In a push for enhanced sustainability, the American Beverage Association (ABA) and Closed Loop Partners are bankrolling the latest addition to San Antonio's recycling arsenal—a $3 million loan for a "materials recovery facility" that costs $68 million, in total, spearheaded by Balcones Recycling. This investment aligns with the ABA's "Every Bottle Back" initiative, aiming to bolster the lifecycle of beverage containers and amplify global recycling efforts, according to the San Antonio Report.
Backed by the municipal recycling contract recently secured for a duration of 15 years, the facility touts an operational capacity that's both Texas massive and job-creating, spawning roughly 70 full-time positions. "Closed Loop Partners is proud to be a longstanding partner of the American Beverage Association, working collaboratively to strengthen recycling infrastructure and advance a circular economy for materials in the U.S.," Jennifer Louie of Closed Loop Partners detailed in a statement procured by the San Antonio Report. The grand opening of the 200,000-square-foot facility, which initially hit the ground running in May 2023, took place earlier this summer.
Strategically funneling the loan into state-of-the-art equipment, Balcones aims to level up both the processing capabilities and the capacity for handling recyclables. Specifically, navigating through the tonnes of daily refuse, the new technology is pivotal in isolating valuable commodities like PET plastic bottles and aluminum, which then re-enter the production stream, bolstering sustainability and reducing waste.
"This state-of-the-art facility is a critical step toward improving San Antonio’s recycling infrastructure," Carol McGarah, executive director of the Texas Beverage Association, underscored the significance. The facility's projected output is no small feat, poised to churn out nearly 1 million tonnes of recyclables within the next ten years—statistics that underline the clamorous support from industry leaders. The Every Bottle Back initiative has so far fueled 65 projects with commitments surging to $39.1 million, poised to yield a staggering 915 million pounds of recycled PET and over 87 million pounds of recycled aluminum in its decade-spanning effort.
Editor's Note: A previous version of this article misstated the loan amount and total price of the facility.
