2007 Recycling Business Development Grant Winners

The N.C. Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance awarded 17 recycling business development grants, totaling $295,000.

For the 2007 grant round, criteria was included to give some weight to proposals that supported developing infrastructure in response to landfill ban legislation that passed the General Assembly in 2005 and will take effect in 2008 – items included in those bans are wooden pallets, rigid plastic containers, oil filters and oyster shells, with additional legislation requiring ABC permit holders to recycle.

The grants ranged from $4,500 to $30,000, and if all the projects are successful, will create more than 66,000 tons of additional recycling capacity in North Carolina. Overall, DPPEA received 24 proposals requesting $660,000 in funds. Selected projects include:

Plastic Revolutions ($30,000) – Plastic Revolutions (Reidsville) will build a mixed plastics sorting line and acquire and install an automated baler system that will allow for the purchase and processing of commingled bales of mixed plastics and the baling and subsequent sale of PETE bottles. Contact: John Hagan, Plastic Revolutions, (336) 337-1985.

Shimar Recycling ($30,000) – Shimar Recycling (Durham) will purchase an additional side-load recycling truck, roll-cart collection containers, roll-off containers and a roll-off truck. With the additional equipment, it will be able to service more businesses affected by ABC legislation. Contact: Will Marley, Shimar Recycling, (919) 680-6262.

FCR ($25,000) – FCR (Greensboro) will purchase the FiberSort® system, developed by MSS Inc., which provides for precise and fully automated separation of old corrugated containers and non-paper items (trash) from a stream of pre-processed old newspapers. The FiberSort analyzes all passing items and classifies ONP, non-paper items and OCC according to their specific color and NIR “signatures.” Contact: Sean Duffy, FCR, (704) 379-0600.

Hatteras Recycle ($25,000) – Hatteras Recycle (Rodanthe) will begin a curbside recycling collection program in the villages of Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo on the Outer Banks. This collection will begin at rental cottages managed by Outer Beaches as well as Midget Realty, and will primarily target bottles and cans. Commercial service to bars and restaurants as well as to area campgrounds is in the works as well. Contact: Todd Phillips, Hatteras Recycle, (252) 987-2810.

Tri State Scrap Metals ($25,000) - Tri-State Scrap Metals (Asheville) will expand its capacity and ability to efficiently process scrap metal through the purchase of various material handling equipment. Contact: John Gribble, Tri State Scrap Metals, (828) 670-9006.

Blue Ridge Plastics ($20,000) - Blue Ridge Plastics (Eden) will acquire and install a third wash line designed to process polystyrene and other plastics with a specific gravity greater than water. The proposed wash line will enable the company to process all classes of plastic that sink (styrenes, nylons, ABS, etc.). Contact: Don Grigg, Blue Ridge Plastics, (336) 627-7867.

Bromley Plastics Corporation ($20,000) - Bromley Plastics (Fletcher) will acquire a roll cutter and stand. This piece of equipment is a heavy-duty guillotine-type of machine that will greatly increase the recycling facility’s efficiency and capability. Contact: Robert Katterman, Bromley Plastics, (828) 651-8737.

Container Recycling Alliance ($20,000) – CRA (Raleigh) will set up a drop-off site for recyclables – bottles and cans – at its present location. This drop-off site will be important in supporting new recycling legislation in Raleigh by providing a place for disposing of bottles and cans set aside by bars and restaurants. The site will be made available to service providers of bars and restaurants, merchants wishing to manage their own materials and the general public. Contact: Jason Hocutt, CRA, (919) 843-1335.

Kamlar Corporation ($20,000) – Kamlar Corporation (Rocky Mount) will build two concrete pads and install an unloading ramp at its pallet processing facility. This will allow an increase in inbound material that must be unloaded manually from the current two to three loads per week to two loads a day. Contact: Roger Seale, Kamlar Corporation, (252) 443-2576.

Synergy Recycling ($20,000) - Synergy Recycling (Mayodan) will purchase an eddy-current-separator and a shaker-table for its electronics recycling facility to remove nonferrous materials from the plastics stream to create a more marketable product. Contact: Joe Clayton, Synergy Recycling, (336) 548-7014.

CompuTel ($10,000) – CompuTel (Charlotte) will purchase and install a material shredding system on-site. The system will allow CompuTel to offer a complete chain-of-custody package to its customers including on-site destruction of computer hard drives. Contact: Brett Rhinehardt, CompuTel, (704) 376-1116.

Futura Recycling ($10,000) – Futura Recycling (Elizabeth City) will sort commingled containers using a 42” wide vibratory feed conveyor. Bins will be purchased to hold the separated inventory prior to baling. Contact: Prem Amarnath, Futura Recycling, (252) 337-7736.

Martin Enterprises ($10,000) – Martin Enterprises (Williamston) will replace its current horizontal baler with a new one. The new baler will increase its efficiency by providing more run time. Contact: Becky Renn, Martin Enterprises, (252) 792-8251.

PalletOne of NC - Butner ($10,000) – PalletOne of NC will add additional dismantling equipment to process reclaimed pallets at its facility. Contact: Gerald Oakley, PalletOne of NC, (919) 515-6491.

PalletOne of NC - Mocksville ($10,000) – PalletOne of NC will add additional dismantling equipment to process reclaimed pallets at its facility. Contact: Grant Dickerson, PalletOne of NC, (336) 492-5565.

BarnStar Vintage ($5,000) - BarnStar Vintage (Snow Camp) will increase the scope and mass of materials collected from homes, buildings and farm structures slated for demolition and dumping. It will purchase a trailer to haul its existing tractor to deconstruction sites. Contact: Tom LaGarde, BarnStar Vintage, (336) 376-5694.

Piedmont BioFarms LLC ($4,500) – Piedmont BioFarms (Pittsboro) will purchase and install a vermi-composting flow-through system and food waste collection bins. This equipment will have the capability to process 500 pounds of organic waste per week. Contact: Amanda Egdorf, Piedmont BioFarms, (919) 321-8260.