Recyclers At NPE 2006 Aim To Reprocess 500,000 lb.

Valuable Materials to Be Reclaimed instead of Being Sent to Chicago Landfills

Washington, D.C. — So big is the NPE international plastics exposition that every day the equipment in operation at the show generates thousands of pounds of reusable plastics scrap. The companies that will run the official recycling program at NPE 2006 say they hope to collect and reprocess half a million pounds (227 metric tons) of such material, keeping all but a small fraction of the scrap from the show out of Chicago landfills.

NPE 2006 will take place at Chicago's McCormick Place on June 19-23. Of the 2,000 exhibitors at the event, a number of them will be machinery builders whose booths will feature equipment in commercial-scale operation, generating all sorts of sample plastic products as well as trim scrap, sprues, and runners. Exhibitors must pay to have these plastics removed from their booths, whether or not they participate in the recycling program.

The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI), sponsor of the triennial NPE shows, has commissioned Eco Educators, an environmental training company, to manage the program and to coordinate with exhibitors, McCormick Place, unions, and GES, the general contractor for NPE 2006. Maine Plastics, Inc., a resin buyer, recycler, and toll processor, will reprocess the scrap. Eco Educators has worked on NPE recycling programs since the 1991 show, and Maine Plastics, Inc. became involved starting with NPE 2000.

A total of 335,000 lb. (152 metric tons) of scrap, or 36 truckloads, was collected from 72 participating exhibitors at NPE 2003, according to Susie Harpham, president of Eco Educators. "We intend to provide an efficient and effective service to NPE exhibitors," Harpham said. "Our goal is to divert 100% of recyclable scrap, and we are prepared to collect up to 500,000 pounds [227 metric tons]." Harpham said.

Exhibitors benefit from participating in the recycling program, according to Robert Render, president of Maine Plastics. "The program provides a support service for exhibitors by resolving the problem of collecting and recycling scrap plastics," noted Render. "At the same time, participation by exhibitors helps dramatize the fact that plastics are recyclable by keeping the scrap collected at the year's largest plastics show out of the waste stream."

SOURCE: NPE 2006