AMERIPEN Launches 2013 Membership Incentive: Up to 3 Months Free If Companies Join Now

WAKEFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The American Institute for Packaging and the Environment (AMERIPEN) has kicked off its 2013 membership drive, offering an incentive for companies that join and pay dues in the fourth quarter of 2012. Any new participant's membership year will extend until December 31, 2013, giving the company up to three months of membership benefits and participation at no additional cost, including attendance at the upcoming members-only meetings at Pack Expo. AMERIPEN is a cross-sector non-profit North American industry and trade organization that advocates and educates on environmental packaging issues.

“We are very pleased with industry's positive response to our initiatives. However, in order to deliver on our goals as our stakeholders desire, more hands are needed”

AMERIPEN is launching this membership drive to engage additional participants to help drive its programs forward. Companies are urged to become members as soon as possible in order to participate in AMERIPEN’s face-to-face working meetings on October 30, during the Pack Expo 2012 event in Chicago. Project groups that will meet include the Value of Packaging Team, the Financial Platform Team, and the Recovery Team; more details follow below. A general members meeting is also scheduled.

"We are very pleased with industry's positive response to our initiatives. However, in order to deliver on our goals as our stakeholders desire, more hands are needed," said Joan Pierce, AMERIPEN Executive Director. "Our current members, in collaboration with our Technical Advisory Group, have worked hard: we have met important milestones, and we're grateful for their efforts. But, we can't place the growing burden on just a few strong backs. For our projects to be truly successful, we need broad input from all industry sectors. I hope our 'bonus quarter' incentive will encourage new companies from across the packaging value chain to join us and help make a difference."

Some of the benefits for new members include:

Access to the Product Recovery Knowledge Map (PRKM), an interactive web-based knowledge mapping tool with a first-of-its kind compilation of packaging data by type across all phases of the recovery system, from generation to processing, which can help determine the next most logical steps to drive recovery performance
Team membership

Value of Packaging Team – works with value chain stakeholders to promote the benefits of continuously improving packaging, so as to provide maximum functional value with minimum economic, environmental and social impact. New members are needed to help establish the communications strategies, themes and messages

Recovery Team -- focused on increasing the use of recovered packaging materials. For companies that are part of the recovery value chain or have established targets for the use of recycled packaging materials, this team provides opportunity for a direct impact on packaging material recovery rates in the United States. Resource Recycling Systems is providing project management for these activities under the leadership of Jim Frey and Anne Johnson; pilot projects now being formed are actively seeking participants

Financial Platforms Team – creating a comprehensive document assessing six global EPR (extended producer responsibility) programs, with anticipated release in early 2013

Government Affairs Committee – chartered to deploy AMERIPEN positions and information (advocacy), advise the AMERIPEN Board of Directors on policy development, and identify gaps where AMERIPEN needs to develop additional information to support advocacy. Currently this committee is preparing a position on EPR

AMERIPEN welcomes companies that support the philosophy of a collaborative trade and industry organization, active and cooperative issue resolution, and material and packaging system neutrality. Voting Membership is open to all packaging value chain economic operators. Information on membership is available at the AMERIPEN website.

About AMERIPEN

The American Institute for Packaging and the Environment (AMERIPEN) engages with thought leaders in the packaging industry ‒ including representatives of trade associations, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and government agencies ‒ to facilitate relevant research and identify key data and standards to advance the organization’s mission. Additionally, AMERIPEN engages on public policies affecting the packaging value chain on topics related to packaging and the environment, and represents the interests of the industry, which includes raw material producers, packaging manufacturers, packaging users and fillers, retailers, and material recovery organizations. For more information, visit www.AMERIPEN.org.

AMERIPEN, the AMERIPEN logo, and The Power of Packaging in Balance are trademarks of the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment.

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