December 16, 2009 – Bottle Bill Resource Guide
ORPET, a partnership between private investors headed by Dennis Denton and Tom Leaptrott and the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC), the predominant administrator of Oregon’s Bottle Bill, has announced plans for a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottle recycling facility near St. Helens, Ore. The plant will be operational in the second quarter of 2010, creating 50 local jobs, according to a press release from the company.
The facility will convert PET bottles collected through Oregon’s Bottle Bill into raw material for manufacturing, construction and packaging. ORPET says it plans to market these products to a variety of Northwest companies, providing a local supply for regional businesses and eliminating the carbon footprint associated with exporting.
Denton, organizing group partner of ORPET and founder of Denton Plastics, based in Portland, Ore., says, “Oregon’s innovative Bottle Bill and the public’s commitment to recycling can benefit both the environment and our region’s economy. Rather than ship these materials overseas, we can put them to work right here in the Northwest, with zero negative environmental impact.”
According to ORPET, its business model leverages a management team with more than 25 years of experience in recycling and materials management and OBRC’s expertise with Oregon’s Bottle Bill.
“ORPET is positioned to play an integral role in Oregon’s recycling infrastructure,” says John Andersen, OBRC president. “This project magnifies the impact of the Bottle Bill by supporting the increase in PET bottle collections, while simultaneously stimulating our economy and reducing our carbon footprint.”