More than 260 million pounds of plastic and counting! That鈥檚 the amount PolyWrap Recycling Inc. owners, Jim Theodoroff and Jeff Haen, calculated has been diverted from being landfilled using their RACK鈥橬 PAK庐 Recycle Bagging System. 鈥淲e鈥檝e made a tiny dent, but we have a long way to go,鈥� said Haen who envisions a day when all Low-density Polyethylene (LDPE) is recycled instead of entering the landfill. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good to see some companies understand the significant value plastics recycling offers that extends beyond being an environmental benefit. It鈥檚 about dollars and cents, which adds up to new and often profitable revenue source.鈥�
Launched in 2015, the bagging system was designed to make LDPE recycling simple and economical for manufacturers, beverage and food companies, and any company that uses stretch film as part of their operations. It鈥檚 been their mission to help capture and recycle the more than 3 million tons of LDPE that is produced in the U.S. annually. A number that is projected to grow significantly in the years to come.
鈥淭he reality is LDPE is convenient and inexpensive for companies to use,鈥� explains Theodoroff. 鈥淧lus, the ability to use it within so many different industries, makes it a desirable product. Unfortunately, many companies are not taking advantage of the other benefit LDPE provides, which is that鈥檚 it鈥檚 recyclable. Even better, there鈥檚 value in recycling it. It鈥檚 great to want to improve the environment and that alone should drive the desire to recycle. It鈥檚 even better when doing so creates a revenue stream.鈥�
Across the globe it鈥檚 been reported that only around 5-7 percent of LDPE makes its way into the appropriate recycling stream. The rest is landfilled which Haen suspects is the result of a lack of awareness that it can be recycled or that companies feel that it takes too much effort to do so. 鈥淲hichever it is, they are wrong,鈥� said Haen. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 what our mission evolves around. To show businesses the numerous benefits to recycling LDPE, and how doing so not only improves the environment, but also the bottom line. Not only that, but it can also be done easily and in a manner that improves daily operations.鈥�
Wondering how? LDPE, in its many forms, can be sold within the recycling market just like scrap metals, cardboard and glass. Plastic films and bags have great durability properties that make it a great choice to transform it into strong and even weatherproof materials. Due to the abundance of LDPE bags and films, businesses of any size can reap the benefits of effective recycling. Plus, the bagging system鈥檚 size allows it to be conveniently placed in areas where LDPE is commonly discarded and, once a bag is full, it can easily be removed and recycled by one person.
鈥淯nfortunately, we have a long way to go before we can say all plastic is diverted from landfills, but each step is progress,鈥� said Theodoroff. 鈥淚t鈥檚 that progress that drives our mission forward.鈥�