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Initiatives include the reuse of recycled PET for insulation products, rigid plastic package recycling, and an increase in the availability of curbside recycling bins.

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has selected Demilec Inc., Publix, and The Recycling PartnershipTM to receive Innovation in Plastics Recycling Awards for 2015.

The awards recognize companies and nonprofits that successfully bring new technologies, products, and initiatives to communities and the marketplace that demonstrate significant advancements in plastics recycling.

“We are thrilled to recognize this year’s award recipients,” says Steve Russell, Vice President of Plastics for the ACC. “Each of these organizations is a leader in recycling innovation, and their contributions will likely inspire ongoing contributions to the rapidly growing field of plastics recycling.”

Demilec Inc. converts PET scrap into polyols, which can be used in its spray foam insulation products. The company has recycled more than 300 million plastic bottles into spray foam insulation products in recent years and expects to recycle more than 35 million plastic bottles into high-performing spray foam insulation in 2015. In addition to the environmental benefits of plastics recycling, spray foam insulation helps to dramatically increase energy efficiency in homes and buildings.

Publix-Super Markets has established itself as a leader in recycling rigid plastic packaging, such as commercial-sized high-density polyethylene and polypropylene containers. With more than 1,100 stores and nine distribution centers, Publix optimized its back-of-store recycling stream through the use of a vertical and a horizontal baler that produce large, dense bales of clean plastic material for recycling. The result? Tons of high-quality plastics are separated, baled, and made available to recyclers each week.

The Recycling Partnership facilitates public-private partnerships to significantly boost curbside recycling programs. Over the last 15 months, TRP has provided 115,000 large recycling carts and improved public education in four cities: Florence, AL; Columbia, SC; Richmond, VA; and East Lansing, MI. Thanks to TRP’s efforts, 18,000 additional households now have access to a recycling program that collects wide-mouth plastic containers in addition to bottles. Cumulatively these efforts are expected to recover an additional 22 million pounds of plastics over the next 10 years.

ACC’s Innovations in Plastics Recycling Awards contest is open to all U.S. companies, nonprofits, individuals, and government bodies (including schools) that collect or process plastics for recycling, promote plastics recycling through education and infrastructure, manufacture equipment used to collect or process plastics for recycling, or manufacture a new product made in whole or part from recycled plastic.

Posted by Anne Marie Mohan