A Word About Recycling with Ollie Maier

Today we’ll talk a little about how some companies are joining together to better recycle plastic and others are working towards making plastic containers reusable — a little like the glass milk bottles used a number of years ago.

From a Recycling Today newsletter, I read about a global company called Sims Recycling Solutions (SRS) working with the HP company to incorporate more of an improved recycled plastic material into HP products. They each have invested millions into the project,

In 2018, when China stopped taking recycled plastic from other countries, it wasn’t long before other countries, such as Vietnam, stopped taking it also. Thus we had to find another way to use the recycled material. Whereas the market for other materials of more value isn’t hard to find, that is not true for plastics.

“What’s different in this process is that we’re producing an engineered plastic,” an SRS spokesperson for said concerning their test of a new process. “So rather than this plastic going into e-wood or flower pots — some of the lower tech — it’s engineered so that this recycled plastic would go into the same fit-for-purpose as virgin plastic.”

I find SRS is using a number of sorting systems to create a higher-value pre-concentrate mix. Their sorting systems include float-sink tanks, where some polymers float and others sink. Other technologies include electrostatic separation and fine density separation. The resulting products are then put together and extruded into pellets.

In the SRS-HP partnership, the end product is being used in new HP printers. These printers carry a “Green Label” so consumers know the printers contain post-consumer recycled materials.

Another article, this one from a Resource Recycling newsletter, addressed how reusable packages are coming to some Walgreens and Kroger stores.

“Kroger and Walgreens have joined in an experimental new project that gives shoppers the opportunity to buy products in reusable packaging,” the article said.

The article mentioned how these two retail companies will join others in what is called "the Loop." This is a service which provides shoppers with a greener alternative to recycling. It started recently as a pilot program in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Washington, DC.

Earlier, several major companies agreed to help reduce packaging waste by improving their recycling infrastructure, to use more recycled materials in their packaging, etc. That’s good. However, packages made with recycled materials still require considerable energy to be made into usable products again, whereas reusable containers just need to be cleaned and shipped.

In this pilot program, I find the products sold on Loop are packaged in reusable containers. The intent is to make these reusable packages mainstream for shoppers. Plans are for the reusable containers to hold hundreds of well-known items, such as detergents, shampoos, ice cream buckets and mouthwash.

In operation, it could work as a delivery service. After customers completely use up the product, they put the empty containers in a Loop tote located on their doorstep. The tote with the empty containers is then picked up by a delivery service, cleaned, refilled and shipped out to consumers again — just like the milk man used to do. Loop holds onto a deposit for the packages to ensure that they are returned.

Currently, during this test program, consumers can also pick up their products and drop off empty packages at participating retailers. This is where stores such as Kroger and Walgreens are involved. At this time, the customer has to sign up for the pilot program to gain access to the reusable goods at any participating retailer. But if proved successful, the program will be open to regular shoppers. Sounds like a great idea. I already have probably 50 one-gallon ice cream buckets that could be refilled instead of my using them for other purposes. Why so many? I like a scoop of ice cream in my coffee.

Till next week, do have a great one...

--Ollie is a local citizen concerned with the environment and helping others. A retired Air Force fighter and instructor pilot, he is a graduate of Leadership San Marcos and received his degrees at Texas State University where he worked on staff before totally retiring. For questions or comments, he invites you to call him at 512-353-7432 or email omaier@txstate.edu.