Colorbiotics, an Ames-based colorant manufacturer, reports it more than doubled its recycling year-over-year. In the first half of 2023, Colorbiotics recycled 1.8 million pounds of materials compared with less than 750,000 pounds the year before. According to a news release, plastics are the primary driver of the increase in recycling for Colorbiotics. High density polyethylene plastic and polypropylene accounts for 625,000 pounds of the company’s recycling in 2023. Reclaimed water accounted for a little more than 70,000 pounds in 2022 but spiked to 900,000 pounds in 2023. The Ames facility includes on-site intermediate bulk container (IBC) tote recycling for its colorant products. The company sends out about 28,000 IBCs annually, which can be returned and recycled. Colorbiotics’ goal is to increase recycling by another 20% by 2025 and ultimately, be a zero-waste company.
