Recycling Works Newsletter Fall 2017

RBAC's quarterly newsletter discusses current topics of interest to recycling businesses, including information on financing opportunities, commodity markets and new technologies.

In the Fall 2017 Recycling Works issue:

EGGER Group Builds North Carolina Manufacturing Facility

Earlier this summer, EGGER Group, an Austrian manufacturer of wood-based materials for furniture, flooring and construction, announced that it will build its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Davidson County.  The company will invest $700 million in the facility and is expected to create 770 jobs.  The first phase of the project will be the construction of a particleboard plant that will use recycled wood chips as a feedstock for production.  The Recycling Business Assistance Center (RBAC) worked with EGGER Group to provide the company with North Carolina wood recycling market information and identify potential recycled wood chip suppliers in North Carolina.  Expected to begin construction in 2018, the new facility will benefit the region by sourcing feedstock from local wood suppliers and using wood byproducts from regional producers. The new EGGER Group facility will be a positive example of sustainable manufacturing in North Carolina.  

Contact Wendy Worley at 919-707-8136 for more information.

 

Michael Egger during the announcement of the investment project in North Carolina.

Photo courtesy of EGGER Holzwerkstoffe.

 

 

 

Unifi Expands Capacity at Yadkinville Plant

Unifi, Inc. recently installed a new pellet extrusion line at its REPREVE Recycling Center, making it the fourth pellet extrusion line at the Yadkinville plant. This expansion will increase the plant’s capacity to convert recycled PET flakes to pellets by 30 million pounds, bringing its total capacity to 100 million pounds annually. The recycled pellets will be used in the Yadkinville plant, where they are spun into REPREVE yarn and used by brands such as Patagonia, Ford, New Balance and Haggar. With the increased pellet production, Unifi also plans to begin marketing to other end users, like consumer packaging companies, seeking high-quality recycled PET.

Accepting Applications for 2018 Recycling Business Development Grant

Proposals are being accepted for the 2018 Recycling Business Development Grant round through 5 p.m. Oct. 19. RBAC seeks viable, well-planned proposals from North Carolina recycling businesses and nonprofit organizations to divert materials from the waste stream and create jobs in the state. Applicants can request up to $40,000 of grant funds, and a 50 percent match is required. Contact Wendy Worley at 919-707-8136 or another RBAC staff member to learn more.

Recycling Business Connections Event

 

Mark your calendar! The highly successful Recycling Business Connections networking event is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 6, from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. in Columbia, S.C. Hosted by the Carolina Recycling Association (CRA), S.C. Department of Commerce and N.C. RBAC, this business-to-business networking event will provide a unique opportunity for North and South Carolina recycling business owners and operators to forge new partnerships and grow recycling businesses in the Carolinas. Visit the CRA Registration page to sign up as a sponsor or an attendee.

Privilege Tax for Recycling Equipment

Did you know: Qualifying recycling equipment purchased in North Carolina is exempt from state and local sales and use tax; it is instead subject to a privilege tax of 1 percent and capped at $80 per article. To qualify for the privilege tax, the equipment must be used as part of the recycling conversion process. Qualifying equipment may include: balers, shredders, grinders, material recovery facility (MRF) equipment and repair parts. Motor vehicles, forklifts and loaders are not eligible for the privilege tax. For additional information and applicable forms, visit the N.C. Department of Revenue’s website and see the Certain Recyclers Important Notice.

Announcements and Opportunities

  • Oct 18 - Carolina Recycling Association Lunch-and-Learn at Atlas Organics - Representatives from Greenville County, S.C., and Atlas Organics will talk about their partnership to reduce food waste and divert it from the landfill through composting on Oct. 18. The event will begin with presentations and lunch at the Twin Chimneys Landfill in Greenville, S.C. followed by a tour of Atlas Organics. Visit the CRA Registration page for more information and to register.
  • Oct 19 - The Recycling Partnership Webinar on Markets - The Recycling Partnership will host a webinar on Oct. 19 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. about how China’s National Sword could impact recycling markets. Hear from brokers, material recovery facility (MRF) operators and industry experts about what it is, where it came from and methods for managing short-term impacts. Visit the Recycling Partnership website to learn more and register.
  • Oct 19 - Recycling Business Development Grant deadline - Proposals for the 2018 Recycling Business Development Grant Round are due by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19. Contact Wendy Worley at 919-707-8136 for more information.
  • Nov 3 - Carolina Plastics Recycling Council Meeting - Businesses and local government representatives engaged in plastics recycling are invited to attend a meeting of the joint North and South Carolina Plastics Recycling Council (CPRC) on Nov. 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Polymer Center of Excellence in Charlotte. Visit the CPRC Registration page for more information and to register.
  • Nov 17 - Carolina Recycling Association Lunch & Learn at Pitt County - Representatives from Pitt County and RBAC will discuss opportunities to divert construction and demolition (C&D) debris from the landfill on Nov. 17. Enjoy a networking lunch and presentations at the Pitt County Agricultural Center followed by a tour of Pitt County’s public C&D sorting facility. Visit the CRA Registration page for more information and to register.
  • Marketing Commodities for Free via NC WasteTrader - North Carolina recyclers are encouraged to check and use N.C. WasteTrader, a no-cost, online waste exchange for recyclable and reusable materials that might otherwise be discarded in landfills or disposed of inappropriately. Businesses, industries, recycling companies, waste haulers, local governments, institutions and other commercial generators of waste commodities can visit NC WasteTrader to list available and wanted materials, and search for potential new feedstocks. For further information and assistance, contact Tom Rhodes at 919-707-8140.

 

The Recycling Business Assistance Center (RBAC) is a program of the N.C. Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS) that provides technical, business, and financial assistance to recycling companies.