The circular economy has always been of great interest to us, and we contribute by producing products out of 100% post-consumer recycled materials. As Earth day is approaching we have been thinking about other companies that are champions of sustainability, and ones that are changing their ways to become more sustainable.
Gone are the days of toys handmade of wood and cloth. Many of us with children have homes filled with plastic toys and trinkets. Every birthday, holiday, party, trip to a fast food restaurant ends with one more to add to the collection. They're not often something we can toss in the recycle bin, so once the kids outgrown them we donate to friends, charity or toss them out. The change from primarily metal toys in the 19th century to plastic in our current climate is attributed to the fact that these materials were prioritized for war time essentials, like ammunition.
What's that one plastic toy that everyone has? Lego! Currently, Lego blocks are made out of ABS,one of the most popular plastics around. The makers of Lego announced that they would be making some of their new blocks out of polyethylene, sourced from sugar cane. Their long term goal is to produce using only sustainable materials by 2030, the company released a statement about quality; "For the LEGO Group, a sustainable material must be produced responsibly using renewable or recycled resources, generating little or no waste in their production and using sustainable chemistry while meeting our high standards for safety, quality and durability."
Mattel also announced their goal to achieve 100% recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastic materials in all products and packaging by 2030. Toy making giant Hasbro recently partnered with TerraCycle for an additional resource for sustainability. Customers can register for an account and arrange for a pick up of unwanted toys and games. These will be taken to TerraCycle where they will be broken down into the respective recyclable parts and reused to make new products.
Even the fast food giants are in on recycling plastic. Not your forks, knives and straws, but the toys they give away! Burger King UK started a campaign called BK Meltdown, enabling customers to drop off any unwanted toys received in kids meals (not just from BK) and they will re purpose them into new materials.
It's clear that companies are taking the responsibility to produce plastic in the most ethical way, and we commend them.
We live in a throw away society, and many of us don’t think about the impact of the products we buy. Some great questions to ask yourself when making purchases are; Is this a need? Does this company use sustainable products? Can I recycle or reuse it after it is no longer useful to me? What are the impacts if I need to throw it away? Is there another, similar product that I could purchase that is more ecologically friendly? If it is a short term need, do I have a friend I could borrow one from? Is this a quality product?
At Omachron Plastic Inc we have been prioritizing sustainable products for our purchases, and our production for many years. We operate a close to zero waste facility. All of our regrind is saved, broken down into small pieces, and reused for recycled blocks and products. We have had the privilege of working with many other companies who have the desire to use their plastic waste as a resource, instead of contributing to the plastic problem that plagues our industry. We have successfully remolded shavings of HDPE, ABS, nylon and more. Our proprietary technology allows us to mold materials into products ranging from micro extrusion, to parts over 200 lbs. We have created reels, rods, tubes, blocks, lumber, and so much more using 100% post-consumer waste plastic.
It's possible for your company to join us in this movement! If you have specific needs for your regrind, give us a call at 1-833-725-6257, or contact us via an email. Not ready yet? No problem. Follow along with us as we continue to make a difference in recycling by subscribing to our blog. You can also follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn.