Alliance for Mission-Based Recycling

The Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers (AMBR) unites community recyclers to advance zero waste solutions and advocate for policies that prioritize environmental health and community benefit.

About the program

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About the program

Advancing Zero Waste Through Policy and Community Action

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The Ecology Center is a founding member of the Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers (AMBR), a national network advancing equitable, transparent, and environmentally responsible recycling systems. Grounded in zero waste, AMBR prioritizes reuse, repair, and high-quality recycling to reduce pollution and keep materials in circulation.

AMBR challenges profit-driven waste systems by centering community benefit, environmental health, and worker well-being. Through collaboration and policy advocacy, the Alliance promotes accountability and elevates models that deliver real environmental and social impact.

By supporting mission-driven recyclers, AMBR reduces plastic pollution, strengthens local economies, and advances a more just and sustainable future.

The Ecology Center has been a national leader in community-based recycling since launching one of the country’s first curbside recycling programs in Berkeley in the 1970s. For decades, it has advanced zero waste solutions through public service, education, and policy advocacy.

Building on this legacy, the Ecology Center joined with like-minded organizations across the country to form the Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers (AMBR) in 2019. The Alliance brings together nonprofit and mission-driven recyclers with deep roots in their communities, many of whom have decades of experience operating recycling and reuse programs grounded in zero waste principles.

As global recycling systems have faced growing challenges, including rising plastic production, export disruptions, and a lack of transparency, AMBR has emerged as a leader in the industry, championing best practices and innovative policies. Today, the Alliance advances ethical, community-centered recycling models while advocating for policies that reduce waste at the source, strengthen domestic infrastructure, and ensure recycling systems serve people and the environment, not profit.

About Alliance for Mission-Based Recycling

Frequently Asked Questions

According to the EPA, plastics make up more than 12 percent of the municipal solid waste stream, “a dramatic increase from 1960, when plastics were less than one percent of the waste stream.” US residents are buying more plastic, and only about 8 percent of it gets recycled. The plastics industry rarely uses recycled plastics in the vast majority of their products, unlike the glass and metal industries. The recycling arrows stamped on plastic products and the cities that collect every type of plastic via their recycling programs lead people to believe that all plastic products are recyclable and being recycled, and that’s simply not true. Non-recyclable plastics are separated and landfilled.

The Ecology Center currently picks up clean, rigid plastic containers, but we encourage people to avoid buying plastics whenever possible, since most plastics are not recyclable in the same way that glass, metals, and fibers are. Plastics are typically turned into only one other product, which must be landfilled at the end of its life. As the plastics recycling infrastructure develops and viable new plastics markets emerge, the Ecology Center will evaluate the collection of other plastics, based on operational, cost, and environmental concerns.

Some plastics we know are toxic, such as #3, which is also known as PVC or vinyl. PVC contains phthalates and heavy metals, and creates dioxins when it burns. Other plastics contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), which has been identified as a chemical that disrupts hormones. Plastics can contain thousands of possible additives, and manufacturers are not required to disclose what their recipes are. Any plastic can leach, depending on the conditions (light, heat) and what additives it includes. The Ecology Center recommends avoiding plastics when possible, particularly in toys and products for children, and products that come in contact with food or drink.

Because plastics and their ingredients are pervading our oceans and waterways, invading the bodies of humans and wildlife, and filling landfills (with new and once recycled plastic) the Ecology Center recommends eliminating plastics from your life, as much as possible.

To get started, consult our handy fact sheet, Get Plastic Out of Your Life.

We also highly recommend Beth Terry’s blog, My Plastic-Free Life.