Global packaging company Sonoco's unit Sonoco Recycling has invested $4m in its materials recovery facility (MRF) in Columbia, South Carolina, US allowing it to accept additional types of materials.
The facility will enable residents in Richland County to recycle their household materials including composite cans, glass, magazines and other types of plastics.
According to the company, the unit has added three sorting screens for corrugated cardboard and paper sorting, an optical sorter to retrieve plastic, as well as a new glass crusher for the collection of whole and broken glass bottles, jugs and jars.
Sonoco Recycling general manager Ray Howard said the upgrade enabled the company to recycle more of the packaging produced by Sonoco, besides the other items collected that are not produced by it.
"We use recycled materials in our products, which are then recycled by the consumer and come back to us for processing," Howard said.
Sonoco Recycling, which currently operates six MRFs, collects about three million tons of old corrugated containers, various grades of paper, metals and plastics annually.
