Think Plastics Inc

Think Plastics currently collects used white agricultural bale wrap and greenhouse film from across south central Ontario and recycles the material into solid plastic lumber. Millions of pounds of these polyethylene films are sold each year in Ontario alone, and until the Think Plastics collection program began, the scrap was landfilled or worse yet – burned!

Previous attempts to recycle these materials failed because of the dirt content. Think Plastics has designed a revolutionary process which allows it to accept some dirt in its recycling operation.Think Plastics Inc. is an innovative privately owned Canadian company based in New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada. The company was incorporated in 2004. Think Plastics is making a significant positive impact on Ontario’s environment while producing “green” products for the commercial, industrial, agricultural, marine and residential markets.

“Our mission is to recycle what are deemed non-recyclable scrap plastics and re-use the materials in affordable, high-quality end products – thereby helping to alleviate the growing environmental problem of disposal.”

This website provides insight into the company’s collection and manufacturing system, as well as its innovative plans for the future. At any time, you may click on the Baleboard® logo at the bottom of each page to be directed to specific information about the finished products.

Reducing the environmental impact

According to Statscan Census 2001, there are 59,728 farms in Ontario covering 4.5-million acres. There are 2.3-million cattle and calves on 34,000 farms – more than 20% of those in Central Ontario. 
Cattle and dairy operations purchase the most agricultural bale wrap; in 2000 alone it’s estimated that 3-million pounds of white polyethylene (PE) plastic was used in Ontario to wrap forage. Census figures also show that Ontario nurseries use 49-million square feet of plastic for greenhouses. Approximately 75% of the province’s 2,012 nursery operators are located in central and southwestern Ontario.

Until Think Plastics began its collection and recycling program, the polyethylene films were used once, then land filled or burned. As of September 2008, the company had collected almost 2-million pounds – or 900 tonnes – of scrap PE from within a 200-mile radius of its New Hamburg, Ontario plant.
 Imagine two entire football fields stuffed with plastic film piled four-feet high. Imagine that plastic in the landfill. Imagine it being burned. That’s what would be happening without our program.