APR and ANIPAC Sign Cooperation Agreement to Support Plastic Recycling and Circular Economy Development in Mexico

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) and Mexico’s National Association of Plastics Industries (ANIPAC) have reached a cooperation agreement aimed at improving the recyclability of plastic products, promoting international design guidelines for recyclability, and advancing the upgrading of Mexico’s circular economy industry.

The cooperation aims to establish a platform for technological and strategic synergy, promoting advanced practical standards across the entire plastics value chain, covering the full process from packaging and product design, material recycling and reprocessing, to the re-entry of recycled materials into end markets.

APR is the largest international non-profit organization in North America focused on optimizing plastic recycling. It will provide supporting technical tools, professional training courses, and product design standards to help improve the recyclability of plastic packaging and expand the market application channels for post-consumer recycled materials.

Since 1961, ANIPAC has represented Mexico’s entire plastics industry. Leveraging its full value-chain resources spanning raw material producers, recycling companies, equipment manufacturers, traders, and plastics processors, it promotes the implementation of internationally recognized standards across the industry and enhances the overall competitiveness of the local plastics sector.

Steve Alexander, President and CEO of APR, said that collaboration among North American industry organizations is a key lever for harmonizing regional recyclability standards and advancing the circular economy.

“By working together, industry organizations across North America can improve recycling infrastructure, unify common technical standards, and accelerate the plastics industry’s transition toward a circular and sustainable model,” Alexander said.

ANIPAC President Benjamín del Arco stated, "This signing is a strategic initiative to enhance the competitiveness and green development capabilities of the Mexican plastics industry. Implementing international recyclable design guidelines can align with market demands and environmental policy requirements, delivering efficient solutions while providing clear technical reference for all participants in the entire industry chain."

For ANIPAC, this collaboration further consolidates its position as a hub in Mexico’s plastics industry chain, leveraging technological innovation, empirical data, and international cooperation to implement industry optimization solutions. The association has consistently emphasized that putting the circular economy into practice depends on coordination among industry, government, and society, while also requiring detailed standards and well-developed infrastructure as support.

Under the cooperation agreement, the two institutions will carry out exchanges of technical and regulatory information, implement joint projects, and provide specialized talent training, while establishing recyclable design guidelines for plastic packaging and finished products adapted to the Mexican market.

With increasingly stringent controls on solid waste management and related regulations, this collaboration will help Mexico align with global plastic recycling trends, benchmark against domestic and international standards, and strengthen the technical capabilities of the local industry.

Building on this collaboration, APR and ANIPAC will implement a range of practical initiatives, leveraging ecosystem-based product design to improve plastic recycling efficiency, foster the recycled materials market, and support the transition toward more sustainable production and consumption patterns in Mexico and the surrounding region.