Expanding Paper Cup Recycling in the Carolinas

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North Carolina and South Carolina are expanding their curbside recycling programs. Efforts are being made to include paper cups in residential recycling programs across both states. This announcement is made in partnership with the Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI), a leading industry association working to increase recovery of foodservice packaging. FPI is working closely with local material recovery facilities (MRFs) and paper mills to add this highly desirable fiber as an acceptable commodity for curbside recycling.

“This recycling initiative in North Carolina and South Carolina represents a significant milestone in the advancement of sustainability and recycling efforts. Our team has worked closely with stakeholders in both states, and we are thrilled to witness the realization of this initiative. This is the initial phase of our roll-out plan, and we plan to extend our collaboration with counties and cities across the Carolinas,” said Natha Dempsey, president of the Foodservice Packaging Institute.

To ensure the success of this new development, FPI is partnering with local communities to launch educational campaigns informing residents about the acceptance of clean and empty paper cups for recycling. The first partnership will be with New Hanover County, North Carolina, which sends collected recyclables to Sonoco Recycling for processing. Recovered material will be supplied to the Sonoco paper mill in Hartsville, South Carolina, where it be converted into new products, advancing the circular economy in the region.
“Leading this recycling initiative in the Carolinas is a source of great excitement for us, and we envision this partnership as a blueprint for future collaborations throughout the Carolinas and beyond. This partnership is an important step in the right direction towards keeping these materials in the regional economy,” said Joe Suleyman, solid waste director of New Hanover County.

This initiative will kick off at the Carolina Recycling Association (CRA) conference with a press conference on March 29. Representatives from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, and Sonoco Recycling will attend. During the event, they will discuss recovery efforts and steps to ensure residents are well-informed about how to recycle paper cups and reduce contamination.

Foam Recycling Coalition Opens Application Period for Foam Recycling Grants

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Since 2015, more than 30 communities, facility operators, non-profits and solid waste authorities have received grants of up to $50,000 from Foodservice Packaging Institute’s Foam Recycling Coalition (FRC) to expand foam polystyrene recycling throughout the United States and Canada. FRC has opened the 2023 application period, now through April 25, 2023, for public and private entities seeking to start or improve foam polystyrene recovery in their recycling programs.

Eligible entities must engage in operating a material recovery facility, manage residential curbside recycling programs, or manage a drop-off or convenience site recycling program.

“To date, more than 10 million more residents can recycle foam polystyrene in the U.S. and Canada as a result of our FRC grants,” said Natha Dempsey, president of the Foodservice Packaging Institute. “The communities and organizations we partner with ensure that foam polystyrene items, like cups, egg cartons, foodservice containers and packaging materials, are diverted from landfills and recycled into new products.”

Previous grant awardees have used FRC funding to purchase equipment, including collection bins and foam densifiers, that aid in the efficient collection and on-site material preparation prior to shipping. No cash match is required. However, additional costs by the grantee may be incurred for related items, such as site preparation, electrical infrastructure, freight, etc.

The grant program is made possible through contributions to FRC, which focuses exclusively on increased recycling of post-consumer foam polystyrene. Its members include Americas Styrenics; Chick-fil-A; CKF Inc.; Dart Container Corp.; Dyne-A-Pak; Genpak; INEOS Styrolution America LLC; Lifoam Industries, LLC; Pactiv Evergreen; and Republic Plastics.
Visit www.RecycleFoam.org/Grants to learn more about foam recycling, read about previous recipients or apply for a grant.

Mecklenburg County Expands Recovery of Foam Polystyrene to All Full-Service Recycling Centers

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Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, is taking the next step in growing the county’s recycling program with the help of a $50,000 grant from the Foodservice Packaging Institute’s (FPI) Foam Recycling Coalition (FRC). The county has informed residents that it is now collecting post-consumer foam polystyrene (PS), including foodservice packaging, at all four of its full-service recycling centers.

The FRC grant assisted with funding the purchase and installation of a foam densifier at one of its four recycling centers as part of the program launch for foam PS recycling. Densifiers are used to compact foam products, like cups, egg cartons, foodservice containers and packaging materials, into foam blocks or ingots. The county plans to sell the foam ingots to local end markets to be manufactured into architectural moldings and picture frames.

“The county’s full-service recycling centers have seen customer counts increase 51% from 2019 to 2022 – driving our efforts to expand our recycling infrastructure and identify new recycling and waste diversion opportunities,” said Jeff Smithberger, Mecklenburg County Solid Waste Director. “The demand for foam polystyrene recycling and availability of end markets has created a viable opportunity to launch a new recycling program with help from the FRC grant.”

The foam recycling program will provide ongoing data on potential expansion to include more collection sites. The county has collected more than 70 30-yard dumpsters (over 10,000 lbs.) since the collection program kicked off on November 28, 2022. Since then, the county has added a second densifier, at the Tire and Metal Recovery Facility to handle the volume.
“Mecklenburg County’s solid waste division, serving over 1 million residents, is continuously testing and providing new opportunities to recover and divert valuable materials from the landfill,” said Natha Dempsey, president of the Foodservice Packaging Institute, which oversees FRC. “FPI and the Foam Recycling Coalition are excited to be a part of the pilot program to increase recycling of polystyrene foam.”

The grant is made possible through contributions to FRC, which focuses exclusively on increased recycling of post-consumer foam polystyrene. Its members include Americas Styrenics; Chick-fil-A; CKF Inc.; Dart Container Corp.; Dolco; Dyne-A-Pak; Genpak; INEOS Styrolution America LLC; Lifoam Industries, LLC; Pactiv Evergreen; and Republic Plastics.

Mecklenburg County is the 28th grant recipient to receive this funding since 2015. Over 8 million additional residents in the U.S. and Canada can recycle foam polystyrene as a result of FRC grants. Visit www.RecycleFoam.org to learn more about foam recycling, read about previous recipients or apply for a grant.

University of North Carolina Wilmington Expands Polystyrene Recycling with Support from Foam Recycling Coalition

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The University of North Carolina Wilmington’s demand for recycling services has markedly increased since the start of its recycling program in 1989. What began with a five-person operation has expanded to include collections, hauling, and processing capabilities with an on-campus hand-sorting material recovery facility and drop-off center (The Depot). Now, with the help of the Foam Recycling Coalition, the university will expand its polystyrene foam recycling capabilities to meet increased volumes.

UNCW received a $9,627 grant from the Foodservice Packaging Institute’s Foam Recycling Coalition (FRC) to purchase four containers to collect the increased volume of polystyrene foam. It will add a second densifier, donated to the university, that will double the capacity to process foam, including packing blocks, coolers, peanuts, foodservice containers, egg crates and meat trays.
“99% of all foam collected at UNCW comes from off-campus via drop-off at either our MRF or The Depot. As well as receiving material from the public, we partner with local businesses to process their foam,” said Feletia Lee, chief sustainability officer with UNCW Business Services. “UNCW is looking to expand our relationships with the city and county to target foam in their operations.”

“The University of North Carolina Wilmington is making strides to meet demand and create a circular economy with over 95% of materials processed on campus being sent to vendors in North Carolina. The Foam Recycling Coalition is proud to support the university’s efforts to divert more foam polystyrene from landfills,” said Natha Dempsey, president of the Foodservice Packaging Institute, which oversees FRC.

The grant is made possible through contributions to FRC, which focuses exclusively on increased recycling of post-consumer foam polystyrene. Its members include Americas Styrenics; Chick-fil-A; CKF Inc.; Dart Container Corp.; Dolco; Dyne-A-Pak; Genpak; INEOS Styrolution America LLC; Lifoam Industries, LLC; Pactiv Evergreen; and Republic Plastics.

UNCW is the 27th grant recipient to receive this funding since 2015. Over 8 million additional residents in the U.S. and Canada can recycle foam polystyrene as a result of FRC grants. Visit www.RecycleFoam.org to learn more about foam recycling, read about previous recipients or apply for a grant.