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We are excited to announce a significant step towards sustainability at Eagle Performance Plastics! Starting in August 2024, we have begun making deliveries of waste to Convergen Energy. This marks the beginning of a new waste stream initiative that will divert the bulk of our waste from landfills by repurposing it into fuel pellets and eventually electricity.

Convergen Energy

For years, we have been searching for a solution to manage the plastic shavings generated from machining customer parts. Due to the mixed materials of these shavings, traditional recyclers won’t accept them. As a manufacturer working with various plastic materials, sorting the shavings by type is impractical. You can see the wide range of plastics we handle on our website’s Material Catalog.

In 2023, we found our breakthrough after participating in events hosted by the Green Bay Innovation Group (GBIG). Through GBIG, we connected with Convergen Energy, who converts mixed waste into fuel pellets, using uncontaminated paper materials and plastics that would otherwise end up in landfills.

Fuel Pellets

Fuel Pellets

These fuel pellets, produced by Convergen Energy, are incinerated in industrial boilers at much higher temperatures than what could be achieved in uncontrolled home burning. The incinerators also incorporate advanced technologies, including Dry Sorbent Injection, to clean up emissions. This results in a cleaner and more efficient burn, ensuring that emissions are fully compliant with EPA regulations.

After touring the Convergen facility and understanding the process, we quickly recognized that they offered the environmentally responsible solution we had been searching for to repurpose our plastic waste and keep it out of the landfill.

Implementation

Convergen Waste

Following extensive planning and discussions, both internally and externally, we implemented a new system on-site. We installed a trash compactor to compact the plastic shavings we generate for shipment to Convergen. Additionally, we added more trash cans, which we color-coded to differentiate between waste types. One color indicates waste suitable for Convergen Energy, while another is for landfill-bound waste.

We anticipate this initiative will reduce our landfill waste by approximately 80% to start—nearly 200 tons of waste kept out of the landfill annually! As we refine our processes, we hope to increase this reduction even further.

This change is not without challenges and costs, but it is a step we are proud to take in our commitment to doing better for our environment and community.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to evolve our sustainability practices!