Short answer: APCO is reviewing the evidence behind the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) under its Uplift Program. APCO says no immediate action is required, but some on-pack labels may change over time, so recycling panels are best designed to be updated cheaply.
The ARL is the most visible recyclability instruction on Australian packs. APCO, the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, has published a page titled “Shaping the Future of the ARL” describing a review of how the label works. For designers and brand owners, the useful question is not what the final outcome will be, because APCO says no decisions have been made on several points. It is how to avoid being caught out by it.
What the ARL is, in brief
APCO describes the ARL as an on-pack label that gives clear and simple instructions on how to recycle each separable packaging component. It includes the Not Recyclable ARL, the Conditionally Recyclable ARL and the Check Locally logo. Recyclability is assessed through PREP, the Packaging Recyclability Evaluation Portal, which checks whether packaging can be collected, sorted, reprocessed and reused or made into another item. The label is for ARL Program Members, which include brand owners and packaging manufacturers, who receive logo templates and a style guide through the APCO Member Centre.
APCO also notes that the Check Locally logo applies where between 60 and 80 per cent of the Australian kerbside population has access to a council collection service.
What APCO says is under review
- The rules behind the label. APCO is reviewing the evidence that determines which ARL appears on a pack, with a primary focus on kerbside recycling. Some components may need an updated label where the evidence supports a different disposal instruction. APCO says many current settings may stay unchanged.
- Icons and presentation. APCO is considering whether the current icon set and guidance remain clear and accessible. No decisions have been made.
- Other disposal pathways. APCO is exploring how future versions might cover alternate destination or away-from-home pathways. No decisions have been made.
- Governance and reporting. A revised ARL methodology manual may be published. ARL Annual Audits will be paused for two years, and separate ARL reporting is paused until the Uplift Program is completed and future requirements are confirmed. Broader APCO reporting obligations are unchanged.
What is not changing yet
APCO states that brands should keep using the ARL under current guidance and continue their usual assessment and reporting. Brands contacted by the ARL Compliance Team should still respond to the current reporting cycle. For any material change, APCO says it will consult members and stakeholders, and that a transition window is typically 18 to 24 months. It also says it will align timing with normal packaging review cycles and consider other labelling or regulatory artwork changes.
What this means for artwork
None of this requires a redesign. It does reward a few habits that make a later label change cheap rather than disruptive.
- Keep the recycling panel modular. Place the ARL in its own clearly defined area, separate from the main brand layout, so a component-level change affects one block of artwork rather than the whole pack.
- Label each component, not the pack. The ARL is component-based. Lids, sleeves, labels and trays can each carry a different instruction, so build artwork files and approvals with that in mind.
- Run every component through PREP. Sustainability Tracker, an industry commentary site, lists “assumed” labels, copied by analogy from a similar product, as a common mistake. PREP assessment is the safer basis.
- Reassess when something changes. The same source notes that a new material, format or supplier is a trigger to reassess, because the right label can differ.
- Add the check to your artwork calendar. Schedule a recyclability review whenever a pack is already due for a reprint or refresh, which is the cycle APCO says it intends to align with.
Keep claims inside the evidence
The ARL is not the only environmental message on a pack. The ACCC has published guidance on greenwashing, and its position is that environmental claims should be accurate and supported by evidence. Any extra “eco” icon or phrase sitting beside an ARL deserves the same scrutiny as the label itself.
The practical takeaway
Brand owners who are APCO members should watch for updates from their relationship manager and treat the 18 to 24 month window as the planning horizon for any confirmed change. Everyone else can use the review as a prompt to check that existing recycling panels are accurate today. For how the label sits alongside other symbols, see our guide to packaging marks and symbols.
General information to help you plan, not legal or professional advice. Always confirm current requirements with APCO or your designer before you print. Sources: APCO (apco.org.au), Sustainability Tracker, ACCC.