Renewlogy is a three-way win: it’s a profitable business model, keeps plastic out of the landfills, and produces usable fuel. The creators of Renewlogy technology found inspiration out of disgust when they learned that less than 10 percent of plastic was being recycled through traditional recycling processes. Armed with an MIT education and pinpoint focus, the team designed a recycling system that can be built on-site, specific to the needs of the waste management company, with no pollution. With this method, Renewlogy’s systems can process up to 10 tons of plastic waste daily without the need for additional transportation costs and the fuel emissions that go along with it.
Renewlogy systems offer a range of benefits over traditional recycling systems, primarily that they are able to accept all types of plastic, including the low-grade, single-use types that are otherwise not recyclable. Not only does this mean commercial processing of these low-grade materials, but the process even accepts contaminated and mixed streams of plastic that get thrown out in other systems.
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Like standard recycling centers, the process begins with the collection and delivery of materials. Once onsite, the commingled plastic heads into the hopper where it is shredded into smaller pieces. Through a proprietary chemical process, the materials are then converted into high-value products used to make virgin plastic, diesel fuel and other petrochemical products. Gases offset throughout the process are captured and recycled so there are no toxic emissions.
The first continuous-process commercial system in the United States was set up in Utah as a demonstration facility. From there, another large scale unit has been installed in Nova Scotia and several businesses are committed to integrating the system across the U.S. currently. Renewlogy has a waiting list where interested parties can sign up.
As production of facilities ramps up, the company also has ocean clean-up goals on the horizon. Targeting limited-land use communities like islands and emerging urban developments that both struggle with limited space, the hope of the Renewlogy team is that they will be able to convert plastic into fuel onsite so that waste compilation is eliminated altogether. To support marine vessels collecting plastic from the ocean, Renewlogy offers a small-scale, portable system that can be used on-board the ship. In addition, they have developed ReFence, a system that diverts plastics out of rivers before it reaches the ocean.
With an overarching goal of eliminating all plastic from landfills and ocean pollution, Renewlogy aims to set a long-term, sustainable example with continuing innovation in the field of plastic processing.
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