Near $90K of Federal Funding Going to Rubber Band Recycling Initiative
Rubber is the ultimate resilient material, equal parts stretchable and flexible and able to snap back into form after being pulled to any extent. That’s why rubber bands have the degree of usefulness that they do, and they’re used for innumerable retaining and containing purposes every day. Their practicality means that there are literally millions out there in use at any time, and what happens with them is that they’re often discarded into the trash.
For the same reason that rubber is so durable it is also not easily broken down, and rubber in the trash is going to be in landfills for a LONG time before it even starts to degrade a bit. It’s because of this fact that a need to recycle rubber bands to a much greater extent has been agreed to by the Feds here in Canada. And as such it has been recently been announced that $89,000 of federal funding is going to a startup rubber band recycling initiative in Quebec.
Here at Load-n-Lift our specialty is in dumpster rentals for Trenton and Colborne, but La Belle Province is the one just to the east of us here in Ontario and we always take an interest in what’s happening with trends in recycling near us. The American Biltrite plant in Sherbrooke, Quebec Canada opened its doors in 1913, and what they’ve been known for since then is the development, manufacture and marketing of a wide range of commercial floor coverings and high-performance rubber products.
Now to be sure we don’t take much notice of rubber bands if they’re included in what we collect as part of waste disposal service in Colborne and Trenton, and what goes into our disposal bins tends to be much larger and more easily identifiable with what goes where when it comes to time dispose of waste responsibly here in Ontario. But all of this type of stuff is of interest to us, and that’s why we talk about it with our blog here.
Repurposing Rubber
So much can be made from rubber, and so when used rubber can be collected and processed for repurposing there’s never going to be a situation where even an ounce of it is unneeded. All of it can be put to good use, and so it makes so much sense that the rubber of the bands is also channeled in the same direction. Each band is only a small amount of rubber, but when you collect thousands of them – which is easy to do – it becomes quite a mass of very usable rubber.
What is happening at American Biltrite is that they have plans to develop and launch a technology to recycle vulcanized rubber bands and releases. This new system to recycle rubber waste has been created in collaboration with several local partners and in addition to be going good for recycling in Canada as a whole it also should serve to improve the business’s competitiveness.
The Feds seem to be impressed too, and the funds have been granted under CED’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program. The funding will facilitate the acquisition, design and installation of new abrasive wheels, a liquid cooling system for the wheels, a hoist, a bagging unit for rubber powder, and a dust collector.
This looks to be revolutionary technology that makes it possible to recycle vulcanized rubber products, and it will reduce post-manufacturing waste too as the rubber is reused for other products. The biggest gain of course being that it will significantly reduce the amount of waste send to the landfill. There will also be more development of circular economy models with 16 rubber businesses in the nearby Estrie region of Quebec.
The Economic Growth through Innovation program is designed to aid entrepreneurs who aim to grow their businesses and enhance their competitiveness while contributing to green initiatives at the federal level here in Canada. There is also a focus on regional economic stakeholders helping to create an entrepreneurial environment that will promote innovation and growth for all across the country.
The next time you get ready to discard a rubber band, think about what it might be in its next working life. So much is made of rubber, so there are so many possibilities there.
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Call Load n’ Lift first for Trenton and Colborne area dumpster rentals every time you had large-scale waste disposal needs. Our trucks will deliver roll-off bins that are much better designed for use on job sites and can be placed and removed much more easily with less chance of damaging the ground under them.
Our rubbish removal service is Ontario Ministry of Environment approved, and keep in mind too that our mini-bin system makes it possible to get smaller dumpsters into challenging locations that other providers may not be able to. We are your best choice for Madoc and Mamora dumpster rentals too, or any area nearby in this part of Ontario. We can often deliver disposal bines the same day you call for them.
Last but not least, remember we have a 5% discount for seniors and for CFB Trenton military personnel.
