ach year, IAPD honors member companies that demonstrate outstanding commitment to environmental responsibility through the Environmental Excellence Awards and the Environmental Impact Award. These recognitions highlight the innovative recycling programs, resource-conservation efforts and creative problem-solving taking place across the performance plastics supply chain. From companywide initiatives that reduce waste and improve efficiency to project-specific achievements that divert challenging materials from landfills, this year’s winners exemplify the leadership and environmental stewardship that continue to move our industry forward.

Curbell Plastics, Inc. earned Gold-level recognition for its comprehensive, companywide sustainability program. The company diverts 51–90% of its plastic scrap from landfills through partnerships that return material for reuse, convert scrap into reprocessed products and support zero-landfill operations at multiple locations.

Continuous improvement remains central to Curbell’s approach. LEAN practices, job-yield software and employee-driven initiatives help reduce waste and improve efficiency. The company also focuses on packaging reduction, cross-facility reuse of equipment and furniture and strong internal recycling habits, including e-waste, batteries and cardboard.

Curbell reinforces sustainability through active employee engagement. Its annual “Earth Month” includes daily educational content and participation challenges, supported by companywide recycling programs and investments in LED lighting and energy-conscious products.

The company also advances broader ESG priorities, participating in EcoVadis assessments, the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), green house gas (GHG) emissions studies and community initiatives such as river cleanups and STEM education partnerships. With consecutive IAPD Environmental Excellence Awards, Curbell continues to demonstrate leadership in environmental responsibility.

Ensinger earned Gold-level recognition for its comprehensive recycling and waste-reduction programs, preventing more than 90% of its plastic scrap from entering landfills. Scrap is reclaimed, reprocessed into new products and reused in machine startups to minimize virgin material waste. The company also partners with suppliers to advance circularity, reduce packaging and reclaim customer scrap for reuse when possible.

Strong executive leadership drives Ensinger’s sustainability efforts. The company has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050 and is aligning its greenhouse gas reduction goals with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Dedicated sustainability teams at each North American facility collaborate regularly to implement improvements, track environmental metrics and share best practices across locations.

Ensinger also focuses on reducing landfill waste and conserving natural resources. Less than 2% of waste reaches landfills due to extensive recycling, reuse of pallets and boxes and efficient water, energy and air-management efforts across facilities. Initiatives include LED lighting, energy audits, leak detection and optimized compressed-air systems.

The company’s commitment extends to community engagement through local cleanup events and participation in global ESG platforms. Ensinger holds a Silver EcoVadis medal, placing it among the top 15% of companies assessed worldwide.

The company prioritizes reducing in-process waste through run-to-size programs, in-house fabrication and careful cataloging of offcuts to minimize the need for full sheets. Polymershapes also collaborates with more than 20 key suppliers to share sustainability practices, highlight eco-friendly materials and support customers seeking greener alternatives, including options with recycled content and bio-based materials.

Strong executive support drives these initiatives, with leadership integrating sustainability into goals, training and internal communications across more than 85 locations. The company reinforces this culture through local recycling programs, barcoding systems that reduce paper use and waste-reduction efforts at the branch level.

Polymershapes also invests in energy and resource conservation through LED lighting, motion sensors, refillable water stations and electric forklifts. Community engagement includes participation in the Sustain Charlotte Program, and employees contribute to IAPD initiatives through task force involvement.

Strong executive support and employee involvement drive Redwood’s sustainability culture. Leadership expanded the program budget, established Green Teams and implemented 5S workplace practices, while employees participate in recycling efforts and internal training.

Redwood’s initiatives extend into energy and resource conservation, including LED lighting, low-flow fixtures and promotion of low-emission transportation. The company also measures its carbon footprint, supports community sustainability programs and recently added electric vehicle charging stations. Its efforts were recognized by the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce for environmental leadership.

Strong executive support reinforces this commitment. Leadership ties quarterly production bonuses to reducing scrap and continues recycling efforts even when financial incentives are limited. Employees are deeply engaged in the program through recycling incentives, convenient collection systems and access to an electronics-recycling bin emptied multiple times per year.

Landfill diversion efforts extend beyond plastics to include corrugated materials, strapping, floor sweepings and other solid and liquid waste, all sorted and prepared for responsible recycling or upcycling. Excess gaylords are reused locally, and office operations rely on environmentally friendly supplies and reduced-impact materials.

Finger Lakes Extrusion also conserves natural resources through reduced chiller-water changeovers, occupancy-sensor lighting and HVAC efficiency improvements. The company is engaged in watershed protection initiatives and contributes to IAPD’s environmental efforts, including more than a decade of committee service and leadership.

From its production associates on up to senior leadership – SUSTAINABILITY, including plastics reuse and recycle, is a core pillar of Plaskolite’s operations. Sustainability topics are shared through newsletters, an internal ESG site and companywide meetings, helping keep employees engaged in sustainability efforts.

Beyond waste diversion, PLASKOLITE conserves natural resources through water recirculation/reuse, waste minimization and continuous energy-efficiency upgrades such as relamping, compressed-air improvements, and equipment modernization. PLASKOLITE also contributes to its communities through civic involvement, local cleanup efforts and participation in manufacturing trade organizations.

Rowmark LLC earned Silver-level recognition for its comprehensive recycling and landfill-diversion efforts across multiple facilities. The company prevents more than 90% of its plastic scrap from entering landfills by regrinding trim and startup material for reuse in manufacturing and operating a customer “buy-back” program that reprocesses returned skeletons and offcuts. Scrap that cannot be reused internally is sold to domestic manufacturers for further recycling.

Rowmark also partners with suppliers to reduce packaging waste, replace foam inserts with recyclable alternatives and optimize shipments to reduce carbon emissions. Beyond plastics, the company recycles cardboard, metals, bottles, electronics, paper and other materials throughout its facilities. Offices prioritize recycled-content supplies, and recycling bins are placed at every workspace.

Executive leadership strongly supports environmental initiatives, including energy-efficiency upgrades such as LED lighting and motion sensors, shipment optimization to reduce emissions and compliance programs to protect local aquifers. Employees are engaged through recycling practices, refillable water programs and access to water dispensers and ice makers to reduce single-use plastics.

Rowmark also invests in natural resource conservation through advanced air-filtration and catalytic oxidizer systems, solvent-reclamation processes and sustainable water practices. The company contributes to IAPD’s environmental efforts through active committee participation.

Executive support is a core strength of the program. Leadership has committed to transforming operations in alignment with Mitsubishi Chemical Group’s goal of becoming a “green chemical company,” and five facilities in the region have achieved RC14001 certification. Each site designates a KAITEKI sustainability champion who helps engage employees, support local initiatives and communicate ideas to management.

The company continues to expand landfill-reduction programs, including scrap-minimization projects and zero-waste-to-landfill achievements at five facilities as of 2025. Mitsubishi Chemical Group also conserves natural resources through LED lighting, automated controls, Renewable Energy Certificates and upgrades such as improved cooling and chiller systems to reduce water usage.

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Natural resource conservation is paramount and is supported by energy-efficient equipment, SMART transformers, LED lighting upgrades, and improved procurement strategies. Water from production and facility operations is filtered or UV treated before discharge, and a 2025 water audit will establish future reduction targets.

The company also holds multiple third-party recognitions, including EcoVadis Platinum, B Corporation and B Corp status, and local community awards. NAPP participates in volunteer activities and supports IAPD’s sustainability initiatives through involvement in the Environmental Committee and Sustainability Task Force.

Executive leadership reinforces environmental responsibility as core policy, emphasizing pollution prevention and continuous improvement. Employees support these efforts through internal recycling participation and by gathering materials such as bottle caps and aluminum can tops for the nonprofit Child Creativity Lab, which also receives donated scrap plastic for STEAM activities.

Professional Plastics conserves natural resources through LED lighting, motion-sensitive fixtures, energy-efficient equipment upgrades and automated sprinkler systems. Office programs encourage reusable drinkware, filtered water stations and electronic documentation to further reduce landfill waste. The company also contributes to IAPD’s sustainability efforts through service on the IAPD Sustainability Task Force.

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IAPD congratulates each of this year’s Environmental Excellence and Environmental Impact Award winners for their leadership, innovation and commitment to continuous improvement. Their achievements demonstrate how performance plastics companies are reducing waste, conserving resources and supporting a more sustainable future across the industry.

We encourage all IAPD member companies to explore the practices highlighted in this year’s winners and consider how similar programs can be incorporated into their own operations. For more information about the Environmental Excellence Award program and how to participate in 2026, visit www.iapd.org.