What is Post-Consumer Resin (PCR) and Should You Use It?

Plastics have changed the way we live our lives and manufacture our goods, but not without their share of issues, particularly in ecological sustainability. Using recycled plastics is an option to help offset these issues and produce greener products, but understanding the different types and their uses, including the most well-known post-consumer resin (PCR), is vital before you start talking to a manufacturer about its inclusion in your products. Learn more about the various types of recycled polymers and their uses in your next product.

What is Post-Consumer Resin (PCR)?

The term post-consumer resin is part of the “plastic vocabulary” of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO, the same organization that issues our ISO certifications). The different types—which we go over below—refer to where plastic is recovered in the life cycle. For post-consumer resin, it refers to end-user products that have fulfilled their intended purpose and can no longer be used (also known as post-use resins).

The Other Types of Recycled Plastics in Manufacturing

Before we go over the pros and cons, let’s review the other two major types of recovered polymers, post-industrial resins and pre-consumer resins. While similar, they are not exactly the same, and their quality and utilization differ from those of post-consumer resins.

Post-Industrial Resin Recycling

This is a polymer resin used in injection molding and other industrial processes, then recovered for reuse. An example would be thermoplastic resins, which can be melted multiple times without issue. This means waste material from injection molding can be recovered and put back into use almost immediately in post-industrial resin (PIR) recycling.

Pre-Consumer Resin Recycling

Alternatively, pre-consumer resins are materials that never made it to consumers. These are generally finished plastic parts that were either recovered for recycling due to manufacturing defects or products that never shipped to retail or consumers. This can include industrial shipping materials recovered and returned before entering the waste stream.

Picking the Right Thermoplastics for Your Parts

The type and amount of recycled resin for your products will often depend on your requirements, cost factors, our mission statement, and the types of consumers you’re targeting for sustainability. Some things to keep in mind:

• Post-Consumer Resins often include select types of plastic and plastic products, such as plastic film, bottles, jugs, buckets, and packaging materials. There is generally a mix between recycled and “virgin” resins.
• Post-Industrial Resins are generally the easiest to reuse, especially materials generated as part of the manufacturing process, as recovery and reuse do not require complicated logistics or handling.
• Pre-Consumer Resins are often niche materials, and your manufacturer should always work to limit part defects through extensive QA. However, as with post-industrial resins, there is less cleaning required.

If you’re reviewing your options for recycled resins in your plastic products, it’s time to reach out to us. At Midstate Mold, we’re serious about our impact on the environment. We’re a turnkey manufacturer that uses green alternatives in our production—including biopolymers and we are dedicated to quality control to ensure there’s minimal waste. If you want to work with a company striving for ecological sustainability, contact us today.