PA. AWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
Pennsylvania has awarded $770,000 in Recycling Markets Infrastructure Development Grants for the purchase of equipment that will increase manufacturers’ use of Pennsylvania-generated recycled materials in production processes.
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty made the announcement while touring BJM Industries Inc. in Kittanning, Armstrong County. Owner Boyd Galbraith said his15-year-old company will use its $186,000 grant to update its current manufacturing equipment and add a third production line for its "Millennium Lumber" plastic lumber product.
With the third production line in operation, BJM expects to increase its consumption of recycled plastics to 500,000 pounds per year from 380,000 pounds per year.
Everlast Plastic Lumber Inc. of Auburn in Schuylkill County also received a $500,000 Recycling Markets Infrastructure Development Grant. For the last 10 years, Everlast has manufactured residential and commercial plastic lumber from 100-percent recycled plastic. The company will use the grant to convert its existing plastics extruder into a continuous production line and to purchase a shredding unit. Everlast expects to increase consumption of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic and will begin using harder-to-recycle plastics grades three through seven, according to a release from the DEP.
Pandya Inc. of Cambria Township in Cambria County received an $87,000 grant. Pandya uses an innovative process to manufacture composite wood products from recycled HDPE and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics, which it combines with sawdust from local sawmills. With the grant money, Pandya will purchase a compactor, a shredder, conveyors and a forklift.
NY CONSIDERS BOTTLE BILL EXPANSION
The New York State Assembly has passed bill A 2517, which seeks to expand the state’s bottle bill to include bottled water, juices, sports drinks and other beverages.
The current Assembly bill would exempt liquor, wine, milk and baby formula containers and would require the bottling industry to turn over unclaimed nickel deposits to the state for use in the its Environmental Protection Fund.
The Food Industry Alliance of New York State is critical of the bill. Jim Rogers, president of the organization, complained that the bill would address only 3 percent of the overall waste stream. The Food Industry Alliance has introduced an Assembly Bill and a Senate Bill that, Rogers says, would better address the recycling of beverage containers.
The two bills, A 8522 and S 5500, would impose a new tax on litter-creating consumer items, with the money going toward community curbside recycling efforts.
While the bill passed the Assembly 90-48, Rogers says several Senate leaders have said that it is unlikely that the Senate would pass the bill.
CALIFORNIA SETS RECYCLING RECORD
California’s Department of Conservation (DOC) has released statistics showing that residents recycled a total of 12 billion aluminum, glass and plastic California Refund Value beverage containers in 2004, an increase of 1.5 billion from 2004.
More than 20 billion CRV containers were sold in the state in 2004. Clear plastic containers increased 30 percent in total volume recycled in 2003 to 2.5 billion containers compared. Glass volume also increased 14 percent to 2 billion containers, while aluminum increased 9 percent to 7.4 billion cans.
The Department of Conservation credits the increase in the recycling rate to a number of things, including a higher California Refund Value that took effect in January 2004.
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