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Dow has struck a new deal with waste optimization leader Avangard Innovative (AI; Houston, TX) to further its circular economy goals. AI will supply post-consumer resin (PCR) pellets to Dow, an initiative Dow describes as a significant addition to its plastic circularity portfolio. The PCR-based materials will be available to North American customers later this year.

“We’re giving our customers the tools they need to supply consumers with products made from recycled plastic, like the liners they place into their waste bins and the shrink wrap they use to bundle and ship packaged goods,” said Victor Zapata, Dow’s Recycling Commercial Director for Latin America and North America. “This collaboration combines AI’s waste collection and sortation technology with Dow’s materials science expertise, application expertise and operational scale to bring consistent processing and a reliable supply of PCR-based low-density (LD) and linear-low-density (LLD) PE to our customers throughout North America.”

Avangard Innovative will expand its film collection and sorting capabilities with facilities in Texas, Nevada and Mexico. Image courtesy Dow.The exclusive agreement to supply Dow with PCR to combine with virgin resins and create new LLDPE and LDPE products follows AI’s announcement that it is expanding its film collection and sortation facilitated by a second plant in Houston, and new plants in Nevada and Mexico.

When PlasticsToday asked Dow about the consumer education aspect in the collection of recyclable plastics, the company responded by concurring that “education is a vital component to the success of any efforts aimed at reducing waste and encouraging a more circular economy.” With this in mind, last fall Dow initiated the #RecycleChallenge aimed at spreading awareness of the Store Drop-Off Program and educating consumers about the How2Recycle label, Dow explained.

Dow Marketing Director Heather Turner initiated the project by posting about the items she was recycling via a store drop-off location, which led to fellow marketing employee Chris Gandy to follow suit. That was the “spark” to a wider effort to encourage additional Dow employees to participate, and ultimately led to participation at a much larger scale, said Dow.

The core focus areas of education the #RecycleChallenge aims to address include details of the Store Drop-Off Program and How2Recycle Label, information about recyclable materials, and a reminder of the importance of recycling for individuals.

“Additionally, the Dow and Avangard teams have put resources behind producing video content to help illustrate and visualize what this partnership means,” Dow told PlasticsToday. “The video provides a good example of what happens when the recycled products are captured, sorted and ultimately repurposed.”

Rick Perez, Avangard CEO, commented: “The combination of our collaboration with Dow and our planned expansion makes this a very exciting time for Avangard Innovative. We’ve built film collection and sortation experience of 24 years, uniquely positioning us to deliver PCR materials that will allow Dow to develop circular products for its customers.”