengthening North American demand, encouraging investment in high-quality, certified PCR, and supporting the shift toward a more circular economy.
Whether you’re a Maker or Buyer, your commitment supports plastic recycling and drives demand for recycled materials. All forms of PCR use are welcome, and companies are encouraged to participate as both Makers and Buyers to maximize their impact.
Learn more and sign up here.
Green Product Directories
EPA’s CPG Product Supplier Directory
includes manufacturers, vendors, and suppliers for each product so you can use it to search for specific companies and products. Products with reused and recycled content generally reduce embodied carbon, the environmental footprint across the full lifecycle of the product.
APR’s Buyers and Sellers Directory connects buyers and sellers of recycled plastic commodities and resins. Explore the variety of recycled plastics that APR members purchase and sell. This directory lets you search by resin, form and material source.
SCS Global Services Certified Green Products Guide offers a directory of green products certified by SCS in various categories. SCS offers verification and certification in a variety of environmental categories.
Intertek’s Sustainability Certification Directory allows you to search for verified recycled content products across a variety of materials and products. Search for the product name and apply the Recycled Content Program filter.
The EcoPaper Database is a large database of high recycled content and Next Gen paper and packaging powered by the Environmental Paper Network, which offers information on responsible pulp and paper programs.
Join EPPnet!
EPPnet is a forum for procurement specialists charged with purchasing green products and services.
Email Sophie Leone at sophie@nerc.org to be added to the listserv.
Recycled Content and Environmentally Preferrable Purchasing (EPP) Resources
Explore recycled content and EPP resources in the PCR Demand Hub & EPP Resource Directory. The directory features governmental resources (federal, state, and local), organizational resources that include material and product specific organizations and ones that provide certification and standards for recycled content. Search filters are source category and material or product, as outlined below.
Many of the state government resources include a product and/or standards directory.
Source Category
*The source category indicates the source and/or type of organizational resource.
Material or Product
*Recycled content is prioritized in the material or product category significance, however other environmental benefits may be denoted.
- Certification & Standards
- Local Government
- State Government
- Federal Government
- Non-Profit / NGO
- Aluminum
- Cleaning Products
- Electronics
- Glass
- Plastic
- Paper
- Steel
- Textiles and Fiber
- Tires
- & More
ReCon Tool & GHG Equivalencies Calculator Manual
This manual provides an overview for how to use the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Recycled Content (ReCon) tool and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Equivalencies calculator. Both are helpful to calculate the amount of GHG averted by purchasing products with recycled content. These tools can be used to calculate a wide variety of recycled materials including paper, plastics, and metals.
