The City of Boise and partners from Dow, Reynolds and ByFusion are excited for the community to enjoy a new park bench made with blocks created from residents’ difficult-to-recycle plastics.
The finished bench is located in 11-acre Manitou Park (2001 S. Manitou Avenue) next to the tennis courts. The base of the bench is made out of ByBlocks, building blocks made from recycled Hefty® EnergyBags™. The new park bench is anchored by the recycled blocks and covered with a clear material so visitors can see the plastics inside.
The partnership with Dow, Reynolds and ByFusion is a pilot program to test out new markets for Boise’s plastics. This bench is one of the first of its kind in the United States.
"This is a great way to keep plastics out of the landfill, turning them into things we need,” said Mayor McLean. “I'm thrilled to see new markets emerging from innovation to reuse our resources. Boise's participation in programs like this helps to fuel this development and encourage recycling in Boise and beyond.”
“We’re excited to partner with the Public Works team to pilot this new technology in Boise,” added Boise Parks and Recreation Director Doug Holloway. “It’s a conversation starter for anyone who visits Manitou Park.”
The pilot with ByFusion was funded by Dow to test the plastic from the EnergyBags in the ByFusion process. Discussions with the company are ongoing to about whether the pilot will be extended. Currently, the most of Boise’s plastics are being used to fuel cement manufacturing in Utah.
“We are thrilled that our participation in the EnergyBag program is helping to grow the climate economy,” said Public Works Director Steve Burgos. “Boise continues to be a leader in climate action, and we will keep working on innovative ways to use our resources.”