Recycling With Our Buy Back Service

RGE works to avoid plastic waste, not only through the low-waste process of injection moulding, but also through plastic granulation and the use of recycled materials in manufacturing. We recycle our own plastic waste, and also purchase old and broken stock to be broken down and reused.
 
RGE’s In-House Regrind Centre
In 2021, RGE began recycling end of life plastic products at the Regrind Centre, our in-house facility located at the RGE Whittlesey production site. Expansions have since been made, allowing us the ability to process large amounts of plastic waste in a variety of materials.
 
What is Plastic Granulation?
The granulation of plastics plays a significant role in plastic regeneration. Plastic granulation transforms plastic waste into granules, which are then used in the production of new plastic products. This process reduces the amount of plastic waste ending up in landfills, and promotes the move from a linear to a circular plastic economy.
 
The Regrind Process
Plastic waste is shipped to RGE Whittlesey to be sorted. The waste is then placed onto a large conveyor which carries the plastic to the shredder. This is the first stage of the plastic being broken down, and the shredded material is then pushed out through a metal detector to remove any small metal parts that may have been left in the waste. A conveyor then carries this shredded material into a secondary grinder, which granulates the material into even smaller pieces. This is the finished material, which is extruded and bagged, ready to be re-used in our injection moulding machines for new plastic parts.

Plastics We Process
Our facility is capable of processing the following materials:
Polypropylene (PP)
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)
Polyamide/Nylon (PA)
Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE)
Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) + Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
We will be expanding to grind other plastics as they become available.

Creating a Circular Economy
Creating a circular economy for plastics means that materials constantly flow around a closed loop system, rather than being used once and then discarded. RGE work towards creating a circular economy by facilitating a new lease of life for old or broken plastic products. Not only do we regrind and reuse plastic material, but we also manufacture long lasting and reusable products such as crates and plastic pallet collars for returnable transit packaging, allowing companies to minimise their use of single use packaging in the supply chain. These products can then be recycled after a long life, and the cycle repeats again. The circular economy keeps plastics in circulation and out of the environment.
 
RGE’s Buy Back Service
RGE offers a buy back service, designed to provide a solution for the waste of old plastic products, such as plastic crates and other bulk plastic stock. We buy your old and used plastic stock, to be granulated at our Regrind Centre, allowing us to mould products from more sustainable alternatives to virgin plastics, and in turn, prevent plastics from unnecessarily ending up in landfill.

RGE provide this service in an effort to encourage our customers to make use of our growing recycling facility, with the aim of providing a new lease of life to plastics that would otherwise have been needlessly discarded. Whilst RGE is committed to reducing our own environmental impact, we believe it is crucial that we provide our customers with the opportunity to do the same, pushing for change within the plastics industry and extending the benefits of our continued investment in the Regrind Centre.

If you’re looking to recycle plastic waste or would like to learn more about our recycling capabilities, get in touch with our team today.