PSRA and R3vira partner to expand expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling infrastructure and recovery efforts across Mexico.
The Polystyrene Recycling Alliance (PSRA), a self-funded initiative of the Plastics Industry Association, has announced a strategic partnership with R3vira, a Mexico City–based organisation focused on community-driven polystyrene (PS) recovery across Latin America’s largest metropolitan area.
Based in Washington, PSRA said the collaboration aligns with its broader mission to build a more robust circular economy for polystyrene across North America. By supporting established collection and processing systems, the partnership demonstrates how polystyrene can be effectively recovered, recycled and reused when the right infrastructure and end markets are in place.
As part of the agreement, R3vira will double the collection capacity of its innovative micro-route system from 12 to 24 active pathways, significantly increasing the recovery and recycling of high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) and expanded polystyrene (EPS) during the year.
“Expanding access to recycling is essential to enabling true circularity for polystyrene,” said Justin Riney, Chair of the PSRA. “This partnership with R3vira reflects the practical, infrastructure-focused solutions our coalition works to advance—solutions that meet communities where they are and demonstrate how polystyrene can be collected, recycled and returned to the market as a valuable resource.”
“By pairing strong end markets with innovative, community-based collection models, we’re showing that polystyrene can play a meaningful role in a more inclusive and scalable circular economy,” he added.
PSRA noted that its investment will support key infrastructure upgrades, including densification equipment, expanded warehouse facilities, and workforce development across all 16 boroughs of Mexico City. Through R3vira’s partnership with Mexican PS manufacturer and supplier Resirene, the recovered material will undergo closed-loop processing to produce U.S. FDA-approved recycled polystyrene resin, which will be reintegrated directly into new packaging applications.
Martha Melesio, Founder and Director of R3vira, said the partnership would accelerate the organisation’s impact. “Partnering with the Polystyrene Recycling Alliance allows us to build on the collection systems we’ve developed over the past five years and take them to the next level. With PSRA’s support, we can significantly increase polystyrene recovery volumes, strengthen reliable end-market pathways, and continue creating stable local jobs tied directly to recycling operations across Mexico City.”
She added that the collaboration highlights how circular economy solutions can deliver both environmental benefits and economic opportunities at the community level.