Brightmark, a circular innovations company, announced that its partnership with Warsaw, Indiana-based Lewis Salvage has recycled more than one million pounds of medical plastics, diverting waste from landfills and incinerators. The collaboration uses Brightmark’s proprietary Plastics Renewal technology to recycle difficult-to-process plastics from medical implants into materials for new products.

“Surpassing the 1-million-pound mark is more than just a number; it’s proof that advanced recycling technologies can make a real impact on the healthcare industry’s plastic waste challenge,” said Bob Powell, Founder and CEO of Brightmark. “Our proprietary Plastics Renewal® technology is at the core of this success, enabling us to recycle a broad range of plastics—including those from healthcare settings that would otherwise be discarded.”

Medical plastics make up about 25 per cent of the 14,000 tons of waste generated daily in US healthcare facilities, with 91 per cent not recycled. Since the partnership began on July 30, 2024, recycling volumes have grown from 400,000 pounds to over one million.

“Our partnership with Brightmark is transforming waste into valuable materials, reducing landfill use, and creating new opportunities for businesses to join the circular economy,” said Cary Lewis, Owner & CEO of Lewis Salvage.

Through Lewis Salvage’s Minimized Landfill Recycling Program, plastics from medical device and orthopedic implant manufacturers are sent to Brightmark’s Circularity Center in Ashley, Indiana, where Plastics Renewal technology converts them into building blocks for new products. The initiative continues to expand, improving recyclability in the Warsaw region and promoting circular manufacturing.