ACC Honors Plastics Recycling Innovators

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has announced the winners of the 2013 Innovation in Plastics Recycling awards: DiversiTech Corp., Duluth, Ga.; Entropex , Sarnia, Ontario; and Preserve, Waltham, Mass.

The ACC says the three companies were recognized “for developing innovative processes and products that use post-industrial or postconsumer recycled plastics.” Two of the award recipients recycle postconsumer rigid plastic packaging, an emerging sector within the plastics recycling industry.

“This year’s award recipients have brought about successful innovations that are helping to significantly increase the recycling of rigid plastics like yogurt cups, deli and dairy containers, and caps and lids,” says Steve Russell, ACC vice president of plastics. “Rigid plastics represent one of the fastest growing segments of plastics recycling [as it] has nearly tripled since just 2007.”

The approaches taken by the three companies include:

• DiversiTech Corp. was chosen for its use of postindustrial polypropylene with a wide range of specifications in air conditioning unit condenser pads. Over the past nine years the company has shifted its production from using virgin polypropylene to now using 100 percent recycled polypropylene plastic. “The integration of recycled polypropylene has enabled DiversiTech to continue leading in our product line segment, while innovating in tangential channels,” says Mark Minor, vice president of eastern operations at DiversiTech. “We have been able to use postindustrial polypropylene material streams that are difficult for other processors. This flexibility has driven our engineering teams to innovate with a number of internally developed processes.”
• Entropex was recognized for creating its RigidReclaim technology, which recovers nonbottle plastic containers. The technology integrates plastics sorting, cleaning and processing to upgrade the quality of recycled mixed plastics. As of January 2013, RigidReclaim technology was in place to process 110 million pounds per year of material. The company says more than 70 percent of the plastics covered by RigidReclaim’s technology is not typically recycled by conventional methods. “At Entropex, we believe that having a clear sustainability strategy and message is paramount to long-term success,” says Keith Bechard, president of Entropex. “Plastic containers and lids are too valuable to waste and should be recycled after use. Entropex is proud to be recognized by the American Chemistry Council and privileged to be included in the company of the other award winners. We accept the award with gratitude and appreciation.”
• Preserve makes reusable food storage items, kitchenware and other consumer products from 100-percent-recycled polypropylene. Preserve’s Gimme 5 program, which involves major brands and consumers in the collection process, collects 242,000 pounds of polypropylene per year for recycling. Gimme 5 provides new options for companies that sponsor the program, in cases where products can be difficult to recycle due to undeveloped end markets, mixed materials or size. “Preserve’s products and Gimme 5 program are a testament to what is possible with recycling in the United States,” says John Lively, director of environment and materials science at Preserve. “With the help of the millions of consumers who recycle, we can transform everyday items like yogurt cups into new products.”