Dedicated to Sustainability
Committed to Reducing Green House Gas Emissions
In accordance with sustainable practices and company values, Star Plastics strives to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 10% by 2030 (base year 2021). Begun as a post-industrial recycler, we collaborate with OEMs, major resin producers and plastics manufacturers to convert recycled content into certified high-quality compounded materials.
In 2024, we have taken the following steps toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions:
- Working towards goal of increasing material recovery and reducing waste to landfill by 20% between the base year 2018 and 2028. The goal is 90% material recovery in 2028.
- Conducted an energy audit at our plants, identifying areas of high usage and assessing equipment efficiency
- Optimized equipment and processes, including upgrading to energy-efficient motors/drives and implementing key performance indicators (KPIs) for operations performance
- Replaced traditional lighting with energy-efficient options, including LED
- Installed and upgraded energy-efficient HVAC units
- Educating employees on energy-saving practices
- Redirecting materials that would otherwise be sent to landfills to alternative uses, such as recycling, reuse, or energy recovery.
- Regularly maintaining equipment to ensure optimal performance
- Optimizing material usage and reducing waste
- Using energy-efficient water treatment and pumping systems
- Continuously monitoring and evaluating energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions
What Star Plastics is Doing About the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals
Star Plastics supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, as a company born as a recycler, it is part of our DNA. We’re currently addressing (or continuing to address) several of these SDGs to lead to a more sustainable business and world.
See what we’re doing on the following select goals.
3 – Good Health and Well-Being – Ensure Healthy Lives and Promote Well-Being for All at All Ages.
- Star Plastics supports safe and healthy communities through responsible environmental stewardship.
- Employees participate in several health challenges throughout the year including water intake, walking, and weight loss challenges.
- Star sponsors local school sports teams and has helped to fund and build playgrounds.
- Our employees participate in charity walks and community events to support good causes.
4 – Quality Education – Ensure Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Promote Lifelong Learning Opportunities for All.
- Star has sponsored a scholarship for a local college-bound teen for the last five years.
- Star is a Partner in Education, including holding a seat on the board, of Henry J. Kaiser Elementary in Ravenswood, W.Va., Star’s hometown.
- Employees read to students, participate in mentoring activities, community days, and the funding and building of a new playground for the school in 2023.
- Star participates in job fairs for the high school and the community.
- Star funds a tuition reimbursement plan for our employees as well as encouraging professional growth opportunities for all employees.
5 – Gender Equality – Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls.
- We’re proud to employ and continue to promote women throughout the company.
- Paid parental leave policy in place for both parents.
- Instituting gender equality training for all employees in 2025.
- Employees attend the annual Women Breaking the Mold conference, one of the premier events for female professionals in the plastics industry.
9 – Industry Innovation and Infrastructure – Build Resilient Infrastructure, Promote Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialization and Foster Innovation.
- Internally, we have optimized our equipment and processes, including energy-efficient upgrades to motors and drives.
- Externally, Star customers use our products in infrastructure applications including retaining structures and outdoor electrical boxes.
- We are constantly working with our customers to provide material innovations and advancements to support their product innovations in markets such as building and construction, smart home, and electrification.
12 – Responsible Consumption and Production – Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns
- Implementation of water-saving measures and energy-efficient water treatment and pumping systems.
- Implementation of energy management systems and programs to reduce water, wastewater and electric usage while tracking through our sustainability dashboard.
- Star’s hazardous waste management directives promote responsible consumption and production in our plants.
- Material-wise, Star brings in recycled materials as feedstocks and reuses product packaging.
- Star strives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10% by 2030 and reduce waste to landfill by 75%.
13 – Climate Action – Take Urgent Action to Combat Climate Change and its Impacts
- Star redirects materials that would otherwise be sent to landfills for alternative uses, such as recycling, reuse, or energy recovery with a goal of 75% redirection.
- Implementation of energy management systems and programs to reduce water, wastewater and electric usage while tracking through our sustainability dashboard.
- Star has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10% by 2030 and has outlined over a dozen steps we have taken to reach this goal in 2024.
- Material-wise, Star brings in recycled materials as feedstocks and reuses product packaging.
- We re-utilize recycled or “scrap” materials to produce new recycled products that help our customers meet their sustainability goals and climate action promises to their customers and stakeholders.