Recycling in Texas: 2016

Thursday, May 12, 2016

List of plastic scrap recycling in Dallas, TX

I found this really long list of recycling places in Dallas that accept plastic scraps. I have not had the time to check out all the listings myself, and to see if those are commercial recycling only, or residential scrap recycling as well.

http://recyclelist.org/recycle/tx/dallas/plastic-scrap-and-recycling

Monday, May 9, 2016

Recycling LDPE 04 foam packing in Dallas

The Low Density Polyethylene LDPE 04 packaging materials look like this:

Apparently, these can be recycled in large quantities (via business-to-business resale, not suitable for average households)
http://www.recycle.net/Plastic/ldpe/ - this is a community of commercial recyclers

Here is the advice from the recyclers' association. The advice basically boils down to: there are very few recycling location, so mailing the stuff may be the only economically sensible thing to do:
http://www.epspackaging.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=4

Drop-off centers:

For an average home owner, Austin has a good recycling facility
http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2008-04-18/613670/

I was not able to find any other information on LDPE 04 recycling in other cities yet

Recycling styrofoam (foam #6) in Texas

Styrofoam is the bane of our times. I see those torn smashed pieces of to-go cups and boxes laying along side the roads, under the green shrubs by my house, and in the think grass in the cleanest parts of the local greenbelt... Even if I try to avoid taking any styrofoam with me from food places, it still arrives to me in the form of trash appearing front of my house and packaging materials in parcels that I receive.

Once acquired, how to get rid of it?

In Texas, food-grade Styrofoam is very hard to recycle. Packaging material Styrofoam is a bit easier to recycle. Styrofoam peanuts are the easiest to get rid of.

First of all, the Ecology Action site is great for information on all types of recycling in North Texas

Peanuts

Accepted as many shipping/mailing centers, such as Ship Express , Pack Mail, and UPS stores. All you need to do is to check with the nearest mailing centers around you to see who will take your peanuts.

Packaging material Styrofoam

Check the maps posted here to find a drop-off facility near you:

1) http://www.epspackaging.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37&Itemid=38
2) http://www.homeforfoam.com/foam-101/foam-recycling-centers

Also:

City of Galveston is accepting all types of Styrofoam
City of Austin has information that it accepts Styrofoam, but other publish information contradicts that, so call the city department to check on the current rules for Styrofoam

Note: 1. CycledPlastics.com used to be a recycling center, but now appears to be sold/closed.

2. Texas Single Stream recycling is NOT accepting Strofoam

Food and beverage containers

There is one recycling facility in Fort Bent County http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/index.aspx?page=649#plastic
City of Galveston is accepting all types of Styrofoam (https://www.facebook.com/cityofgalveston/posts/593818603965645)

For commercial companies, manufacturing facilities, offices - http://balconesresources.com/contact-us/dallas

MAIL-BACK LOCATION:

Depending on where in Texas you live, your best option may be mailing your materials, rather than dropping it off.

You can crush up the materials and mail them to this location (I would check with the first on any restrictions)

Texas Foam Fabricators, Inc.

900 E. Keller Parkway Keller, TX 76248 817-379-6520

http://www.epspackaging.org/images/stories/National_Mail_Back_Program_1-16.pdf

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Bubble pack recycling in Texas

I need to recycle 2 bags of scraps bubble pack. Here is what I have found so far by trying to search for information on bubble pack recycling.

Image result for bubble pack

1) most sites that pop up in Google briefly mention that you can find bubble pack recycling centers, but they do not specifically say how to find them. Instead, they spend most of the article discussion reusal options
2) most municipalities in Texas do no accept bubble pack through the curbside collection
3) the only places that seem to accept packaging film for, apparently, reuse, are mailing places
4) SealedAir (http://www.recyclepefoam.com/) accepts bubble pack for recycling through mail and through drop off center

Recycle PE Foam

Recycle PE Foam allows you to ship to a recycler (http://www.recyclepefoam.com/pe_locator/zone2.aspx)

TexasAustin Foam Plastics, Inc.
1430 Bradley Lane, Suite 140
Carrollton, TX 75007

HFP-El Paso
12 Zane Grey #12-B
El Paso, TX 79906

Alamo Foam
11115 Osgood
San Antonio, TX 78223

Houston Foam Plastics
2019 Brooks Street
Houston, TX 77026

Foam Fabricators, Inc.
900 E. Keller Parkway, Suite 101
Keller, TX 76248

Austin Foam Plastics, Inc.
2933 A.W. Grimes Blvd
Pflugerville, TX 78660-5292

SealedAir corporation

SealedAir corporation (who produces bubble pack) allows you to drop off bubble pack for recycling at 1 location in Texas (in Fort Worth)

https://sealedair.com/bubble-wrap-brand-air-cellular-packaging-recycling-program

Sealed Air Corporation, 4400 Diplomacy Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76155 Tel: +1-817-540-2020

Other recycling facilities

Yellow pages mention a company Advanced Foam Recycling in the DFW area, but the company apparently does not have a web site to provide details

http://www.yellowpages.com/redbird-dallas-tx/soft-foam-recyclers

Shipping centers

In the end, it seems that the easiest way to recycle bubble pack in Texas is to bring it to one of mail service businesses that can reuse the materials. Example:

Ship Express
3026 Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 692-9773
http://www.ship-express.com/We-RECYCLE.aspx

Pack & Ship Center
1475 Richardson Dr.
Richardson, TX 75080
http://rsdemo.rsstores.net/Home-Business/Recycling-Services