[getsmart-l] Update:- Two months later - Styrofoam recycler forced to close - back to "open"

[John O'Gorman]

Thank you, Claudia.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Marsales, Claudia 


This facility has been sold and reopened yesterday under new management..everything is back to normal



Claudia Marsales 



http://www.mississauga.com/article/9785



Styrofoam recycler forced to close




By: John Stewart   Mississauga News December 27, 2007 08:43 AM 



- A Malton plant that recycles meat trays and other products made of polystyrene is closing.
Opened in 1991 and operated by the Canadian Polystyrene Recycling Association (CPRA), the plant has been badly hurt by the healthy Canadian dollar and the fact many municipalities don't allow their residents to put polystyrene in blue boxes for recycling.
Plastics recycling is a North American market trading in U.S. dollars. The weaker currency south of the border resulted in a steep 30 per cent decline in revenue for CPRA.
CPRA was established and is funded by a number of resin producers, product manufacturers, and end-users of polystyrene.
Plant management had been hoping to hold on after the City of Toronto decided to start picking up polystyrene in blue boxes in 2008.
"With Toronto planning to accept polystyrene in its blue box program sometime in 2008, CPRA believed that the additional 1,500 tonnes would go a long way to ensuring its sustainability," the management said in a press release announcing they are suspending operations.
Anticipating an increase in business from Toronto blue boxes, the plant spent $300,000 earlier this year on improved equipment. That was part of $7 million in total investment made in the Tranmere Dr. plant since it opened just south of Hwy. 407 between Dixie and Bramalea Rds.
"Even though we had made a significant investment, we couldn't hold on until Toronto's (loads of polystyrene) kicked in," said Roman Talkowski, chair of the CPRA.
The group is now looking for a broker who will take the thousands of tonnes of polystyrene at its plant. The goal is to have CPRA's equipment purchased by and integrated into an established plant where polystyrene recycling is part of a more comprehensive recovery program, Talkowski said.
"We believe that a different business model can succeed and that polystyrene recycling has a strong future," said Talkowski. The market for polystyrene and recycled plastic products in North America is currently growing at 14 per cent annually.
"We will do everything we can to transition to a recycling option that is more responsive to indirect market forces and therefore more competitive," the chair said.
jstewart at mississauga.net
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