"I'd rather be the Man of Recycled Plastic than the Man of Steel because recycled plastics are stronger," says Jim Turek, CEO of Plasticon International Inc., Lexington, Ky.
Recycled plastic rebar supports are turning up in high-profile government, military, corporate, and entertainment facilities. The company says highways and bridges nationwide have been built using recycled plastic rebar because, unlike metal, plastic rebar is impervious to moisture, does not conduct electricity, and will not corrode. Initially, the construction and transportation industries refused to accept recycled plastic products. But that's changing.
Plasticon is experiencing a dramatic increase in demand for its products as a result of a number of trends including increased regulation favoring environmentally-friendly products, the soaring price of steel, and imminent federal and state spending related to the recently passed $286 billion transportation bill.