Grand Canyon Times

Today, key stakeholders marked the groundbreaking of Blue Polymers' latest recycled plastics production facility in Buckeye, Arizona. This new 162,000-square-foot facility is slated to enhance sustainable packaging production throughout the Western United States and is expected to create over 60 permanent local jobs when it becomes operational in the latter half of 2025.

Blue Polymers will focus on recycled polyethylene, which is prevalent in products like milk jugs and detergent bottles, and polypropylene, often used in packaging such as margarine tubs and yogurt cups. These plastics will be reprocessed to produce materials suitable for the packaging sector.

Tim Oudman, the Senior Vice President of Sustainability Innovation at Republic Services and a Blue Polymers board member, stated, "Blue Polymers was created to meet the need for high-quality recycled plastics for use in consumer packaging and other applications." He expressed gratitude to the City of Buckeye and the Arizona Commerce Authority for their ongoing support, as well as to the development partners including Merit, FCL Builders, and Butler Design Group.

Republic Services, based in Phoenix and a collaborator with Blue Polymers, is building a network of Polymer Centers across North America. These centers aim to generate top-tier, color-sorted recycled plastics directly sourced from Republic's national curbside collection systems. The Buckeye facility will process materials from Republic’s Las Vegas Polymer Center, launched in late 2023.

Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority, remarked, “We are excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of Blue Polymers’ recycled plastics production facility in Buckeye.” She emphasized how this venture strengthens Arizona’s stature in sustainable technologies and contributes to local employment.

Echoing this sentiment, Buckeye Mayor Eric Orsborn highlighted the city’s commitment to advanced manufacturing jobs, "Blue Polymers’ investment in the city, along with their innovative strategies to use recycled plastics for everyday consumer products, will ensure we remain a vibrant, sustainable community."

There is increasing demand for high-quality recycled plastics from local sources, spurred by voluntary sustainability goals and legislation enacted in five states mandating minimum recycled content for single-use packaging. Republic’s Polymer Centers, together with Blue Polymers' pioneering facilities, are poised to satisfy this need.

Blue Polymers' facilities focus on achieving package-to-package circularity, targeting an annual production of over 300 million pounds of recycled resins. The Buckeye establishment becomes part of Blue Polymers' planned network of regional facilities, alongside the previously announced location in Indianapolis.