NuCycle Energy converts old campaign signs into fuel

Hillsborough County, Florida, has partnered with NuCycle Energy, a Plant City, Florida-based alternative energy provider, to repurpose old election signs as part of its “Signs Off Day.”

In years past, the county would send the signs to landfill, as polypropylene signs are difficult to recycle; however, NuCycle plans to use them to produce fuel.

“We help companies divert waste from the landfill, and we use that waste to manufacture a fuel that then replaces the use of coal,” NuCycle Energy's Kyle Pukylo told Fox 13.

The company has collected an estimated 30,000 signs, which will join tons of cardboard, plastic and Styrofoam collected from several big-box stores like Walmart, Publix and Rooms To Go.

Related: PureCycle partners with League of Women Voters to recycle campaign signs in Florida

As reported by Fox 13, the raw material goes through a five-minute process that includes shredding, sorting, mixing and condensing. Following this process, the raw material is transformed into what NuCycle calls “Enviro-Fuelcubes.” The 4-inch by 1-inch cubes burn as hot as coal and cost a quarter of the price, the company says.

“We sell our material to cement manufacturers and the utility industry, power manufacturers that are also looking to displace coal," Pukylo said.

The plant processes around 10,000 tons of raw material a month. NuCycle currently works with Sarasota, Manatee and Orange counties. Pukylo says he hopes the company will add more Florida counties to that list.

“It's exciting to see waste being removed from the right of ways that we drive each and every day,” Pukylo told Fox 13. “Hopefully that everybody considers that a win.”