State awards grants to boost plastics recycling

North Carolina will help pay for projects to improve PP sorting, recover mixed-color bottle flakes, shred old curbside carts, collect laboratory plastics and more.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) announced nearly half a million dollars in Recycling Business Development Grants to 16 recyclables processors. Businesses must match the awarded funds with their own money. All told, the grants will help stimulate $1.3 million in investments in recycling equipment.

For plastics, the grants went to the following companies and projects:

• American Recycling received $50,000 for an optical sorter to expand collection and sorting of PP.
• Brunson Recycling received $37,000 for an aspirator and rotary drum to expand and improve industrial plastics recycling.
• Cardinal Recycling received $20,000 for a baler with a conveyer to increase processing capacity for industrial plastics, film and cardboard.
• Clear Path Recycling received $40,000 for a grinder system to recover mixed-color plastic bottle flakes.
• EnviroVision received $30,000 for a shredder conveyor system to support its new service of collecting, reusing, and recycling 96-gallon carts coming out of service. 
• Global Circle Recycling received $30,000 for a shredder and regrind system to process additional industrial plastics.
• Mahan & Huff received $11,000 for tractor trailers to expand its styrofoam recycling program.
• Plastic Network received $25,000 for silos to store material and facilitate product blending, allowing the company to expand specifications for plastics that can be accepted and recycled.
• Shimar received $47,000 for a forklift and truck to recycle lab plastics from area research institutions and businesses. 

Two other projects will assist in recycling mixed recyclables, including plastics. North Davidson Garbage Service received $25,000 for a wheel loader to manage incoming mixed recycling loads more safely and effectively, and Sonoco Recycling in Raleigh received $50,000 for an optical sorter to separate fiber and non-fiber recyclables.

Last year, NC DEQ provided nearly $666,000 to 20 companies. American Recycling and Clear Path Recycling received grants in both 2020 and 2021.