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A Word About Recycling

A Word About Recycling

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Last Thursday, our nation celebrated Earth Day… a day designed to reflect on how wonderful our earth is to have all the natural resources we have been blessed with to make our life just that much more comfortable. Unfortunately, we shouldn’t have to be reminded of this on just one day a year, but every day of the year.

Our nation is so very blessed with not only having all these natural resources to use, but also the knowledge and capability to use them for our good, our economy, and for the betterment of all our citizens.

With that acknowledgment, let’s go to the topic of plastics which we haven’t addressed for a while. (And what would our life be without plastics which surround us and the use many each day… whatever did mankind do before they came into being?)

From a recent Resource Recycling newsletter devoted to plastics, we found part of it addressing a number of small headline-type items on what some companies/ organizations are doing was interesting. We hope you do too. So here are some of them, copied directly, not in any order, but just as they caught our attention. Some names you may recognize.

BIC announced a line of pens, pencils, markers and other stationery products made from at least 50% recycled plastic. The line includes pens made from 73% ocean-bound plastic

UBQ Materials, which produces a composite thermoplastic material from municipal solid waste, will supply its product to Keter Group, a manufacturer of plastic household and garden consumer products.

Consulting firm Eunomia published a report, funded by Ball Corporation, assessing recycling rates for common containers and packaging materials in all 50 states.

Social enterprise Plastic Bank announced it has prevented 1 billion plastic bottles from entering oceans

Trex, which uses recycled film to produce composite decking products, launched a packaging labeling initiative as part of its NexTrex Retail Recycling Program.

Equipment supplier ST Robotics released the latest model in its line of Delta robots, low-cost industrial robotic systems designed for high-speed picking on recycling plant conveyors.

Keurig Dr Pepper announced that its Snapple beverage packaging will be revamped and the new design will be made from 100% post-consumer plastic. (I'll drink to that!)

Resin supplier Avient rolled out a masterbatch made with 100% post-consumer resin.

Equipment supplier Erema reported greater demand for its ReFresher modules, which deodorize recycled plastics.

The Foam Recycling Coalition opened a grant submission process to support additional projects that advance expanded polystyrene recycling.

Anchor Packaging, a thermoform manufacturer that uses RPET, is investing $21.5 million in an Arkansas plant expansion.

Hershey announced 2030 environmental goals, including making all of its packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable.

Post-industrial plastics processor Mumford Industries began producing Retrieve film, made from 100% recycled plastic, for industrial and commercial use.

Novoloop developed a thermoplastic polyurethane made from post-consumer PE, designed for use in footwear, sporting goods and other applications.

United Solutions, which produces the Rubbermaid brand of plastic products, introduced the ECO line of storage products that are made from 100% recycled material

The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) announced that its Demand Champions program generated more than 175 million pounds of new demand for PCR during the past year.

Closed Loop Partners announced the winners of its Beyond the Bag initiative, which kicked off last year to explore alternatives to traditional plastic bags in the retail sector.

The Coca-Cola Company rolled out a 13.2-ounce bottle made from 100% recycled PET. The bottle was introduced in select U.S. markets for Coca-Cola trademark beverages.

TerraCycle Regulated Waste launched a BulkPak Recycling Program, which collects hard-to-recycle materials, including personal protective equipment (PPE), coffee pods, lids and stirrers, on pallets.

San Marcos Record

(512) 392-2458
P.O. Box 1109, San Marcos, TX 78666