Sustained by Recycling – How Tyvek® Recycling Fuels Value Creation for our Partners
Plastics represent about 20% of all municipal solid waste in U.S. landfills, resulting in the lost value of reusable materials, the potential introduction of micro- and nano-plastics into water supplies and food chains, and eventual pollution and risks to public health.1 For years, DuPont™ Tyvek® has been enabling pathways that turn unused materials into useful products, thereby diminishing our landfill impact. Accordingly, we continue to work to define what “zero waste” looks like for each of our unique operations – not only at our manufacturing plants, but also across the complete product lifecycles.
Tyvek® product grades used in healthcare packaging applications are made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and thus are readily recyclable. Consistent with our commitment to implement 4R (reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle) waste reduction programs at 100% of our sites, DuPont™ Tyvek® has partnered with ADS (Advanced Drainage Systems) to give Tyvek® production waste a second life.
Each year, ADS recycles over half a billion pounds of post-industrial and post-consumer plastic waste. This recycled plastic is then used in highly engineered drainage products and services that go underground for decades. Through these solutions, ADS addresses the most persistent and challenging water management problems, thereby making land more arable and cities more livable. As Brian King, EVP Marketing at ADS, describes, “We can take waste from our partners and recycle it to produce incredibly durable cost-effective products that perform on par with those produced from 100% new raw material. Furthermore, we reduce landfills because these products have a life cycle of about a century.” Talk about a win-win-win!
More than half of the plastic purchased by ADS is recycled, a feat made possible by their plastic-blending program, company-owned and -operated recycling facilities, and decades of engineering expertise. Ongoing partnership between DuPont and ADS has led to production waste from Tyvek® manufacturing processes being used by ADS customers for a broad array of applications – from safely pre-treating and managing stormwater runoff to helping developers and property owners harvest rainwater. One such customer is Asaturian, Eaton and Associates Inc., a leading multi-disciplined consulting engineering firm that allows “the use of recycled plastic pipe from ADS in a majority of our healthcare facilities projects to provide durable and sustainable stormwater solutions.” As described by Praveen Sunny, president and director of civil engineering for the firm, “It’s important for our firm and our customers to create and promote sustainable development, and recycled pipe from ADS is one important way we’re able to keep plastics out of the landfill, while protecting and managing water in our communities.”
Tyvek® is proud to work with ADS and indirectly contribute to the many industries, including healthcare facility infrastructure, that benefit from ADS products and solutions. “Symbiotic relationships between businesses are crucial to turn what would otherwise be considered landfill into products that achieve the rare and extremely desirable outcome of combining top line growth with environmental stewardship. DuPont is proud to support our partners in this journey,” concluded Joe Dennes, Director of Marketing, DuPont Safety.
From making sure that medical device packages retain their sterile integrity to being utilized in sustainable healthcare infrastructure in recycled form, Tyvek® is proud to deliver.
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This information is based on technical data DuPont believes to be reliable. It is subject to revision as additional knowledge and experience are gained. It is not intended as a substitute for any testing you may conduct to determine for yourself the suitability of our products for your particular purpose. Since conditions of use are outside the Company’s control, DuPont makes no warranties, express or implied, and assumes no liability in connection with any use of this information. DuPont™, the DuPont Oval Logo, and all trademarks and service marks denoted with TM, SM or ® are owned by affiliates of DuPont de Nemours, Inc. unless otherwise noted. © 2020 DuPont. (11/20)