Category: General discussion
Later topic: What to do with used Copper Plates
Earlier topic: Pressboard Substitute for Small Form

Photopolymer plate recycling program now exists (created by Boxcar Press)

  • boxcarpress
  • on 5 Aug 08 (10:10)
  • Updated 5 Aug 08 (10:11)

We knew there had to be a way to keep letterpress printing plates out of the trash, even though our polymer manufacturers told us otherwise. So we made a better way. We are proud to launch the Boxcar Press Photopolymer Plate Recycling Program, or BPPPPRP (pronounced BPPPPRP). Boxcar Press will foot the bill for recycling the polymer plates of any Boxcar customer. All you need to do is pay for postage of the plates back to us. We’ve partnered with a national recycling agency, who will recycle your plates into consumer goods and car parts.

Here’s how the program works.

#1. The first week of any month, send your plates to:
Boxcar Press Photopolymer Plate Recycling Program
“let me help, baby”
501 W. Fayette St., #222
Syracuse, NY 13204

#2. We can also recycle scraps of unexposed polymer, and we can reuse the protective cardboard as well, so send all this back to us. There is no need to take off the silicone and adhesive on your plates.

#3. If you use both plastic-backed and steel-backed plates, please place in separate bags.

And that’s it! Here’s to keeping our landfills photopolymer-free.
http://www.boxcarpress.com/platemaking/letterpress-plate-recycling.html

Log in to reply   5 replies so far

Hey guys,
Sounds cool, but we are not Boxcar customers, per se. We make our own plates in house, and would love to be able to find a way to recycle our back logged files of polymer.
Any info on where or how you guys are teaming up with the national recycling agency woudl be cool.
Thanks

I was thrilled to receive that news, though found out a day too late as we had just cleaned the shop. I plan on purchasing a little bin to collect the plates/scraps and once it gets full, we’ll ship the contents off to ya. : )

Sorry I didn’t check these questions earlier. We contacted several agencies for recycling and eventually decided to use Environmental Products & Services of Vermont. They drop off several Gaylord boxes, and we pay a pick-up fee and a recycling fee. It’s not cheap but it does help us sleep better at night!

For my work, I don’t use a lot of photopolymer plates… BUT I am glad to see this recycling effort. Anything we can do as individuals or as organizations that helps reduce waste or pollution is good thing.

I received the news too. That’s the right thing to do. Praise.