Plastics Recycling: Using Agricultural Residues to Improve Performance

Agro-Plastics, Inc. has successfully developed and is commercializing a process that uses agricultural fibers as fillers in virgin plastics. The Agro-Plastic manufacturing plants are designed for small communities, providing employment and non-farm revenues at a time when small rural communities are struggling with depressed crop prices and loss of manufacturing jobs. As a natural extension of this work, Agro-Plastics, Inc. is proposing to modify its existing process for use with waste (co-mingled) plastic. This will create additional income streams for rural areas, while reducing currently high waste disposal costs. To successfully construct this research, Agro-Plastics has teamed with USDA's Forest Products Laboratory, AJ Engineering Company, and Kansas State University. The research will demonstrate the feasibility of using agricultural fillers to add strength to co-mingled plastic and determine which plastic waste streams can be used. The project will focus on: improved binding of the co-mingled plastic with the agricultural fillers; improved strength of the co-mingled plastic; reduced cost of the agro-plastic; impact on rural communities; and a market analysis of end uses.