Eagle Performance Plastics started making deliveries of waste to Convergen Energy.
This marks the beginning of a new waste stream initiative that will divert the bulk of Eagle Performance waste from landfills by repurposing it into fuel pellets and eventually electricity.
Traditional recyclers won’t accept the mixed materials waste that is the result of plastics manufacturing and sorting the shavings by type is impractical.
In 2023, Eagle Performance Plastics found a breakthrough after participating in events hosted by the Green Bay Innovation Group. Through GBIG, the company connected with Convergen Energy, who converts mixed waste into fuel pellets, using uncontaminated paper materials and plastics that would otherwise end up in landfills.
The fuel pellets produced by Convergen Energy are incinerated in industrial boilers at much higher temperatures than what could be achieved in uncontrolled home burning. The incinerators incorporate advanced technologies, including Dry Sorbent Injection, to clean up emissions. This results in a cleaner and more efficient burn, ensuring that emissions are fully compliant with EPA regulations.
After touring the Convergen facility and understanding the process, Eagle Performance began an extensive planning process involving both internal and external discussions to implement a new system.
Eagle Performance Plastics installed a trash compactor to compact the shavings for shipment to Convergen. Additionally, more trash cans were added and are color-coded to differentiate between waste types. One color indicates waste suitable for Convergen Energy, while another is for landfill-bound waste.
Eagle Performance anticipates reducing landfill waste by approximately 80% to start, keeping nearly 290 tons out of the landfill.
