Plastics are derived from petroleum and natural gas, and have very high energy content. For decades, we have been using recycled plastics rather than virgin materials whenever possible in our manufacturing processes to promote responsible environmental stewardship while providing a competitive cost advantage. Like most recycled materials, recycled plastic is not always equal in strength and durability to virgin material. In response, we have designed our products and manufacturing processes around the use of recycled plastic to ensure that our products meet all required testing and longevity requirements mandated in the many jurisdictions where our products are installed and used. In selecting suitable recycled materials, we look for the highest post-consumer recycled content available that is consistent with our product’s design and manufacturing requirements.

An example of a product specifically designed to be manufactured from post-consumer recycled content is the CUDO Cube. We co-developed this product with CUDO Stormwater Products, Inc. as an arched shaped cube that can be snapped together to provide a customized water management system. Our design incorporates the use of recycled polypropylene plastic to produce a modular product with superior structural integrity.

Under the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with setting standards for controlling the discharge of pollutants conveyed into our streams, rivers and oceans. One of the sources of water pollution is the run-off of rainwater from private properties, parking lots and streets. Regulations in various states require the retention or detention of rainwater as opposed to allowing the run-off to carry land based pollution into our streams, rivers and oceans. Additionally, the CUDO system enables the harvesting of rainwater for water conservation purposes. Our CUDO Cube was specifically designed as an environmentally sustainable product that is economical to produce, easy to install and provides a viable solution to meet water quality standards for surface water contamination.

We have won “Zoney” awards from the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (“CalRecycle”) for our work in the Los Angeles County Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ).