World class plastic recycling project nearing startup
Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies, Inc., a plastics recycler and manufacturer of Green building products, have announced that construction of the initial phase of its state of the art, world class plastic recycling facility near Watts, Oklahoma is nearing completion and is scheduled to start up in the first quarter of 2010. The company has also filed for LEED certification and anticipates that the Watts facility will soon be the first LEED certified recycling facility in Oklahoma. The initial phase will be focused on recycling low end, highly contaminated waste polyethylene films into bulk plastic feedstocks for AERT's composite manufacturing plants in Arkansas.
Upon startup of the facility, the company will promptly move into second stage construction whereby additional storage and equipment will be installed to allow recycled polyethylene plastics to be blended and reformulated into Green recycled plastic resins. These resins will be sold to third party manufacturers for ever increasing sustainable and recycled content applications.
Polyethylene plastic is one of the most under recycled resources in the American waste stream with only about seven percent recycled according to 2008 EPA statistics. AERT's new Watts plant will increase the national capacity for recycling polyethylene and simultaneously create American jobs.
Recycling polyethylene plastic such as grocery bags, stretch wrap, and packaging material has significant energy and environmental impacts. Recycling one pound of low density polyethylene results in a savings of 30,099 British thermal units (Btu) of energy according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The polyethylene recycled at AERT's new reclamation plant during its first year of operation will result in saving an amount of energy equal to over 2.1 trillion Btu or the equivalent of the gasoline consumed in over 23,000 passenger vehicles.
Greenhouse gas generation is also reduced as a result of recycling polyethylene. According to the EPA, recycling one ton of low density polyethylene results in saving 1.71 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. The greenhouse gas reduction created by the new plant is estimated to be equal to removing over 10,000 passenger vehicles from the road.
The Watts recycling facility was funded by Allstate Investments with additional financial support from the Cherokee Nation, the State of Oklahoma, Adair County, local government entities, and the United States Departments of Commerce and Energy which helped provide site infrastructure support including road and sewer improvements for the area.
"We are extremely appreciative of the involvement and commitment of all parties in helping move this project forward during this difficult economic period in our country's history," stated AERT CEO, Joe Brooks. "AERT's Watts project exemplifies the spirit and the 'can do' attitude of America, Oklahoma, and of AERT associates, and will shortly demonstrate to the world that recycling plastic will make AERT more competitive, hedge against future petrochemical related price increases, and save enormous amounts of energy. Practicing conservation and being Green and sustainable is simply common sense and it will contribute significantly to improve profitability for AERT in 2010," Brooks concluded.
EcoDek tiles introduced
AERT recently introduced its new LifeCycle line of EcoDek deck tiles earlier this month at the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The new EcoDek Tiles are 12” x 12” interlocking floor tiles manufactured utilizing recycled plastics along with recycled wood fibres from scrap pallets and other waste wood products. This Green product was featured in the Walmart Sustainability Tent and throughout the Pinnacle Golf Course at the LPGA Golf Tournament last September in Rogers, AR.
EcoDek deck tiles are a truly Green product with over 90 percent recycled content and have been developed with AERT’s Snap-to technology. EcoDek Tiles have superior strength and durability and are ideal for surface applications on patios, verandas, rooftops, walkways, and virtually all level surfaces. EcoDek Tiles require no special tools to install and require no staining, painting, or sealing. For additional information, please visit www.moistureshield.com.
Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies, Inc.
http://aertinc.com