Advanced Drainage Systems Welcomes National Academy of Sciences Committee for Tour of Recycling, Research and Manufacturing Facilities

The Repurposing Plastic Waste in Infrastructure Committee is researching how recycled materials can be used in the nation's infrastructure projects

HILLIARD, Ohio , Sept. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS) (NYSE: WMS), a leading provider of innovative water management solutions in the stormwater and on-site septic wastewater industries and the largest plastic recycler in North America, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, welcomed a committee of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to its recycling and pipe production facilities in Northwest Ohio. The visit was part of ADS' ongoing effort to demonstrate how recycled materials can be repurposed into valuable pieces of infrastructure.

The NAS Repurposing Plastic Waste in Infrastructure Committee was tasked by Congress as part of the Save Our Seas Act of 2020 to research and identify domestic and international examples of transportation and non-transportation infrastructure projects and solutions that have used recycled plastic materials.

The committee toured one of ADS' recycling facilities in Pandora, Ohio, as well as a materials testing lab and pipe production facility in Findlay, Ohio.

"This was an opportunity to show the National Academy of Sciences the circular process of recycled plastics in our business, and how a strong plan for recycling materials can remove plastics from our waste stream, repurposing them into useful and long-lasting products for our nation's infrastructure," said Scott Barbour, ADS President and CEO. "The Repurposing Plastic Waste in Infrastructure Committee's work will help guide how recycled materials find new life in needed infrastructure projects across the country, and we very much appreciated their visit to our facilities in Pandora and Findlay, Ohio."

ADS, which manufactures plastic drainage pipe and stormwater solutions that capture, convey, store and treat the world's most precious resource: water, recycled over 600 million pounds of plastic last year, turning the HDPE from recycled consumer and industrial products into innovative water-management solutions. In 2020, ADS recycled approximately 28% of all HDPE bottles in the United States. ADS was recognized this year as the largest recycler of HDPE plastic in North America by Plastic News, a plastics industry trade publication. 

As part of its research, the committee has invited materials experts and industry representatives to give presentations answers to questions about the viability of recycled materials in infrastructure. ADS provided one such presentation. The tour gave the committee an opportunity to learn more about ADS' recycling process, which includes sorting, separating, removing contaminants and quality control that allows for single use plastics to be converted into durable goods. The lifespan of an ADS pipe made from recycled HDPE is 50 to 100 years.

Also attending the tour were some of ADS' key collaborators, including Jeff Snyder, director of recycling at Rumpke Waste and Recycling; Josh Knights, director of partnerships at The Ohio State University Sustainability Institute; and Molly Kathleen, Ohio State's zero waste coordinator.  

The tour also gave ADS and the committee a chance to discuss the challenges inherent in gathering recyclable materials, as well as the opportunities to improve consumer access to recycling, front-end production of plastics goods that consider the life cycle of the material, and end-user viability of recycled products.

Advanced Drainage Systems is a leading manufacturer of innovative stormwater and on-site septic wastewater solutions that manages the world's most precious resource: water. ADS provides superior drainage solutions for use in a wide variety of markets and applications including commercial, residential, infrastructure and agriculture. ADS delivers tremendous service to its customers with the industry's largest company-owned fleet, an expansive sales team, and a vast manufacturing network of approximately 70 manufacturing plants and 38 distribution centers. ADS is the largest plastic recycling company in North America, ensuring over half a billion pounds of plastic is kept out of landfills every year. Founded in 1966, ADS' water management solutions are designed to last for decades. To learn more, visit the company's website at www.adspipe.com.

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SOURCE Advanced Drainage System, Inc.