PR3 is the Global Alliance to Advance Reuse.
Reuse, once the norm, is key to solving the plastic and climate crises. Our mission at PR3 is to empower reuse systems. We developed the only global standards for reuse and now convene a multi-sectoral panel to maintain and revise them. With our partners, we advance Reuse Standards to support the shift from single-use packaging.
News and Events
The PR3 Container Standard is available for public comment
The PR3 Container Standard covers several important aspects of reuse systems, including: durability of containers, container material, washability considerations, and filling containers at point of sale and manufacturing facilities. It is important that we receive input from the broadest set of stakeholders, including anyone that may be impacted by these new systems. Your perspective will be helpful to ensure we have robust and equitable standards that serve all constituents.
SPACER
The PR3 Washing Standard is available for public comment
The PR3 Washing Standard covers several important aspects of reuse systems, including: wash facility layout and equipment, employee protections, container washing and inspection, container protection during redistribution, and wash facility record keeping and performance tracking. It is important that we receive input from the broadest set of stakeholders, including anyone that may be impacted by these new systems. Your perspective will be helpful to ensure we have robust and equitable standards that serve all constituents.
SPACER
PR3 in the Global Commitment 2024 Report
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Global Commitment 2024 Progress Report notes the need for “bold, collective business action and policy change” to address plastic packaging waste and pollution. PR3’s work to advance reuse standards is highlighted as a key initiative needed to overcome hurdles to scaling reuse.
Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel Members
Updated September 2024
Consumer
Center for Environmental Health
Consumer Reports
Safer States
Environmental and Social Justice
Break Free From Plastic
Clean Water Fund
DietPlastik Indonesia
Eunomia Research & Consulting
Food Packaging Forum Foundation
Greenpeace East Asia
National Resources Defense Council
Oceana
Perpetual
Plastic Free Future
Story of Stuff
Surfrider
The Descendants Project
Upstream
Zero Waste Europe
Zero Waste Hawai'i Island
Zero Waste Malaysia
Government
City of Seattle, Seattle Public Utilities
San Francisco Environment Department
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
Workers
adansonia.green
Eureka Recycling & AMBR (the Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers)
GAIA
Mother Earth Foundation
Business
Again Again
Ahold Delhaize
Algramo
American Beverage Association
Anchor Packaging
Australian Packaging
Covenant Organization
Bo
Bold Reuse
Busch Systems
Closed Loop Partners (McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Starbucks)
Dispatch Goods
Dotch
Earth & Organics
ECHO Systems
Enviu
Heket Packaging
Huskee
LimeLoop
Loop/TerraCycle
Made
Mars
Muuse
Nestle
New ERA
Okapi Reusables
Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative
Orora
PAC Global
r.World
Re Company
Re:Dish
re-universe
Reusable Packaging Europe
Reusables.com
Revino
Revolusation Inc.
Searious Business
ShareWares
SUPZero
Target Corporation
The Clorox Company
Tomra
Trace It, LLC
TriCiclos
Turë
Unilever
Unpackaged Systems Ltd.
U.S Plastics Pact
Vessel Works
Xiclo
Testing and Standards
China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation
CSA Group
ECOS
KIDV
Packwise
PR3/RESOLVE
Reverse Logistics Association
The Reuse Opportunity and the Global Plastic Treaty.
What is reuse & returnable packaging?
Imagine you buy a coffee or snack in durable packaging and when finished, you place the empty container into a reuse bin on the street, the office, or at home. The container gets picked up, washed, and redistributed. This cycle is repeated dozens or hundreds of times - all enabled by smart technologies that move the packaging through washing and logistics. The system is efficient, convenient, and affordable, and works for most packaged goods. It also reduces plastic packaging production by 90% and saves up to 80% of carbon emissions compared to single-use packaging. This is the kind of reuse system the Global Plastic Treaty can enable and help scale around the world.
The stakeholders in the reuse ecosystem
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Integrate reuse systems into climate and waste strategies as well as local and national economic development.
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Promote policy and reuse systems that adhere to standards in order to ensure environmental performance.
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Collaborate with other stakeholders on the design of reuse systems and infrastructure to unlock investment and scale.
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Play a lead role in the design and implementation of the reuse economy.
Announcements and Recent Activities
NOVEMBER 7, 2024
Panel Meeting: The next meeting of the PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel will be on November 19, 2024, and November 20, 2024. If you are interested in participating in the Panel, please contact the PR3 team.
OCTOBER 25, 2024
The PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel initiated the public comment period on PR3’s Container design and performane standard (RES-001). RESOLVE’s Project Initiation Notification was published in ANSI’s Standards Action Vol. 55, No. 43. Review and add your comments by December 9th.
OCTOBER 18, 2024
The PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel initiated the public comment period on PR3’s Container washing, inspection and packing for distribution standard (RES-002). RESOLVE’s Project Initiation Notification was published in ANSI’s Standards Action Vol. 55, No. 41. Review and add your comments by December 2nd.
OCTOBER 12, 2024
New Workgroup: The PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel launched its fifth workgroup, which will focus on revising PR3’s System operation and performance standard (RES-005). RESOLVE’s Project Initiation Notification was published in ANSI’s Standards Action Vol. 55, No. 41.
OCTOBER 10, 2024
The PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel initiated a ballot on PR3’s Container Design standard (RES-001).
OCTOBER 10, 2024
The PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel initiated a recirculation ballot on PR3’s Container washing, inspection, and packing for distribution standard (RES-002).
SEPTEMBER 9, 2024
Panel Meeting: The next meeting of the PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel will be on October 8, 2024, and October 9, 2024. If you are interested in participating in the Panel, please contact the PR3 team.
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AUGUST 13, 2024
Panel Meeting: The next meeting of the PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel will be on August 27, 2024, and August 28, 2024. If you are interested in participating in the Panel, please contact the PR3 team.
JUNE 28, 2024
PR3 and Upstream are excited to announce they are the recipients of the Department of Energy’s Re-X Before Recycling prize. Upstream and PR3, close collaborators, are both leading change agencies in the reuse movement, paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient economy. Read more about the prize here.
JUNE 5, 2024
Panel Meeting: The next meeting of the PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel will be on June 25, 2024, and June 26, 2024. If you are interested in participating in the panel, please contact the PR3 team.
MAY 21, 2024
Panel Meeting: The next meeting of the PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel will be on May 28, 2024, and May 29, 2024. If you are interested in participating in the panel, please contact the PR3 team.
MAY 10, 2024
The PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel initiated the public comment period on PR3’s Container washing, inspection and packing for distribution standard (RES-002). RESOLVE’s Project Initiation Notification was published in ANSI’s Standards Action Vol. 55, No. 19. Review and add your comments here by June 24th.
APRIL 23-29, 2024
Read PR3’s recommendations for the Global Plastics Treaty.
APRIL 19, 2024
New Workgroup: The PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel launched its fourth workgroup, which will focus on revising PR3’s Digital standard(RES-004). RESOLVE’s Project Initiation Notification was published in ANSI’s Standards Action Vol. 55, No. 16.
MARCH 26, 2024
The PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel initiated a ballot on PR3’s Container washing, inspection, and packing for distribution standard (RES-002).
MARCH 21, 2024
Panel Meeting: The next meeting of the PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel will be on April 2, 2024, and April 3, 2024. If you are interested in participating in the panel, please contact the PR3 team.
JANUARY 19, 2024
Panel Meeting: The next meeting of the PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel will be on January 30, 2024, and January 31, 2024. If you are interested in participating in the panel, please contact the PR3 team.
NOVEMBER 15, 2023
INC-3 | Nairobi, KenyaOn behalf of PR3 The Global Alliance to Advance Reuse, Rémi Parmentier, submitted an intervention to the Global Plastics Treaty.
“I commend the delegations who have emphasized the need to agree to a definition of the word reuse. Such a definition must be clear and strict, in line with the Waste Management Strategy which – as several delegations have reminded – places prevention and minimization as the preferred option.
Reuse and recycling are two different things – Recycling has a role for end of life if products are reused dozens of times. But otherwise, it encourages single-use packaging which only contributes to plastic proliferation -- Reuse is the only way forward. Recycling has almost no climate benefits, while reuse drastically reduces emissions.
Yesterday, the representative of ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, stated the willingness of the organization to participate in intersessional work on definitions, including the definition of reuse.
I would like to second ISO’s proposal of intersessional work on definitions, and express PR3’s own willingness to participate in INC’s definition of reuse standards and criteria.
I invite you to go to www.pr3standards.org to learn about PR3’s Reuse Standards to support and empower the move away from single-use packaging.”
NOVEMBER 13-19, 2023
Read PR3’s recommendations for the Global Plastics Treaty
SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
New Workgroup: The PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel launched its third workgroup, which will focus on revising PR3’s Labeling standard (RES-003). RESOLVE’s Project Initiation Notification was published in ANSI’s Standards Action Vol. 54, No. 38.
AUGUST 7, 2023
Panel Meeting: The next meeting of the PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel will be on September 6, 2023 and September 7, 2023. If you are interested in participating in the panel, please contact the PR3 team.
AUGUST 4, 2023
New Workgroup: The PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel launched its second workgroup, which will focus on revising PR3’s Washing, Sanitization and Foodware Handling standard (RES-002). RESOLVE’s Project Initiation Notification was published in ANSI's Standards Action Vol. 54, No. 31.
APRIL 26, 2023
New Workgroup: The PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel launched its first workgroup, which will focus on revising PR3’s Containers standard (RES-001). RESOLVE’s Project Initiation Notification was published in ANSI's Standards Action Vol. 54, No. 19.
APRIL 13, 2023
ANSI Accreditation: RESOLVE’s accreditation under its proposed operating procedures for documenting consensus on RESOLVE-sponsored American National Standards was approved by the American National Standards Institute.
MARCH 21-23, 2023
Kick-off: RESOLVE officially launched its Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel. This panel will carry forward the work of evolving PR3’s reuse standards and pursue accreditation through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization on Standardization (ISO). The panel already includes over 60 organizations, including multinational FMCGs, brands, and retailers, over a dozen reuse enterprises, community groups and environmental justice advocates, city and national government officials, human health and toxics experts, and others. Over the coming years, this diverse group of stakeholders will work to align around key parameters for returnable packaging systems, creating the foundation for systems that are affordable for businesses and consumers, equitable and accessible, safe, and better for the planet than single-use. PR3 continues to accept panel applications. Representatives from all impacted sectors are encouraged to participate.