The study at Eureka Recycling revealed that sorting and processing film, particularly from the pre-sort and fiber lines, pose significant challenges for Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs).
- In the pre-sort house, despite incurring a cost of $0.50 per lb. ($1001.75 per ton) for film sorting, the process was deemed impractical due to the substantial labor required. Consequently, separate baling was discontinued.
- The main sort house saw even greater inefficiency, with film sorting from the fiber line costing $1.70 per lb. ($3400 per ton) due to the nature of smaller and lighter film pieces.
- Optics for film separation were explored but presented a high estimated cost of $0.70 to $2.65 per lb. ($1400 to $5300 per ton).
Beyond the economic challenges, the study underscored safety concerns associated with film in MRFs, indicating that even with a potentially higher market value, the safety and equipment impact may outweigh the financial benefits, making film processing in MRFs costly and ineffective.
Minnesota Settles Lawsuit on Deceptive Recycling Labeling
Deceptive labeling impacts our operations daily at Eureka. Companies will often label something as recyclable causing it to end up
Beyond the July Challenge: Maintaining a Plastic-Free Lifestyle
While our plastic production and pollution crisis can feel very overwhelming, there are actions we can take that will make
Authentic Solutions to Plastic Pollution: A Plastic Free July Webinar & Film Screening
Join us on Wednesday, July 3st, at 2pm CT for the film screening and discussion. Reduce, reuse, then recycle: this
Repair Independence
It is Time to Assert Your Right to Repair Your Own Stuff! On July 1st, the Digital Fair Repair Act