New partnership could boost plastic recycling in Tucson
The new city partnership with Hefty ReNew targets waste that has not traditionally been recycled, like trash bags, bubble wrap, straws, and styrofoam. The Tucson Environmental Services Department has partnered with Hefty ReNew to expand its pilot project, which allows Tucsonans to recycle typically hard to recycle plastics and divert waste from landfills. The pilot program, which was initially led by ByFusion Global Inc, initially used to send Tucson's hard-to recycle plastics to be transformed into usable building materials. However, the city exceeded its limits and began collecting double the amount of plastic waste. This partnership was discovered when city officials found out about Hefty's potential markets for these materials. The program is targeted at waste that has not traditionally been recycled and is intended to supplement current recycling efforts. Items that can be recycled normally should still be disposed of in the blue city recycling bins.
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The program is an expansion of a pilot project that the department has been running since 2022, which allows Tucsonans to recycle typically hard to recycle plastics, and divert waste from landfills., said Alyssa Tarpley, a spokeswoman for the city's Environmental and General Services.
“It was originally in partnership with ByFusion, and now we've exceeded our limits with that,” Tarpley said. “So we're partnering with Hefty ReNew because the city of Tucson residents were just really positively receptive to this program.”
The initial pilot program, aimed to reduce the amount of single use plastic waste in landfills by sending Tucson’s hard to recycle plastics to ByFusion Global Inc, where it would then be turned into usable building materials. There was just one problem.
“Byfusion can process about 10 tons a month, and we were actually collecting about double that,” said Christina Polsgrove, a city spokeswoman. “So I was discussing the ByFusion program with with a colleague, and he mentioned Hefty reduce”
“We talked with them and we found out that ByFusion is in fact one of their markets,” Polsgrove said. “They also have end markets that produce composite lumber, roofing materials, that can take that excess that ByFusion cannot process.”
Tarpley and Polsgrove said that the Hefty ReNew program is targeted at waste that has not traditionally been recycled, and is meant to supplement current recycling efforts by the city. Items that can be recycled normally, should still be disposed of in the blue city recycling bins.
“Things that are accepted in our blue bin are the number ones twos and fives, like hard rigid plastic bottles, jugs, containers, some cardboard or aluminum and tin,” Tarpley said.
Other plastic products including trash bags, bubble wrap, straws, and styrofoam can be disposed of in Hefty ReNew orange bags. For convenience, each bag features a list of hard to recycle items that can be collected in the bag for recycling.
When it’s time to dispose of a bag, the waste can be brought to any of the five orange roll-off locations to be shipped and processed.
“It's an awesome opportunity for residents to divert waste from the landfill,” Tarpley said. “I think it's a big testament to the Tucson community with how much they already did and are willing to do.”
A Hard to Recycle Plastics Town Hall will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 11. It will be held at the Ward 6 Council Office, 3202 E. First St., and will allow Tucson residents the opportunity to learn more about the initiative and how to get involved. “We're gonna have representatives from Hefty and ByFusion there, available to talk about their programs,” said Alyssa Tarpley, a spokeswoman for the city's Environmental Services Department, citing the two companies handling recyclables for the program. “And also answer questions that residents may have regarding their markets and the process and their history.” Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community.
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주제: Environment-ESG