PLASTIC FANTASTIC
To our American friends: please, give us a sign this November
— By Andru Shively —
Every four years, US politics gets recycled. This also now applies – in one central Florida county, at least – to an iconic feature of the suburban American landscape during an election cycle: political yard signs.
A partnership between PureCycle Technologies (Orlando, Florida; www.purecycle.com), the Seminole County government, and the county’s chapter of the League of Women Voters led to the collection and recycling of some 800 pounds (nearly 363 kg) of campaign signs after the primary election earlier this year. Up next: the general election in November, with the stated goal of eventually expanding the initiative nationwide.
Every four years, US politics gets recycled. This also now applies – in one central Florida county, at least – to an iconic feature of the suburban American landscape during an election cycle: political yard signs.
A partnership between PureCycle Technologies (Orlando, Florida; www.purecycle.com), the Seminole County government, and the county’s chapter of the League of Women Voters led to the collection and recycling of some 800 pounds (nearly 363 kg) of campaign signs after the primary election earlier this year. Up next: the general election in November, with the stated goal of eventually expanding the initiative nationwide.
 Not exactly what we meant by recycle... (Photo: PIE) |
Mostly made of polypropylene, the last stop on the campaign trail for such signs is often a landfill. PureCycle aims to change that, applying a physical recycling process that reportedly transforms them into resin suitable for use in new products and packaging.
Considering the sheer number of municipal, state, and national candidates running for office across the country, the resulting plastics waste in the form of election signs quickly adds up. Recycling them, we would hope, is a campaign all Americans could support.
04.10.2024 Plasteurope.com [256180-0]
Published on 04.10.2024