There was a very enthusiastic response to the plastics drop off events held in September and October 2008. However, because of some changes with the company and difficulties with the plastics recycling market, the program will not continue.
What happened with the company?
The owners of the company we were working with (AGSI) had a disagreement and they decided to dissolve their partnership. The operations partner was able to secure financing to reopen as Genisys Poly...in Mankato. The new company will concentrate on the agricultural plastics market.
What can I do with the plastics I was storing?
Drop off center that takes #1 - #7 containers (no Styrofoam even if it’s marked with a #6)
East Side Coop
25th and Central NE
Minneapolis
Screw on caps from pop and shampoo bottles can be taken to Aveda salons such as the one at Fourth and Central in Minneapolis.
#5 plastics can be taken to Whole Foods stores in Minneapolis or St. Paul.
Plastic plant pots can be returned to certain garden centers including Linder's.
Why can’t we work with another company?
There’s only one other plastic’s broker - Consolidated Container. They pick up material from the Minneapolis drop off site. Consolidated is based in Minneapolis and does this through a partnership with the city. They are not interested in working with any other cities.
Why can’t these plastics be taken at the curb?
Collecting plastics is difficult because they take up lots of space, but don’t weigh much. So you can end up burning lots of gas to haul around lots of air (that’s why we ask you to save space on the recycling truck by flattening your milk jugs).
We also need to be able to sell the stuff. It doesn’t do any good to collect plastics if there is no manufacturer that wants to buy it and use it to make new products. The #1 and #2 bottles we take at the curb have abundant and stable markets. There aren’t yet enough manufacturers using the other types of plastic in the quantities that we would generate if we collected them at the curb.
Then there’s the issue of sorting. It’s pretty easy to sort pop bottles from detergent bottles from milk jugs just by looking at them. Unfortunately with other plastics it’s not so easy. Some manufacturers will use the same mold to make the same product but use different types of plastic. For instance sometimes berry containers are made from #1 and sometimes #6. There’s no easy way to sort these at a processing facility. Your presorting at the collection events is what made it economically feasible to sell those plastics.
For more information on the importance of presorting plastics, check out this interesting article from
Discover magazine.