Greenstar to Build MRF in Akron, Ohio

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic says, “The facility will contribute to the growth and sustainability of Akron by returning an existing building to a manufacturing purpose with significant investment for equipment, building use and creation of new green jobs.”

Matt Delnick, Greenstar CEO, says, “We are committed to our partnership with the city of Akron to further develop its local recycling services. This facility will allow Akron to continue to offer its businesses and residents the convenience of single-stream recycling – eliminating the need to pre-sort recyclables – while growing its local economy with new investment and a minimum of 45 new green jobs.”

In addition to processing conventional curbside collected recyclables, the facility will include technology to convert recovered plastics into synthetic crude oil. These services will be provided by Vadxx Energy LLC, an Akron-based company, through a joint venture with Greenstar.

"We are proud to provide this innovative, domestic energy alternative right here in our home community of Akron,” Jim Garrett, Vadxx CEO, says. “Plastics are made from oil, and Vadxx has figured out how to create the lowest sulfur content crude oil in the world from a commodity that might otherwise occupy space in landfills. We are thrilled to partner with Greenstar, one of the top recyclers in the U.S., and the city of Akron to continue to improve our local environmental services.”

Other communities in the area will be able to participate in these expanded recycling services under the same terms and conditions as the city of Akron, according to Greenstar.

“This new recycling facility will bolster the local, green Infrastructure of Akron and its surrounding communities. Recycling is a cornerstone of our sustainability efforts, and we are pleased to announce this significant investment in the local community,” says Rick Merolla, Akron’s public service director. “This new facility is consistent with the city’s Greenprint for sustainability, launched in 2008.”