Eco-Friendly Manufacturing and Reducing Environmental Impact

Here are a few ways that Placon is an industry-leader in eco-friendly manufacturing processes.

Being a leader in plastics manufacturing comes with responsibility. That’s why eco-friendly manufacturing practices are vital to our Placon identity. We’ve been a leader in green manufacturing processes for decades, leading the way in cleaner energy usage, sustainability, and recycling. Let’s look at some specific areas where our eco-friendly manufacturing processes can help reduce environmental impact.

Using Recycled Materials

Placon has been a pioneer in using recycled material for decades. Our on-site facility,  EcoStar, has been running since 2002 and works to provide our facilities with PCR, or post-consumer recycled content that we use to make new thermoformed containers. This helps to keep plastic out of landfills and creates a more circular loop of plastics. Reusing old plastic extends the lifecycle and allows consumers to choose to support packaging with recycled content, like RPET.

At our EcoStar plant, PET bottles and thermoforms are cleaned, sanitized, and ground up into flake. Flake is then heated and combined with material scrap and virgin PET to create new rolls of sheet, which can then be thermoformed into new packaging. Using recycled materials is a fantastic way to keep single-use plastics out of our environment and to reduce the need for new plastic materials.

Powered by Green Energy

Manufacturing can take a lot of energy. From office spaces to industrial machines, big facilities can mean large amounts of power needed. That’s why Placon has an eye towards sustainable, renewable energy sources. Our facilities utilize solar panels for part of our energy demands, helping to offset our carbon footprint. We use local solar panel arrays and even panels on our manufacturing buildings to help gather energy from the sun to power production. Using local, green energy is a way for us to help invest in the future and remain environmentally conscious.

Zero Waste Facilities

Our goal is that by 2027, Placon’s four facilities will be Zero Waste Facilities, meaning that 90% of waste will be diverted away from landfills. We’re already halfway there, with two of our four manufacturing facilities already achieving the title of ZWF, and the remaining two on track to be ZWF by 2027. Diverting waste from landfills helps us create a more circular, sustainable process for manufacturing and increases the amount of recyclable material we can work with. In addition, it keeps excess material from ending up in landfills or in the environment.

Continuous Certifications and Sustainable Partnerships

At Placon, we understand that continual improvement and advancements to our eco-friendly manufacturing processes are necessary to keep pushing the boundaries of green manufacturing. We advance this goal by actively participating in and complying with organizations like the Circular Action Alliance, which manages Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs and fee collection for six U.S. states. We also maintain certifications from third-party groups that ensure we’re compliant with any laws, regulations, or initiatives we’ve joined. We’re a proud member of the Association of Plastic Recyclers, Plastics Industry Association, the National Association for PET Container Resources, Operation Clean Sweep, and many more.

At Placon, we believe in the importance of environmental care, sustainability, and eco-friendly manufacturing processes. We’re constantly looking for ways to improve and reduce our footprint on the environment. To keep up with our environmental journey, visit the Placonomics blog or our sustainability page, or follow our social media for some of the community outreach and environmental actions we’re taking.

Resources:

https://www.preventedoceanplastic.com/pet-and-its-eco-friendly-alternative-rpet/

https://ecocycle.org/learn-about-zero-waste/what-is-zero-waste/

ABOUT PLACON
Since 1966, Placon has been a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative and sustainable plastic packaging for medical, food, and consumer goods markets. Placon has manufacturing operations in Madison, WI; West Springfield, MA; Elkhart, IN; and Plymouth, MN, and is currently ranked in the Top 20 in Plastics News 2025 Thermoformers Rankings. Placon delivers packaging breakthroughs that inspire better engagement between people and products.