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EcoStrate SFS, Inc. developed technology to process post-consumer and hard-to-recycle plastics into new products

(New Orleans, LA) – The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) today announced EcoStrate as the recipient of the 2017 Design for Recycling® (DFR) Award for its ability to create composite plastic products from 100% post-consumer, high-polymer content scrap materials that are difficult to recycle. The DFR Award is ISRI’s most prestigious award given annually to the most innovative contribution to products designed with recycling in mind. It recognizes proactive steps made by manufacturers that have actively incorporated DFR principles into products and processes.

“ISRI is proud to present the 2017 Design for Recycling® Award to EcoStrate for its innovative technology that demonstrates a commitment to sustainability in the design and manufacture of its products,” said Robin Wiener, president of ISRI. “The revolutionary process developed by EcoStrate has the potential to open new markets not just for plastics recyclers, but for those who handle electronics, textiles, and other commodities. It is a prime example of how manufacturers and recycling industry can work together to expand sustainable manufacturing and recycling.”

Through the development of a new process, EcoStrate is able to manufacture traffic signs, indoor/ADA signs, flooring, and other surface materials from polymer content derived from used electronics, textiles, and various other scrap. Prior to use by EcoStrate, many of these materials were entering the waste stream due to non-compatibility with recycling technologies. Through this new manufacturing process, EcoStrate has created the ability to pull new materials into the recycling stream. Furthermore, each of the products EcoStrate produces is recyclable.

“Using EcoStrate’s proprietary technology platform, we’ve worked hard to create products and solutions that utilize the more challenging polymer waste streams,” said Ron Sherga, CEO of EcoStrate. “EcoStrate products can utilize 100% post-consumer scrap from E-Scrap, Textiles and Packaging that are fully recyclable back into numerous EcoStrate products. Our traffic signage substrates and other composite products improve safety, lower cost and create environmental offsets in large end-markets. These end-markets are capable of large volume waste diversion and support the reduced usage of harmful chemicals and virgin resources. Our material sources and product solutions have a global impact in developing markets as well as here in the USA.”

EcoStrate received the award on April 27, during the 2017 ReMA Convention and Exposition in New Orleans.

To be eligible for ISRI’s Design for Recycling® Award, a product must be designed/redesigned and manufactured to:

• Contain the maximum amount of materials that are recyclable;
• Be easily recycled through current or newly designed recycling processes and procedures;
• Be cost effective to recycle whereby the cost to recycle does not exceed the value of its recycled materials;
• Be free of hazardous materials that are not recyclable or impede the recycling process;
• Minimize the time and cost involved to recycle the product;
• Reduce the use of raw materials by including recycled materials and/or components; and
• Have a net gain in the overall recyclability of the product while reducing the overall negative impact on the environment.

ISRI began presenting the award more than 10 years ago. Previous winners include Samsung, LG Electronics, Dell, Inc., Cascades Fine Papers Group, Hewlett-Packard, The Herman Miller Company, and Wind Simplicity.

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The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI) is the "Voice of the Recycling Industry™." ReMA represents more than 1,300 companies in 21 chapters in the U.S. and 35 countries that process, broker, and consume scrap commodities, including metals, paper, plastics, glass, rubber, electronics, and textiles. With headquarters in Washington, DC, the Institute provides education, advocacy, safety and compliance training, and promotes public awareness of the vital role recycling plays in the U.S. economy, global trade, the environment and sustainable development. Generating more than $105 billion annually in U.S. economic activity, the scrap recycling industry provides nearly half a million Americans with good jobs. For more information about ISRI, please visit www.isri.org.