April 22 | Insights into Circularity

Insights in Circularity
Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center
President, Bob Bylone
Hosts a Live, One-on-One Conversation with
Engineered Plastics, LLC
President, Kurt Duska

Thursday – April 22, 2021 – 1:30 pm

 

Kurt Duska


Kurt Duska, President, Engineered Plastics, LLC

Kurt Duska has been in the plastics industry for over 40 years as a contract manufacturer. On a flight, a seat mate who worked for a medical company said she “wished she could recycle their used IV bags at hospitals”. With no experience in recycling Kurt received a grant from the PA DEP and purchased an Erema recycling system. Twelve years later Kurt has run a recycling trial with the Cleveland Clinic as well as developed sustainability programs for multiple fortune 100 manufacturing companies.

Kurt is the founder of Engineered Plastics, LLC with 4 facilities, totaling 320,000 square feet and 250 employees. His experience covers medical, food, telecommunication and consumer products. He represents Engineered Plastics Recycling Solutions as a consultant in new business develop, program design and technical solutions.

Kurt holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering/Business from Gannon University

Recycling Highlights

  • 2008 – Awarded PA DEP Grant for $500,000 to purchase recycling equipment. Purchased advanced densifier/pelletizer recycling system.
  • 2008 – Awarded Environmental Company of the year by the NWPA SBDC
  • 2009 – Started a medical plastic recycling program at the Cleveland Clinic
  • 2010 – Became a founding member of the HPRC Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council. This group consisted of WM and ten of the largest medical manufacturers in the US. The group developed packaging/product design guidelines and recycling processes to improve hospital recycling rates
  • 2011 – Awarded PA Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence
  • 2012 – Started second recycling facility in Sanford, NC
  • Serves as Judge for business plans and products at the Gannon SBDC and Ben Franklin
  • Member of the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center

Bob Bylone

Bob Bylone

Robert (Bob) J. Bylone, President, Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center (RMC)

Bob Bylone leads a state-wide team to bring markets development assistance to an extensive list of stakeholders including entrepreneurs, manufacturers, recycled material processors, recycling programs, haulers, and agency officials.

Building and supporting Pennsylvania’s $22.6B recycling marketplace, RMC outreach includes feedstock supply connectivity, applied research and commercialization assistance, technology acceleration, and service as a concierge to technical and business growth information. The RMC bridges relationships between economic development and recycled materials supply.

With nearly 30-years in the industry, Bob has experience at Penn State University in water/wastewater training and research; as a County Recycling/Solid Waste Coordinator; Copperhead Chemical Company as a project/environmental, health, and safety engineer; and at Junkins Engineering as a project engineer. Bob has experience with projects completed in over 25 states and 30 industry sectors.

Bob is a US Green Building Council LEED Accredited Professional, is trained as an ISO 14001 auditor, and is certified as a senior level recycling professional through the Professional Recyclers of Pennsylvania (PROP).

Bob holds Master and Bachelor degrees in Environmental Engineering from Penn State University.