Minnesota city expands recycling operations

The Coon Rapids Recycling Center in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, has announced it will increase its capacity to manage, process and recycle postconsumer polystyrene (PS) foam, including foodservice packaging and protective packaging. The expansion is part of a $50,000 grant from the Foam Recycling Coalition (FRC), which is based in Falls Church, Virginia.

The residential drop-off center focuses on materials that cannot be recycled curbside, like carpet, certain appliances and electronics. The FRC grant and funding from the Minnesota Capital Improvement Project grant allow the center to expand its current operations to assist in additional foam PS recovery and maintain its existing foam densifier. 

The recycling center accepts common household recyclable materials, oil and oil filters, scrap metal, organic food waste, electronic waste, batteries, mattresses and other materials. With a repaired densifier and new forklift, the center can expand its current PS foam recycling program to accept foam foodservice packaging, cups, trays and other containers. 

Colleen Sinclair, the recycling coordinator for Coon Rapids, says that the expansion comes from an increase in recycling.

“It’s terrific to see more foam material coming to our recycling center. But with the increase, we needed to expand, find a solution to maintain our existing equipment and handle additional material,” Sinclair says. “The Foam Recycling Coalition grant means we can continue serving our residents and collecting these recyclable materials for the foreseeable future.” 

Coon Rapids is the 18th grant recipient to receive FRC funding since 2015. More than 3 million additional residents in the U.S. and Canada can recycle foam as a result of FRC grants.

“We work with forward-thinking communities, like the Coon Rapids to expand recycling programs for their residents,” says Natha Dempsey, president of the Foodservice Packaging Institute, which houses the coalition. “We’ve kicked off another year of FRC grants to continue to fund innovative programs that will help recover foam polystyrene packaging throughout North America.”

The grant is made possible through contributions to FRC, which focuses exclusively on increased recycling of postconsumer PS foam. The 2021 Foam Recycling Coalition grant application process is open to public and private entities. Applications are due May 28.