Kristen Rinehart

Presentation Title

Plastic Pipe – Improving Agriculture and Improving Recycling

Kristen Rinehart, Vice President / General Manager - Recycling, Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS)

Abstract

The Drainage Division of the Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) represents those with interest in advancing the opportunities for corrugated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene pipe in gravity drainage applications. A key application for corrugated plastic drainage pipe is within the agricultural market. Corrugated HDPE has been used to drain soils for agriculture to optimize moisture control and maximize the growing season to improve crop yields.

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS) is the largest producer of pipe within PPI’s Drainage Division. They have been producing HDPE pipe for agricultural drainage pipe for over 60 years, beginning in the Midwest. Today, ADS has pipe production facilities located across North America.

Recycled resins have been used in the production of agricultural HDPE drainage pipe for decades. As the use of recycled resin expanded into public drainage applications in the past 10 years, ADS began establishing recycling facilities to supply valuable recycled plastics to their pipe manufacturing facilities. Today ADS operates 10 recycling facilities across the US and use approximately 500M pounds of recycled plastics per year. Recycled materials are acquired through a variety of post-consumer and post-industrial sources. ADS continually looks to expand sources of recycled material, improve their recycling facilities, and expand the usage of HDPE pipe made with recycled plastics.

This presentation will review the current state of the drainage pipe industry and ADS’ effort to improve their efficiency at using recycled plastics in corrugated HDPE drainage pipe.

Bio

Kristen Rinehart is the VP/GM of Recycling for Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS), a leading stormwater solutions manufacturer and one of the largest plastic recycling companies in North America.

An engineer by training and with expertise in plastic extrusion and process engineering for the automotive industry, Kristen today is focused on how to best source and expand the use of recycled plastic in ADS pipe and stormwater products that help protect our communities.