NPE2024: The Plastics Show®, the largest plastics trade show in North America, drew tens of thousands of attendees and over 1,000 exhibiting companies to Orlando in May 2024. The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) headed up multiple programs on the show floor to further enhance sustainability initiatives and open a broader conversation about plastics recycling.
Green Initiatives for a Gold Award: WEIMA Powers Sustainability Hub at NPE2024
The efforts of PLASTICS and the show’s incredible programming won NPE2024 the Trade Show Executive (TSE) Gold Award for the “Show with the Most Commendable Green Initiatives.” WEIMA was thrilled to have played a crucial role in the planning and execution of the Sustainability Hub, which was just one of many sustainability programs that were running throughout the duration of the show.
WEIMA’s Role in Driving Green Innovation
WEIMA has been an exhibitor at NPE for many years. In 2015, WEIMA began shredding portions of the trade show demonstration materials to be shipped by Commercial Plastics Recycling, Inc. (CPR) to their nearby recycling center. A more advanced iteration took place in 2018 with an even higher landfill diversion rate. This progression opened the door for WEIMA and the other Official Recyclers of NPE2024 to set a massive goal: a 100% landfill diversion rate of all the plastic materials produced on the show floor.
The Sustainability Hub
After years of planning, the Sustainability Hub was brought to life in a tent behind the West Hall of the Orange County Convention Center. The tent housed a fully functional mini-recycling center, complete with shredders, granulators, conveyors, air systems, and a full staff to run the machinery. WEIMA employees installed and ran the equipment just as they would in a larger, more permanent operation. The CPR staff took on the task of collecting the materials from the show floor, sorting them by resin type, loading the gaylords of shredded plastics into trucks and transporting them back to their Florida-based recycling center. CPR’s dedication to the world of plastics recycling and their expertise in this field ensured that every bit of plastic collected on the show floor found a second life after the show.
NPE2024 in Orlando
Education: A Key Component
One of the most interesting features of the Sustainability Hub was the opportunity to educate attendees on the importance of post-industrial plastics recycling. The Hub was structured so that the machinery was on either side of a central windowed aisle. Attendees could safely travel down this hallway and see exactly what was happening on either side of them while reading the walls for more context. Technical data, facts and figures, and real stories of companies that employ various recycling programs lined the hallways, turning the Hub into a museum-like feel for all who visited.
Looking Ahead to NPE2027
As the plastics industry continues to evolve, so do the ongoing plans for NPE2027! The NPE leadership team, WEIMA, and other partners in recycling are committed to advancing interactive sustainability initiatives at future events. This industry-wide collaboration demonstrates that innovation, creativity, and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand, paving the way for greener industry events!
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