Republic Services and Blue Polymers have unveiled North America’s ‘Polymer Center-Blue Polymers’ plastic recycling plant in Indianapolis, US.
The facility is owned and run by Republic Services, with Republic being a joint venture partner of Blue Polymers.
The recycling complex encompasses two buildings totalling approximately 300,000ft², aimed at improving plastics circularity and supporting sustainable packaging.
The site will produce more than 175 million pounds of recycled plastics annually for food-grade packaging and other uses.
The Polymer Hub will process plastics gathered from homes and businesses in Indiana and nearby states, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and polypropylene (PP).
Once collected, PET will be shredded and cleaned to produce recycled PET flakes for new beverage bottles.
Meanwhile, the HDPE and PP packaging will be separated based on their colour and type and then dispatched to Blue Polymers for compounding, mixing, and pelletising to produce customised drop-in solutions for clients.
The plant’s facilities aim to significantly enhance the lifespan of plastic packaging.
Republic Services estimates most PET bottles can be recycled into new bottles six to seven times while HDPE jugs can return to shelves in 120 days.
Both Republic Services and Blue Polymers are creating a nationwide network of plastics recycling facilities.
The project was supported by a grant from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s Central Indiana Waste Diversion Pilot Scheme, as well as tax incentives from the City of Indianapolis, working alongside Develop Indy, the Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development, and Employ Indy.
It also secured tax credits from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation based on its investment and job creation plans, along with Hoosier Business Investment credits to support advanced manufacturing and innovative technologies.
Republic Services president and CEO Jon Vander Ark said: “The opening of the first Polymer Center-Blue Polymers complex is a significant milestone in advancing circularity for plastic packaging in Indiana and across the region.
“As a leader in environmental services, Republic Services is uniquely positioned to help meet customers’ demands for sustainable packaging and support Indianapolis’ vision to create a more resilient future.”
In February last year, Republic Services opened a vertically integrated plastics recycling facility, claimed to be the first of its kind in North America.
