Plastic Film Recycling Sees Increases

According to a recent report released by the American Chemistry Council, in 2011, one billion pounds of light weight plastic film and bags were recycled in the United States. That amount represents a four percent increase from the prior year and a fifty five percent increase from 2005.

Increases in consumer demand and manufacturer production of plastic and plastic-composite decking and building materials is cited as a reason for increased collection and recycling efforts. Deck and siding manufacturers bought and additional one hundred and twenty million pounds of recycled plastic material in 2011 and that amount is expected to see year over year growth as the construction industry embraces green building practices.

While the majority of plastics collected is processed in the United States or Canada, almost forty percent is still process oversees. There are more than fifteen thousand collection locations in the United States, mainly in retail and grocery chains, where polyethylene bags can be recycled. This number is expected to increase as more consumers demand convenient recycling options.

The report also speculates that the biggest future growth is to be found in the recycling of pre-consumer clear plastic such as shrink wrap which is highly desirable on the re-sale market but has been difficult to collect.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Remember that old-time saying, “The future is in plastics”? The same holds true today, expect we need to change it to say, “The future is in recycling plastics”! If your business uses or manufactures plastics, staying in the know about recycling and re-selling is essential.

Increasing Plastics Recycling

The state of Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is investigating how they can improve their rate of recycling for waste plastics materials. Currently, it is believed that over sixty four million dollars worth of plastics is being disposed of in local landfills.

The study is being done to see what areas in the recycling sector can contribute to job growth and economic development for the state. So far, the greatest potential lies with recycling waste plastic bags and lightweight plastic film used in packaging, in addition to hard plastics. Due to the preliminary findings, the DNR is preparing to launch a test program for recycling lightweight plastic film packaging materials.

DNR officials believe that by increasing recycling throughout the state, municipalities will be better positioned to create new jobs and business opportunities in the “green sector” as well as reduce their fees for maintaining costly landfills.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: The recycling market is always changing. Waste materials that once had little or no value are now in demand on the recyclable materials manufacturing market. Plastics of all kinds can be used to create a huge number of building, construction, housewares, and personal products, so if you’re community or business isn’t recycling them then you’re missing out on reducing your garbage disposal fees and possibly making money by re-selling!

Plastic Bag Ban Resurfaces In California

The debate about instituting a state-wide ban on plastic bags has once again resurfaced in California with San Rafael Assemblyman Marc Levine introducing a bill banning all plastic grocery bags of a single use nature starting in the year 2015.

The bill is almost identical to a measure that was introduced last year but did not make it past the state Senate after receiving negative feedback from grocery stores and manufacturers of plastic bags.

The proposed legislation would require grocery stores earning more than two million dollars annually or retail locations with with greater than ten thousand square feet of space to stop providing customers with plastic bags.

Stores falling into this category would be required to offer reusable bags for sale and free paper bags made of recycled materials. After a year long grace period, stores will be allowed to charge a fee for paper bags.

The ban does not include the plastic bags used for vegetables, fruits, bulk grains and meat.

As more and more individual cities and towns in California have passed municipal plastic bag bans some feel public sentiment is turning to favorably accept the legislation for all municipalities throughout the state.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: If you do business in California, you’d be well served to start finding alternative solutions to plastic bags. It’s better to be ahead of the curve than caught unprepared!

Hawaii Starts Plastic Bag Ban

The big island of Hawaii has instituted a law that will gradually ban plastic bags. The new policy went into effect on January 17, 2013 and was announced by the Department of Environmental Management for the County of Hawai’i.

Under the new policy, all businesses located on the island are required to charge a small fee for single use plastic carryout bags. Businesses included in this mandate are grocery stores, retailers, restaurants, and farmer’s markets. The law provides businesses a year to transition into the new procedure and all single use plastic bags will be completely prohibited from the island by January 17, 2014.

There are a few exemptions and those include plastic bags used for meat, fish, bulk produce such as nuts and grains, fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables, small hardware items, clothing, and prescription drugs.

City Council representatives said the measure was essential to protect the beauty and environmental sustainability of the island which has limited landfill resources.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: As more and more municipalities adopt plastic bag bans and regulations, your business would be well-served by coming up with strategies to address plastic bag usage before it is regulated. If you start now, you’ll be steps ahead of the competition!

Transforming Plastic Bags Into Roads

In India, the Center for Plastics in the Environment has begun advocating for the use of plastic materials waste to be utilized in the construction of asphalt roads. A pilot study has been successfully completed on a few roads which were paved using a combination of waste plastic with bitumen. The true test of the quality and durability of the new hybrid material was how it upheld during the country’s monsoon season which brings substantial rains and flooding. All test roads performed above expectations and the decision was reached that all municipal roads would be built and repaired using the new formulation.

It is expected that this new, waste plastic paving material will be added in the States Public Works Department approved materials list, so that all businesses looking to be considered for paving and repair work will be aware of it.

It is anticipated that the new paving material will save money as well as approximately fifteen percent of the bitumen normally needed for the asphalt will be replaced by the waste materials collected from thin polyethylene and polypropylene food carryout bags that are infrequently recycled and have low reuse abilities.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Are you in the business of paving roads, driveways, or office parking lots? When was the last time you took at look at the materials used in your asphalt? You might be able to save some green by using waste recycled plastics!

 

The Global Market For Recycled Plastics

China’s Environmental Protection ministry is investigating policies that could change the market for recycled plastics and has recyclers in China and abroad concerned.

The biggest concern regards a potential regulation that would make the import of unwashed post-consumer plastics illegal. In best practice, plastics should be sorted, wash and ground at the same stage to preserve the highest quality. The concern with recyclers is that plastics washed before importing may have increased water-weight thus inflating the cost per ton. There are also concerns about the stage in which granulation of materials should take place and which materials should be subjected to it.

In addition, the draft policy creates enhanced criteria for import licenses and facility inspections and businesses that manufacturer ultra-thin bags, food-contact products, medical products and construction supplies may find themselves looking for export relationships elsewhere.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: China is a global player in the waste recycling marketplace and it pays to stay up-to-date on regulations and policies that might impact your business. Be sure you’re doing all you can to minimize your risk by diversifying your exports – and don’t forget to look for opportunities in your home state or community – you might be surprised by what you’ll find!

Seattle Team Hits Homerun with Compostable Snack Bags

Baseball fans in Seattle, Washington will be the first to try ballpark peanuts served in a one hundred percent compostable bag. This is a new sustainability initiative launched by the Seattle Mariners at their Safeco Field home park.

The plan began earlier in the season when it was announced that the first ten thousand fans attending a game would receive a free bag of the popular ballgame snack delivered in a 100% compostable bag designed by the BASF Corporation.

The Mariners and and Safeco Field aren’t newcomers to the sustainability and waste recycling game, though. This season, the team has established goals to divert eight-five percent of its material waste from being disposed of in landfills. This goal is a twelve percent increase from what had been established five years ago.

The Mariners also belong to the Green Sports Alliance, a nonprofit group committed to assisting sports teams, leagues, and game venues reduce their environmental impacts and amount of waste disposal.

WasteCare Want You to Remember: The world of environmentally friendly products is always changing. Something that wasn’t quite up to consumer expectations one year might be vastly improved the next. If you keep your eyes and ears open to new developments, chances are you’ll find something that will save money and the environment!

Waste Recycling of Plastic Increases Profits

One of the concerns that businesses involved with plastic recycling have is how to consistently draw a profit.  While this is a necessity for any enterprise, with plastics recycling it isn’t always simple.  Gaining access to quality plastic waste materials can be difficult and the end-users, those businesses that manufacture goods from recycled plastic, can be ever-changing.

The most successful organizations involved with recycling plastics are those who keep a constant eye on developments both at the input and output level. Limiting a business to a single channel or stream, for example, food-grade, automotive, or construction, can result in potentially devastating results when market supply and demand changes happen in that sector.

Flexibility is also essential for success and having a production model and that can swiftly respond to the ever-changing needs of the marketplace is essential. With each passing year, the nature and use of plastics recycling changes – new products, new uses are constantly being developed – and the market show no signs of slowing down. As more large corporations adopt sustainability goals, the need for raw materials and finished goods changes. Successfully plastic recyclers are ones who keep their feet grounded in the present market, but always have their eyes and minds trained to the future.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Waste recycling of plastics is an important part of any recycling program and creating a business from the recycled bottle and containers can be environmentally and financially rewarding. Whether you’re starting a new business or have been establish for some time, it makes sense to be aware of the constant changes that are happening in the waste disposal and waste recycling world!

 

Waste Recycling at Shopping Centers

Americans, on average, visit a shopping mall or shopping center nearly three times a month thus making these shopping and socializing destinations an ideal place to practice and encourage effective waste recycling. For businesses responsible for the management and maintenance of these mixed use developments, establishing the habit to promote recycling by retailers, restaurants, and the public can result in saving opportunities. Particular types of waste to focus on for any shopping establishment include:

  • Cardboard boxes and packaging
  • Wooden shipping and shortage pallets
  • Plastic, glass, and metal containers
  • Paper of all kinds (newspapers, office…)
  • Restaurant food waste
  • Organic waste from landscaping

The Environmental Protection Agency has specialized materials and resources for managers of commercial buildings to learn more about creating and maintaining effective recycling and waste reduction programs. A key reason for shopping centers and malls to adopt recycling programs is that it saves money by decreasing disposal costs and can possibly create revenue by selling recycled materials. Visit the EPA’s website to read success stories of retailers and commercial centers who implemented recycling programs to learn about best practice strategies.

Waste Care Wants You to Remember: Every piece of waste that is not recycled must be disposed of in a landfill. Implementing full-scale recycling programs can save you and your commercial tenants money while helping to preserve the environment.