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By Pia Baker, Marketing Director, Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR)This spring, something remarkable happened in communities across the country: thousands of people walked into recycling facilities and saw, for the first time, what really happens to their recyclable materials after they drop them in the bin.
As part of APR’s inaugural month, 36 facilities in 20 states opened their doors to the public. More than 150 tours gave thousands of people a close-up look at the highly technical process of sorting, cleaning, and preparing recyclable materials for a second life. And here’s what we learned: seeing is believing.
We launched this initiative because we know misinformation has clouded public perception of recycling. One common myth we hear over and over is that almost none of what we put in the recycling bin is actually recycled. But that’s simply not true. In fact, more than 70% of PET and HDPE bottles—like the water bottles and milk jugs most of us use every day—are recycled when they are placed in the bin.
And when people had a chance to see that process with their own eyes, their confidence in recycling soared:
- 85% of attendees said they came away believing recycling works better than they previously thought
- 74% expressed strong confidence that what they put in the bin actually gets recycled
- 70% said they now feel more confident in their ability to recycle correctly
- 82% are very likely to share what they learned with others
That’s exactly the kind of mindset we need to build a stronger, more effective recycling system!
At the same time, Recycling in Action wasn’t just about educating the public—it was also about showing why continued policy support and infrastructure investment are essential to building a more circular economy. Some tours attracted the attention of policymakers who wanted to see recycling work in their districts. One notable example: Representative Hillary Scholten (D-MI-3) toured the Schupan Beverage Recycling facility in Western Michigan, where she highlighted the facility’s role in driving both environmental progress and local economic development.
The initiative also captured the attention of local media outlets, helping more people understand how recycling works in their communities. From deep dives into innovative facilities to firsthand accounts of the tours, some coverage included:
These stories helped extend the reach of Recycling in Action, bringing even more visibility to the work being done by APR members and partners.
At APR, we’ve always believed in the power of transparency. Recycling in Action gave people a direct line of sight into what happens inside Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) or Plastic Reclaimers where optical sorters, robotic arms, and conveyor belts work together to separate materials by type and quality and process them into new materials.
These facilities are vital parts of a national system that, in 2022 alone, recycled 5 billion pounds of plastic, keeping the equivalent of 340 truckloads a day out of landfills.
The success of this campaign belongs to our members and partners, who opened their doors and shared their expertise. Special thanks to APR member companies who opened their doors: Casella, Circular Services, Eureka Recycling, KW Plastics, PureCycle, Republic Services, Schupan Recycling and WM. It also belongs to the everyday people who showed up, asked questions, and left better equipped to participate in a system that works—when we all do our part.
We’re proud of what we accomplished this year, and we’re not stopping here. Planning is already underway to expand Recycling in Action in 2026, bringing more people into more facilities, in more communities.
Because the truth is simple: recycling works. And more people deserve the chance to see it in action.
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» Publication Date: 29/07/2025
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