Arizona recycling microfactory promises sustainability for environment, workforce

Arizona State University, the city of Phoenix, Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona and Hustle PHX have joined forces to open what it says is the "first of its kind," the Circular Plastics Microfactory.

The site in Phoenix officially opened Feb. 6 and backers say it promises a sustainable business model for the environment, society and workers.

The microfactory concentrates the collection of waste plastic, processing and remanufacturing processes all under one roof.

“It’s the first plastics microfactory of its kind,” said Alicia Marseille, senior director of ASU’s Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service in the Global Futures Laboratory. “These components — the processing, the collections, the remanufacturing — exist, but they’re spread out all over the world. This is the first attempt to do the entire process in one location to actualize a regional circular economy.”

Located at the Goodwill Retail Operations Center in Phoenix, the facility will take sorted plastic waste from Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, process it into pellets, and use the pellets to create new products for sale. The facility is currently able to process high density polyethylene and polypropylene and has the capability to expand to process PET and low density PE.

It is expected to have an annual capacity of 550 tons and will employ around 10 people.

The sustainable character of the new venture goes beyond a circular economy for plastic. The partners aim to turn the business model into a cooperative enterprise, a type of business where ownership is equally split and shared between the employees. This model allows workers to earn more than just minimum hourly wages and spreads earnings equitably.

Once the factory is running smoothly and the staff is trained, Hustle PHX will support members from the Black and Hispanic community, opportunity youth and incarcerated individuals to own or replicate the microfactory model to produce prototypes and small-batch products for their businesses.

“Seventy percent of waste pickers around the world are women,” noted Rajesh Buch, director of business development in the Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service. “They collect enough valuable plastic, metal or glass to sell for their family’s next meal. If you can move them up the value chain so that they not only collect the material, but process and manufacture it into a new product, then they start making a livable income.

"A small microfactory can transform 10 or 20 women from pickers to producers,” he added.

The Circular Plastics Microfactory is seeking partnerships and collaborations, including parties interested in prototyping, supplying plastic feedstock, suggesting product ideas, and replicating the microfactory model in other locations. If interested, please contact Alicia Marseille at [email protected].