Somebody had to do the dirty work of figuring out just what types of resins and products are found in bales of mixed rigid plastics. And that somebody ended up being the folks at Moore Recycling Associates Inc. in an effort commissioned by the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers.
The recycling consulting firm and trade group completed a study into the issue after examining 23 different bales of mixed rigid plastics at four recycling facilities in North America.
APR plans an informational webinar to discuss the 2015 National Mixed Rigid Bale Composition study at 1 p.m. Eastern time Aug. 11. Registration for the webinar is here at the APR website along with an executive summary of the study.
“As recycling rates continue to grow, understanding the type and tonnage available for recycling in North America will strengthen and advance investment in non-bottle rigid recycling,” said J. Scott Saunders, chairman of APR and general manager of KW Plastics.
The study was designed to show what types of mixed rigid plastic containers are ending up in bales and “demonstrate the value of separating the material,” APR said.
“In order to justify an investment to expand processing capacity, we must understand the different types of material available for reclamation,” said Liz Bedard, director of the Rigids Program at APR, in a statement.
This new study follows an initial study conducted in 2011 to examine the composition of the bales.