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

Rebrand Reuse - Accepting Submissions Now!

PR3’s Global Standards Panel launched Rebrand Reuse, a global design initiative open to all, inviting designers to create a standard reuse symbol: the icon of the future. The new symbol will accelerate the shift away from single-use waste and drive mainstream awareness, understanding, and behavioral change toward the multi-use economy we need.

Submit your design today at rebrandreuse.org

Read more

SPACER

PR3 at the Green Sports Alliance Reuse Symposium

Get in the game with leaders of the reuse movement! Discover how to rally fans, supercharge excitement around reuse, and drive a winning impact for communities and the planet—all through the power of sports.

Learn more and register here

SPACER

PR3 Director and Co-Founder named Grist 50 Climate Leader

Each year, the Grist 50 list features 50 climate leaders bringing unique and innovative solutions to their field, their community, and the world. This year we are delighted to announce that PR3 Co-Founder and Director Amy Larkin has been named a Grist 50 Fixer.

Link to Profile

Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel Members

Updated February 2025

Consumer

  • Center for Environmental Health

  • Consumer Reports

  • Safer States

Environmental and Social Justice

  • Break Free From Plastic

  • Californians Against Waste

  • Clean Water Fund

  • DietPlastik Indonesia

  • Eunomia Research & Consulting

  • Food Packaging Forum

  • 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

Business

  • Again Again

  • Ahold Delhaize

  • Algramo

  • Anchor Packaging

  • APTIM

  • Australian Packaging Covenant Organization

  • Bettercup

  • Bo

  • Bold Reuse

  • NextGen Consortium (McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Starbucks)

  • Dispatch Goods

  • Dotch

  • Earth & Organics

  • ECHO Systems

  • Enviu

  • Heket Packaging

  • Huskee

  • LimeLoop

  • Loop/TerraCycle

  • Made

  • Milton Innovations

  • Muuse

  • Nestle

  • New ERA

  • Okapi Reusables

  • Orora

  • PAC Global

  • r.World

  • Re:Dish

  • re-universe

  • Reusables.com

  • Revino

  • Revolusation Inc.

  • Searious Business

  • ShareWares

  • Target Corporation

  • Tiptoe Sustainability

  • 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

  • RESOLVE

  • Reverse Logistics Association

Workers

  • adansonia.green

  • Eureka Recycling & AMBR (the Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers)

  • GAIA

  • Mother Earth Foundation

reuse Sanitizing Facility

The Reuse Opportunity

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 a shared digital language to move 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 PR3 is working to scale around the world.

The stakeholders in the reuse ecosystem

  • Integrate reuse systems into climate and waste strategies as well as local and national economic development.

  • Promote policy and reuse systems that adhere to standards in order to ensure environmental performance.

  • Collaborate with other stakeholders on the design of reuse systems and infrastructure to unlock investment and scale.

  • Play a lead role in the design and implementation of the reuse economy.

Announcements and Recent Activities

APRIL 29, 2025

Panel Meeting: The next meeting of the PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel will be on April 29, 2025, and April 30, 2025. If you are interested in participating in the Panel, please contact the PR3 team.

MARCH 11, 2025

Panel Meeting: The next meeting of the PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel will be on March 11, 2025, and March 12, 2025. If you are interested in participating in the Panel, please contact the PR3 team.

JANUARY 2, 2025

Panel Meeting: The next meeting of the PR3 Reusable Packaging System Standards Panel will be on January 28, 2025, and January 29, 2025. If you are interested in participating in the Panel, please contact the PR3 team.

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.

    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, Kenya
    On 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.