Sonoco opens recycling facility
 Sonoco
has begun commercial operation of a fully automated materials recovery
facility (MRF) that recycles curbside-collected and dual-stream
residential and commercial waste materials from the Raleigh and
Wake County, North Carolina area.
The 45,000 square foot recycling facility, operating
under Sonoco’s wholly owned subsidiary, Paper Stock Dealers,
Inc., incorporates a computer-automated reclamation processing system
that uses customized conveyors, an elliptical sorter, large storage
hoppers and a fully automated horizontal baler to automatically
separate, store, compact and bale reclaimed newsprint, old corrugated
containers and other recycled paper and packaging, aluminum, steel,
glass and plastic. Materials processed at the facility are then
transported to domestic and international basic material manufacturers
for producing recycled products.
“Sonoco has invested nearly $5 million in
developing a fully automated materials recycling facility that the
Raleigh area can be proud of,” said Myles Cohen, vice president
and general manager of Sonoco’s Recovered Paper Division.
The new facility is situated on a 17-acre site
in southeast Raleigh.
In addition to providing material recovery services
for the Raleigh area, Sonoco’s Paper Stock Dealers is developing
a community education and outreach program that is focused on teaching
area students the importance of participating in the community’s
recycling efforts.
“We are in the process of building a classroom
and demonstration displays at the facility to be used to teach our
community’s youth the importance of recycling at home and
school,” said Jim Foster, Raleigh MRF plant manager. |
