The Repurposing Plastic Waste in
Infrastructure Committee is researching how recycled materials can
be used in the nation's infrastructure projects
HILLIARD, Ohio ,
Sept. 23,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.
(ADS) (NYSE: WMS), a leading provider of innovative water
management solutions in the stormwater and on-site septic
wastewater industries and the largest plastic recycler in
North America, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, welcomed a committee of the
National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to its recycling and pipe
production facilities in Northwest
Ohio. The visit was part of ADS' ongoing effort to
demonstrate how recycled materials can be repurposed into valuable
pieces of infrastructure.
The NAS Repurposing Plastic Waste in Infrastructure Committee
was tasked by Congress as part of the Save Our Seas Act of 2020 to
research and identify domestic and international examples of
transportation and non-transportation infrastructure projects and
solutions that have used recycled plastic materials.
The committee toured one of ADS' recycling facilities in
Pandora, Ohio, as well as a
materials testing lab and pipe production facility in Findlay, Ohio.
"This was an opportunity to show the National Academy of
Sciences the circular process of recycled plastics in our business,
and how a strong plan for recycling materials can remove plastics
from our waste stream, repurposing them into useful and
long-lasting products for our nation's infrastructure," said
Scott Barbour, ADS President and
CEO. "The Repurposing Plastic Waste in Infrastructure Committee's
work will help guide how recycled materials find new life in needed
infrastructure projects across the country, and we very much
appreciated their visit to our facilities in Pandora and Findlay,
Ohio."
ADS, which manufactures plastic drainage pipe and stormwater
solutions that capture, convey, store and treat the world's most
precious resource: water, recycled over 600 million pounds of
plastic last year, turning the HDPE from recycled consumer and
industrial products into innovative water-management solutions. In
2020, ADS recycled approximately 28% of all HDPE bottles in
the United States. ADS was
recognized this year as the largest recycler of HDPE plastic in
North America by Plastic News, a
plastics industry trade publication.
As part of its research, the committee has invited materials
experts and industry representatives to give presentations answers
to questions about the viability of recycled materials in
infrastructure. ADS provided one such presentation. The tour gave
the committee an opportunity to learn more about ADS' recycling
process, which includes sorting, separating, removing contaminants
and quality control that allows for single use plastics to be
converted into durable goods. The lifespan of an ADS pipe made from
recycled HDPE is 50 to 100 years.
Also attending the tour were some of ADS' key collaborators,
including Jeff Snyder, director of
recycling at Rumpke Waste and Recycling; Josh Knights, director of partnerships at The
Ohio State University Sustainability
Institute; and Molly Kathleen,
Ohio State's zero waste coordinator.
The tour also gave ADS and the committee a chance to discuss the
challenges inherent in gathering recyclable materials, as well as
the opportunities to improve consumer access to recycling,
front-end production of plastics goods that consider the life cycle
of the material, and end-user viability of recycled products.
About the Company
Advanced Drainage Systems is a leading manufacturer of
innovative stormwater and on-site septic wastewater solutions that
manages the world's most precious resource: water. ADS provides
superior drainage solutions for use in a wide variety of markets
and applications including commercial, residential, infrastructure
and agriculture. ADS delivers tremendous service to its customers
with the industry's largest company-owned fleet, an expansive sales
team, and a vast manufacturing network of approximately 70
manufacturing plants and 38 distribution centers. ADS is the
largest plastic recycling company in North America, ensuring over half a billion
pounds of plastic is kept out of landfills every year. Founded in
1966, ADS' water management solutions are designed to last for
decades. To learn more, visit the company's website at
www.adspipe.com.
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SOURCE Advanced Drainage System, Inc.