Matthew Augustson, Director of Circular Effectiveness and Quality, sums up his role as helping drive profitability and continuous improvement at our Polymer Centers, with a heavy focus on optimizing cost and quality. His team directly supports the commercial side of the Polymer Centers, specifically the inbound material from suppliers and outbound material to Blue Polymers. This includes inbound and outbound material quality so our systems, along with Blue’s, run efficiently and profitably. Coming up on 30 years with Republic Services, Matthew has done it all! In this Q&A, Matthew talks plastics circularity, leadership and shares best Practices for America Recycles Day (November 15).
Can you give us some 2025 highlights from the Polymer Centers in Las Vegas and Indianapolis?
These are the first of their kind manufacturing plants in the U.S. so naturally we’re going to have a learning curve. I’m proud of our two Polymer Center teams who have done a great job building a strong operating foundation from scratch while simultaneously ramping production and delivering high-quality, food-grade products for our customers.
What can you tell us about our plans for a third Polymer Center in the Northeast?
There is a lot of excitement around Polymer Center #3, not just within Republic, but the industry more broadly. We’re on track to commission in Q1 2027. With coverage in the Northeast, we’ll have a nationwide offering for curbside rigid plastics recycling not available in the market today. Design wise, we’ve been able to incorporate some learners from Polymer Centers 1 & 2 to have a more efficient operation.
What are the most promising innovations you see in driving progress in plastics circularity?
Advancements in recycling technology are moving at lightning speed, this includes both the mechanical and chemical space. Innovation around sorting technology and data gathering, specific to AI and robotics to improve product recyclability is particularly promising.
What motivates you personally to champion plastics circularity?
The environment, we have an obligation to take care of our planet. Over the last 30 years, I’ve had a front row seat watching the company and industry evolve. How fun is it to be part of taking curbside collected rigid plastics, process them and in a short period of time they find their way back into our homes, all within the U.S., the Polymer Centers and Blue Polymers make that possible.
In your experience, what drives the most effective behavioral change for circular practices?
Brand awareness and education are top of mind. It’s critical we’re making progress around package recyclability. It’s easy to throw the nationally recognized chasing arrow recycling stamp on packaging, that doesn’t make it recyclable. Brand owners need to be intentional designing for circularity.
What are some best practices or tips you recommend for maximizing recycling efforts on America Recycles Day and every day?
Be intentional about utilizing reusable packaging, and if you’re going to consume something away from home, ensure you have a plan to recycle it. Away from home recycling is still a big opportunity in the U.S. Also, as it relates to contamination, our VP of Recycling & Sustainability Pete Keller calls it “wishcycling,” by putting non-recyclable items in the curbside bin, like plastic bags and batteries, we create unintended consequences downstream at our recycling centers, including catastrophic loss due to fires.