Innovative operation will help meet growing
demand for sustainable packaging
BUCKEYE, Ariz.,
Sept. 25,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders from Blue Polymers, LLC;
Republic Services (NYSE: RSG); and the City of Buckeye broke ground today on Blue
Polymers' latest innovative recycled plastics production facility,
which will support sustainable packaging manufacturing throughout
the Western United States. The
162,000-square-foot facility is expected to create more than 60
highly skilled permanent jobs when it opens in Buckeye in the second half of 2025.
The Blue Polymers facility will specialize in recycled
polyethylene, commonly found in milk jugs and laundry detergent
bottles, and polypropylene, used in consumer packaging, such as
margarine tubs and yogurt cups. These plastics will be processed
and formulated into high-quality, drop-in recycled plastic
solutions for the packaging industry.
"Blue Polymers was created to meet the need for high-quality
recycled plastics for use in consumer packaging and other
applications," said Tim Oudman,
senior vice president of sustainability innovation, at Republic
Services and a member of Blue Polymers' board of directors. "We
appreciate the support we've received from the City of Buckeye and the Arizona Commerce
Authority for this project, as well as from our development
partners Merit, FCL and Butler Design Group."
Phoenix-based Republic
Services, a joint venture partner in Blue Polymers, is developing a
network of regional Polymer Center plastics recycling facilities.
These centers, the first of their kind in North America, produce high-quality,
color-sorted recycled plastics directly from Republic's national
curbside collection operations. Each Republic Services Polymer
Center will be paired with a Blue Polymers facility; the
Buckeye facility will process
materials from Republic's Las Vegas Polymer Center, which opened in
late 2023.
"This regional recycling plant solidifies Buckeye's commitment to bringing high-quality,
advanced manufacturing jobs to our residents," said Buckeye Mayor Eric Orsborn. "Blue
Polymers' investment in the city, along with their innovative
strategies to use recycled plastics for everyday consumer products,
will ensure we remain a vibrant, sustainable community."
Demand is rising for domestically sourced, high-quality recycled
plastics from both voluntary sustainability commitments and state
legislation. Many consumer-packaged goods (CPG) companies are
pledging to incorporate more recycled content into their packaging
designs. At the same time, five states have implemented minimum
recycled content requirements for single-use packaging. Republic's
Polymer Centers and Blue Polymers' innovative facilities will help
meet this demand.
"We are excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of Blue
Polymers' recycled plastics production facility in Buckeye," said Sandra
Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority.
"The addition of this facility adds to Arizona's leadership in sustainable
technologies while creating more jobs for Arizona residents."
Blue Polymers' facilities aim to support true package-to-package
circularity, with an annual production target of 300+ million
pounds of recycled resins. The Buckeye facility joins the previously
announced Indianapolis location as
part of Blue Polymers' network of four regional facilities.
About Blue Polymers
Blue Polymers, LLC is a joint
venture bringing together leaders in collection, recycling,
processing and distribution to transform plastics circularity and
support sustainable packaging. Learn more at BluePolymers.com.
Blue Polymers Media
Relations
Media@BluePolymers.com
Republic Services Media
Relations
Media@RepublicServices.com
(480) 757-9770
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SOURCE Blue Polymers