Brightmark, Lewis Salvage partnership processes 1M pounds of medical plastics

Brightmark LLC, San Francisco, has announced that its partnership with Warsaw, Indiana-based Lewis Salvage surpassed 1 million pounds of health care plastics recycled, diverting medical waste from landfills and incinerators.

“Surpassing the 1-million-pound mark is more than just a number; it’s proof that advanced recycling technologies can make a real impact on the health care industry’s plastic waste challenge,” Brightmark founder and CEO Bob Powell says. “Our proprietary Plastics Renewal technology is at the core of this success, enabling us to recycle a broad range of plastics—including those from health care settings that would otherwise be discarded. Since launching this effort, we’ve increased the volume of plastics recycled and demonstrated a model for the recycling of medical plastics.”

Single-use medical plastics continue to grow, fueled by rising demand for sterile, disposable devices and packaging in health care settings. Plastic makes up about 25 percent of the 14,000 tons of waste generated daily in U.S. health care facilities, Brightmark says.

Since the launch of this partnership in July 2024, Brightmark has increased its recycling efforts from an initial 400,000 pounds of plastic to more than 1 million pounds.

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“Our partnership with Brightmark is transforming waste into valuable materials, reducing landfill use and creating new opportunities for businesses to join the circular economy,” Lewis Salvage CEO Cary Lewis says. “As Warsaw’s orthopedic manufacturing industry grows, manufacturers are seeking more sustainable, efficient recycling solutions. Together, we’re proving that innovative technology and commitment can drive true environmental stewardship.”

According to Brightmark, Warsaw has the highest concentration of orthopedic design and manufacturing companies in the country.

Through Lewis Salvage's Minimized Landfill Recycling Program, health care plastics from medical device and orthopedic implant manufacturers are collected and transported to the Brightmark Circularity Center in Ashley, Indiana. Using Plastics Renewal technology, Brightmark processes a wide range of difficult-to-recycle materials, including trays, films, expanded polystyrene, packaging and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW PE) machining chips and turnings from implant manufacturing.

Brightmark says this milestone builds on last year’s launch of the Brightmark and Lewis Salvage partnership, which aims to improve health care plastics recyclability in the Warsaw region. Since then, the collaboration has expanded its impact, diverting more types of difficult-to-recycle medical plastics from landfills.