<b>Trees, Ornamental & Bedding Plant:</b> Closing the loop

Hort-plastics come down a conveyer at East Jordan Plastics’ recycling facility. Photo: Fast Jordon PlasticsJust call it the green-industry paradox: Growers produce and landscape contractors install earth-friendly, oxygen-generating plants in plastic pots that rarely end up in recycling bins. Amazingly, this contradiction remained a sideline issue – until a few years ago.

As the sustainability trend took hold of the country, garden writers turned their attention to the tons of horticulture plastics discarded every year. Some types could go in curbside recycling bins – if landscapers and consumers had access to that service. But the vast majority ended up in landfills.

It was a wake-up call for the horticulture community. In short order, green-industry suppliers, consumers and non-profit organizations began developing programs to recycle and reuse hort-plastic. Among the leaders in this effort was East Jordan Plastics, based in East Jordan, Mich.

The Challenge
“Even though our containers have always contained recycled plastic, few were being recycled at the end of their life cycle,” said Nathan Diller, recycling manager at East Jordan Plastics. The company first began using recycled material for manufacturing when they transitioned their product line from wooden greenhouse flats to plastic flats in the early 1960s.

East Jordan saw that if these containers could be consolidated and returned to them, they could recycle them and put them back into finished product, thus “closing the loop” on the life cycle of the container. Combining this with the fact that East Jordan has longstanding relationships with many growers and retailers throughout the industry, it made sense that the supply chain of used containers could be developed.

Ramping Up
“In the spring of 2008 we really started the push to collect used containers,” Diller said. “At that time there wasn’t a lot of consumer collection – it was mostly containers used by growers. We started building a stockpile knowing full well we were going to have a [recycling] facility.”

That fall, East Jordan Plastics found space for its recycling venture in South Haven, Mich. The location was ideal, since it was at the crossroads of the company’s popular shipping routes. Meanwhile, machinery to process the used plastic was being custom built for East Jordan.

After that, the project progressed rapidly. The machinery was delivered in March 2009; the facility went to a two-shift operation that fall, and in early 2010 a third shift was added. Used pots, trays, tags and bench cards are currently being ground up and reprocessed around the clock.

East Jordan picks up and pays for the used plastic. Reimbursement rates depend on a number of factors, including material type, quality and quantity. Current East Jordan Plastics’ customers usually have a credit applied to their account. Others will receive a check.

Full Circle
But growers aren’t the only horticulture businesses contributing to East Jordan’s recycling stockpile. Garden retailers and landscapers are also supporting the effort. Diller recommends that garden centers and landscape contractors work with their local suppliers to gather plastics and get them in the recycling stream.
“If they can coordinate with other garden centers or growers, they can work together to consolidate into a truckload, which optimizes logistics.”

East Jordan’s long-term goal is to expand both the capacity and reach of Project 100%. They’re on track this year to process 10 million pounds of plastic on the current recycling line.

“Plans are being made to add additional capacity to our South Haven facility,” Diller said. “As the program continues to grow, we would like to see our South Haven facility become a template for future recycling facilities throughout the country.”

“The most unique thing about this program is that it’s really closed loop,” he said. “The containers we are recycling are being used to manufacture new containers.”

The author is managing editor of Garden Center.