CONTAINER RECYCLING INSTITUTE

CRI aims to increase not only the quantity of recycled beverage containers in the US but the quality, in order to ensure that recovered materials are clean enough for use by manufacturers. Primary goals are to increase the number of US states with deposit-return laws; to improve the quality of materials recovered in curbside recycling programs and drop-off bins; and to ensure that citizens, lawmakers, recyclers, bottlers and regulators understand that recycling is not a one-size-fits-all operation.

CRI conducts original research on policies and practices that increase recycling of beverage containers and other materials; analyzes, documents and produces peer-reviewed studies on the economic, environmental, social and energy impacts of container recovery and wasting; identifies and evaluates a wide range of reuse and recycling options, including container deposit-return, curbside recycling and EPR (extended producer responsibility) programs; provides objective data, technical assistance and expert testimony to states, provinces and countries seeking to increase recycling rates; creates, maintains and circulates numerous databases on container manufacturing, consumption, recycling and wasting; creates and hosts forums and webinars on key resource recovery issues; maintains strong media relations, including frequent articles and interviews in leading trade publications and the national press; maintains strong communications channels, including two websites, weekly e-mail newsletters, quarterly newsletters, periodic special reports, social networks and a CRI listserv; and works closely with individuals, organizations, manufacturers, legislators, academics and local, state and federal governments. The collaborative nature of CRI's efforts, coupled with a reputation for objectivity, accuracy and diplomacy, are the keys to CRI's effectiveness.

CRI accomplishes its goals through a highly competent and productive professional staff, a highly committed board, ongoing relationships with media and the trade press, and an extensive network of local and regional alliances with industries, regulatory agencies, academics and grassroots organizations.

Probably the most meaningful measure of CRI's effectiveness is that the US has seen no net loss in deposit-return programs since CRI's founding, despite continual and well-funded efforts by the beverage industry to eliminate or weaken such legislation. On the contrary, almost every deposit-return program in the country has been expanded to include more beverage and/or container types, an accomplishment that would almost certainly have been impossible without the data and analysis provided by CRI.