American Recycling of WNC expands plastics processing

American Recycling of Western North Carolina (WNC), Chandler, North Carolina, has expanded its processing capabilities to handle baled Nos. 1-7 plastics, with the goal of processing 30 million pounds per year. The company has operated a material recovery facility (MRF) at this location since 2012.

American Recycling of WNC’s owner Ron Moore says material will be sorted by hand to recover PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and HDPE (high-density polyethylene). After the bales are broken, the plastics are conveyed to a screen that further loosens the compacted material before traveling to a presort area and then on to the final sort area.

Consumers of the company’s PET include Wellman, Custom Polymers and ClearPath. Envision, KSW Plastics and Greenline Polymers are among the consumers of American Recycling of WNC’s HDPE.

The mixed plastics that remain from the company’s sorting operations will be sent to a facility in Atlanta for further processing, Moore says.

American Recycling of WNC is currently sourcing mixed plastic bales through brokers and small MRFs along the eastern seaboard. Moore says bales have come from as far north as Connecticut and as far south as Florida.

Plastics currently account for 20 to 30 percent of American Recycling of WNC’s business. However, Moore says that as the new plastics sorting line ramps up, plastics likely will account for 50 percent of the company’s business by the end of the year.