Last month I shared breaking news from the ISTA (International Safe Transit Association) Forum in San Diego. This month I would like to share breaking news from our manufacturing plant in Omaha!
Plastilite has successfully molded our first-ever recycled content EPS foam cooler!!! And they are some good-looking coolers. They rival any virgin EPS foam parts in terms of molded foam quality and appearance.
This is truly a momentous event for Plastilite/Integritemp, for the foam packaging industry, and for Mother Earth!!!
EPS foam just took a major leap forward for circular sustainability. It doesn’t get any better than the recycling and reuse of scrap materials. This process keeps the scrap EPS out of the landfills and flowing back to EPS recycling streams. This means our industry can use it again to mold high-performance, economical, and eco-friendly packaging components.
Initially, our recycled content molded EPS parts will have 30% recycled EPS foam mixed with 70% virgin EPS. There are a few good reasons for this 30/70 mix:
· The 30% level is a threshold to earn the designation of “recycled content” for regulatory purposes.
· It is also a good starting point to present the new technology to EPS users.
· Lastly, the 30% level is achievable with the current flow of recycled EPS back to the industry from post-industrial and post-consumer sources.
As I mentioned in a previous blog…WE WANT YOUR EPS FOAM BACK!!!! And now you know why!!
Please watch for next month’s blog where I will continue our conversation with more facts, figures, and good news about EPS foam!
Greg Montgomery
gmontgomery@plastilite.com
Office: 402-884-4290