Recycling has become a crucial transformation in waste management, allowing for the conservation of resources, environmental protection from harmful toxins, and reduction of energy consumption.
A little over a year from its groundbreaking, a new complex in Indianapolis is now raising the bar even further on recycling, circumventing downcycling, and extending the lifecycle of plastic packaging. Republic Services and Blue Polymers, LLC, a joint venture between Republic Services and global polymer recycling leader Ravago, opened North America's first Polymer Center and Blue Polymers plastics recycling complex. The complex consists of two buildings that span nearly 300,000 square feet and is located along Hanna Avenue.
The project introduces a new chapter in recycling as the Polymer Center-Blue Polymers facility will manage an anticipated 175 million pounds of recycled plastics every year in a full-circle, high-quality process that travels from curbside collection to reproduction of consumer packaging.
In the Polymer Center, recycled plastics including items such as water bottles, milk jugs, household cleaning packaging, and food-grade containers, will be processed and divided into different polymer categories. PET polymers, those that make beverage bottles, will be used to make new beverage bottles. The other recycled polymers will be sorted and sent to Blue Polymers where they will be sold to companies as materials that are fully tested, certified, and ready for use in products such as automotive parts, cosmetics, and other items. Company officials expect the facility’s operation will create an estimated 125 jobs in Indiana for those skilled in quality management, IT, customer service, extrusion, shipping, and other positions.
Proactive Move
The Polymer Center-Blue Polymers facility is positioned to respond to forecasts from industry data-researching firm McKinsey and Company, which suggests that the demand for PET will outpace the supply by 2030. In their research, the organization found that only 27% of original PET and 18% of recycled PET bottles were collected and repurposed for new bottles.
The appeal of the new Indy recycling complex is twofold. First, it keeps PET and other polymers from filling up in the landfill. More importantly, it is handling the materials in a way that extends the lifecycle of plastic.
“Until now, the fate of a recycled plastic bottle or jug in the U.S. wasn't a new plastic bottle or jug; instead, it was generally downcycled into carpet, clothing, or construction pipe – materials that have few options for further recycling,” according to a news release issued by Republic Services. “Republic Services estimates that most PET bottles can be recycled into new bottles six to seven times, while the process for recycling most HDPE jugs is designed to return them to store shelves in as little as 120 days.”
Expanding Reach
With the Indianapolis complex as the pioneering facility for Republic Services and Blue Polymers, the companies plan to open a second complex in Arizona later in 2025. Two more Polymer Center-Blue Polymers facilities are planned for construction in 2026 and 2027, the Republic noted to investors. While Republic did not specify where those facilities would be located, the company did note that development has started on one of them in the northeastern part of the U.S.
First in a planned national network of Polymer Center-Blue Polymer complexes, the Indy facility has been well received by Indiana officials, both from an economic development boost standpoint and financial support. The $150 million project received grant funding from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s Central Indiana Waste Diversion Pilot Project.
The developers also received several tax credits including from the City of Indianapolis as well as the incentive-based tax credits from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). IEDC committed up to $2 million in tax credits and up to $100,000 in workforce training grants, which were based on investment and job creation plans. Additionally, IEDC committed up to $4 million in Hoosier Business Investment tax credits.
