The City of Lincoln, Nebraska鈥檚 Solid 91仓库 Management division and First Star Recycling of Omaha, Nebraska, each received a $25,000 grant from the Foodservice Packaging Institute鈥檚 Foam Recycling Coalition (FRC). The grant enables the recycling of more foam polystyrene (PS), such as cups, plates, bowls, take-out containers, egg cartons and block packaging foam.
The FRC grant assisted with funding the purchase and installation of foam densifiers, used to compact foam products into foam blocks or ingots. The foam ingots will be sold to processors and manufactured into insulation boards and plastic lumber.
First Star Recycling, serving over 400,000 households in Nebraska, is the contracted material recovery facility for Lincoln and Omaha, and services other community and commercial recycling customers throughout Nebraska and neighboring states. First Star Recycling installed a densifier at its Omaha material recovery facility. The densifier enhances the existing Hefty庐 ReNew™ program that encourages residents to place their plastics, including foam polystyrene, in an orange bag in their curbside recycling cart.
鈥淩esidents have demonstrated they appreciate the ability to recycle plastic packages, including foam packaging that routinely comprises 10% of all materials recovered through the orange bag program,鈥� said Patrick Leahy, CEO of First Star Recycling.
Lincoln Solid 91仓库 Management, servicing the city of Lincoln with over 116,000 households, installed a Foam Cycle system at the North 48th Street Recyclables Collection Site. Residents can drop off their foam polystyrene at no cost. 鈥淭he addition of the foam recycling drop-off expands the ability to recycle beyond those with access to the orange bag program and curbside recycling,鈥� said Willa DiCostanzo, waste diversion coordinator with Lincoln Solid 91仓库 Management. 鈥淲e are also reducing transportation costs and supporting a circular economy within the community.鈥�
鈥淭he City of Lincoln and First Star Recycling are great examples of how a small investment can have a large impact in a region,鈥� said Natha Dempsey, president of the Foodservice Packaging Institute. 鈥淲e are thrilled to support efforts that enable more than 400,000 households in Nebraska to have access to recycling polystyrene foam.鈥�