Two of the largest recycling events in the United States and Europe have formed a strategic alliance. The move brings together the U.S.-based Plastics Recycling Conference and the Plastics Recycling Show Europe (PRSE) as the recycling of plastics takes on increasing global importance.
The alliance brings together four key stakeholders:
- Resource Recycling Inc. of Portland, Ore.
- The Association of Plastic Recyclers of Washington, D.C.
- Crain Communications Inc. of Detroit
- Plastics Recyclers Europe of Brussels
“Plastics recycling is a worldwide industry. It makes sense to bring together the two biggest organizers in this space for the benefit of our exhibitors and attendees. It’s our collective hope that this will expand the opportunities for education and industry development,” said Brennan Lafferty, vice president at Crain Communications. Crain owns the Plastics Recycling Show Europe in a joint venture alongside industry group Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE), which represents 80 percent of the plastics recycling content generated in Europe.
“I attended PRSE and was immensely pleased by the number and quality of the attendance, plus the depth of the accompanying speaker agenda. We’re very pleased to work together in providing the leading plastics recycling events in Europe and North America,” said Jerry Powell, the president of the Plastics Recycling Conference, which is owned by Resource Recycling Inc.
The Plastics Recycling Conference will hold its 14th annual event in March 2019 just outside Washington, D.C. The event draws 2,000 attendees annually alongside more than 200 exhibitors, 120 sponsors and 60 speakers.The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) supports the event and holds its annual committee meetings at the conference. APR represents companies who acquire, reprocess and sell the output of more than 90 percent of the post-consumer plastic container processing capacity in North America.
The Plastics Recycling Show Europe will host its third annual event in April 2019 at the RAI Amsterdam in The Netherlands. The event draws 1,400 attendees, more than 100 sponsors and exhibitors, 30 conference speakers and an awards ceremony recognizing advancements in European plastics recycling.
”The alliance will further boost plastics recycling initiatives, developments and projects on the global level,” said Ton Emans, president, Plastics Recyclers Europe. “These initiatives, including the Global Coalition to Harmonize Testing Protocols launched by PRE together with APR last year, are needed to streamline the plastic industry practices worldwide and to fight the marine litter more effectively.”
“As a longtime partner with Resource Recycling’s Plastics Recycling Conference, APR is pleased to learn that Crain Communications and Plastics News have entered into an agreement with Plastics Recycling Europe and the Plastics Recycling Conference to promote both events,” said Steve Alexander, APR president. “APR’s work with PRE to create a global definition of plastics recyclability and the Global Plastics Protocol have reinforced the importance of these broader collaborations, and will only serve to enhance the viability of plastics recycling as an industry on a worldwide scale.”
The alliance of these two recycling events also brings together important media partners. Plastics News and Plastics News Europe support the Plastics Recycling Show Europe. Resource Recycling magazine and Plastics Recycling Update support the Plastics Recycling Conference.
Other industry bodies supporting the Plastics Recycling Show Europe include the European Association of Plastics Recycling & Recovery Organisation (EPRO), European Plastics Converters, Petcore Europe, Plastics Europe and Vinyl Plus.
In addition to its longtime connection to APR, the Plastics Recycling Conference is supported by a number of industry groups, including the American Chemistry Council, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries and the National Association for PET Container Resources.
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