Sunny Outlook

The Sunshine State will serve as home to the second annual version of Recycling Today’s Plastics Recycling Conference & Trade show, taking place in Orlando June 10-12.

The conference, organized by the Recycling Today Media Group division of GIE Media Inc., Richfield, Ohio, is taking place in conjunction with two other events at the Peabody Hotel in Orlando, Fla.

This year’s event, co-located with the Paper Recycling Conference and the debut Electronics Recycling Conference, offers conference attendees the opportunity to attend sessions from those two conferences, as well.

Joint sessions that will allow attendees to network include an opening plenary session featuring remarks from economist and futurist Don Reynolds.

HOT TOPICS. Programming for this year’s event covers a range of subjects and is designed to appeal to both veterans and novices in the plastics recycling industry.

On the education front, workshops Sunday, June 10, are designed to help those who are newer to the industry learn more about it.

A Sunday afternoon plastics identification course will provide an overview of some of the most common plastic resins and polymers encountered by recyclers and tips for properly identifying them.

Following that, a workshop on the cross-marketing of materials and services will provide insight into how recyclers of paper, plastics, electronics and other materials (along with information destruction service providers) can seek out joint opportunities to serve the same customers.

Monday’s programming starts with economist Don Reynolds (See sidebar, p. 114.) at a plenary session for all three co-located conferences.

Following that, plastics-focused programming resumes with a keynote panel addressing "The Energy Double-Edged Sword," or how elevated energy costs encourage plastics recycling but also increase operating costs, thus threatening both profit margins and the overall use of plastic.

Monday afternoon, one session will address the always elusive "Search for Manufacturing Scrap" and how the changing geography of manufacturing both nationally and globally is affecting plastic scrap generation.

The final session Monday, "On the Waterfront," examines the export markets in Asia and elsewhere for recyclers willing to ship their plastic scrap overseas.

A half-day of programming Tuesday morning by no means offers half the value. The "Closed-Loop Considerations" session examines how recyclers can work with manufacturers to set up a closed-loop system for plastic scrap that allows them to stay in the picture as advisors or toll processors.

And a final session on emerging markets, "New . . . and Improved?," provides a look at several non-traditional markets and techniques beyond those currently established.

In addition to the educational programming, conference-goers also will have the opportunity to take part in a variety of networking opportunities, including evening receptions Sunday and Monday, lunch Monday and several breaks in the exhibit hall.

WORTHY DESTINATION. The setting for this year’s conference is the Peabody Hotel in Orlando, which bills itself as "a custom-built Orlando hotel catering to the meetings and conventions industry nationwide."

Although located in the heart of family vacation territory, the Peabody has attained its Mobil Four-Star, AAA Four Diamond convention hotel status with a combination of "relaxed elegance and the warmth of Southern hospitality."

A detailed show schedule and registration information is available at www.PlasticsRecyclingConference.com.