Loading Platforms from Polyethylene/Polypropylene Bags

Summary

Grupo Tampico, a holding company based in Tampico, has plastics operations across the country. One of its plants, Eco-tarimas, produces types of loading platforms; the first is a hybrid of plastic and wood, while the other is purely plastic from plastic polymers. These platforms can be made with polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC, ABS and other polymers. Eco-tarimas is using 30 tonnes per month of by-products from Tampico in addition to its raw material.

The previously discarded polyethylene/polypropylene bags from several manufacturing facilities in Tampico are now being used in the manufacture of plastic cargo pallets. This reduces wood consumption since US competitor’s wood platforms have only 1/10 of plastic’s lifespan and the pallets can also be tailored to client needs.

Industry

Industry Sector	Specific Industry
food processing	Coca-Cola bottling company
plastics	PVC, ABS, Polystyrene, polypropylene manufacturers

Region

Tampico, Mexico

Applied Technologies

None.

Triple Bottom Line Aspects (direct at operational level)

Economic	not known
Environment	plastic bags diverted from landfill reduced wood consumption
Social	not known

Additional Comments

None.

References

• Young, R (1999) "By-Product Synergy: A Demonstration Project - Tampico, Mexico", Applied Sustainability LLC, Texas, USA, Retrieved from: http://www.hatch.ca/Sustainable_Development/Articles/Tampico%20_BPS.pdf

Last Update

20 July 2010