PureCycle Technologies, Inc. headquartered in Orlando, announced that a plastic recycling prep facility will open in Florida. This facility, which will be located in Winter Garden, will sort and process polypropylene plastic (designated as no. 5 plastic) and is expected to increase the amount of plastic that is recycled in the area. No. 5 plastic is used in a myriad of applications, including food and general use containers, toys, automotive (bumpers, dashboards, etc.), building and construction, and in agriculture.
Polypropylene plastic is one of the most commonly used plastics in the world and can be a challenge to recycle. PureCycle uses patented technology that removes contaminants turning the waste into ultra-pure recycled polypropylene. By adding a plastic waste prep facility for no. 5 plastic waste in Florida, PureCycle can help increase the volume of plastic waste that can ultimately be recycled.
Creating recycling prep facilities in communities across America opens up access for PureCycle to identify and secure regional polypropylene plastic waste that is needed as feedstock to create the company's ultra-pure recycled polypropylene resin. The plastic waste prep facility in Florida is part of PureCycle's community-focused plan of action to increase the amount of plastic that gets recycled curbside and help stop plastic waste from ending up in waterways, landfills, and environment.
Mike Otworth, CEO, PureCycle, said, "Less than 1% of polypropylene is recycled worldwide. Our expectation is that PureCycle's prep facility will help bolster efforts to recycle more plastic waste in the region. Having facilities that open up a door for the recycling of discarded plastic material will help us tackle the plastic waste crisis. PureCycle is changing the game when it comes to how communities view and use plastic with our first-of-its-kind purification process that transforms no. 5 plastic waste into an infinitely sustainable material. PureCycle's goal? To create a truly circular economy."
Commissioner Nicole Wilson, Orange County, said, "Families in our community are doing the right thing when it comes to recycling. Nearly all Orange County residents recycle each month. But, too much of what goes into the recycle bin ends up in the landfill because of the high level of contamination and difficulty of sorting mixed plastics. PureCycle's facility will help our region not only better recycle plastic waste but ultimately recycle it in a way that it can be used time and time again. I'm thrilled this Orange County-based company is investing in their hometown and working to make us more sustainable."
The Winter Garden recycling prep facility will sort and grind no. 5 plastic waste to be transformed into PureCycle's ultra-pure plastic resin at its purification site under construction in Ironton, Ohio and the next facility in Augusta, Georgia, with construction set to begin in early 2022. The Winter Garden recycling prep facility will also process other plastics that can be sold directly to third-party processors. The recycling prep facility will be located in Winter Garden at 851 East Maple St.