Have you ever wondered what happens to the plastic containers that you return to Wenke Greenhouses in our recycle box in the corner of the parking lot?
I’m happy to tell you about the recycling program that has really had a positive impact.
East Jordan is a supplier for us and they have a facility in South Haven that takes all that plastic and makes it new again. East Jordan plans to recycle 12 million pounds this year. That’s a great thing for our environment! We’re excited to be a part of this program. Here’s some information from the East Jordan Plastics Container Recycling program in South Haven.
EAST JORDAN PLASTICS:
We call our initiative Project 100%, and our goal is to spearhead a regional effort to ensure that all of the plastic used in making horticultural plant containers is recycled. It’s a lofty goal, we know, but we feel it’s the right thing to do– for both our industry and our planet.
There are many benefits to plastic container recycling
Recycled plastic plant containers can recover upwards of 60% of the energy put into processing the product initially.
• The recycling “closed loop” for plastic plant containers is repeated each time the plastic material is recycled with significant energy recovery gains
• Recycled horticultural containers avoid landfills and are returned directly to the growing container manufacturing stream
• Recycling reduces waste removal fees by keeping growing containers out of dumpsters and landfills
• Recycling enhances the growing container industry’s public image as a wise steward of the environment by reusing sustainable plastic growing containers
• Recycling creates opportunities for most plastic containers to be reused
• Recycling achieves a better sustainable footprint due to trash reduction
