The Advantages of Keeping Building Energy Performance on Your Radar

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Light bulbs In a recent article regarding building energy performance policy, The Institute for Market Transformation revealed that “the building sector is the single largest user of energy in the United States, accounting for roughly 40 percent of total energy consumption, more than industry or transportation.” This article also stated that the US spends over $400 billion on energy for our buildings. Most buildings use much more energy than is necessary, which is largely due in part by the fact that buildings were constructed before energy codes were in place. However, the owners of these buildings need to upgrade their buildings to be more sustainable. Many are misinformed or don’t have the financial incentives to upgrade, but by raising awareness about this matter, we can save money for both consumers and businesses. In addition, we can see fuel economic growth, while also reducing carbon pollution for a healthier environment. Understanding your building’s energy performance and keeping it on your radar will provide a multitude of benefits. Find out how benchmarking can help your building stay aligned with energy use and cost-effective operations.

Why should I use benchmarks?

  • Energy benchmarking measures your building’s energy use over time so you can be aware of its energy performance and identify areas to eliminate the energy being wasted. You can also compare your own energy usage to that of other buildings’ to get a better read of where you can be more energy efficient.
  • By sharing this information with your city or state, policymakers can analyze the data and determine whether the intended results were achieved. From there, they’ll be able to use resources more appropriately and develop infrastructure plans accordingly.
  • Being transparent with your benchmarking data allows stakeholders on a larger scale work together to achieve a common goal. Others will recognize the effort and understand the importance, which can in turn prompt action on their part.

How can benchmarking help energy efficiency?

As buildings release information about their energy use on a large scale, building owners can stay competitive with each other to be the most energy-efficient.

  • Energy and cost savings: Energy waste is draining millions of the economy’s dollars. Benchmarking can lead to implementing cost effective measures to reduce this spending.
  • Job creation and economic growth: According to the Institute for Market Transformation, 77% of Philadelphia’s commercial building need upgrades, which would generate more than $600 million in local spending, while also supporting 23,000 jobs.
  • Improving utilities: Determining what utilities need to be improved in order to be more energy efficient will raise the performance of all buildings.

Energy benchmarking offers a range of benefits that are crucial for building owners, consumers, and the environment overall. Scranton Products utilizes High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) for all of their products. This material reduces environmental impact and offers both initial and long-term improvements to the indoor air quality of your projects. Click here to find out where you can buy Scranton Products.





Sustainable Building Products




Harnessing the Power of Deep Energy Retrofits in Your Building Projects

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Enegry Efficiency As energy efficiency continues to gain more attention and the energy efficiency retrofit market develops, the benefits to architects continue to improve. According to The American Institute of Architects, building operations account for more than 75% of all electric use, and buildings are responsible for more than 40% of all U.S. carbon emissions. Because this is such a large percentage, the U.S. can’t address the energy and climate challenge without altering the way our buildings are designed and operated. American businesses are improving their operating conditions with plans to upgrade energy efficiency in their building. While this is a start, it’s more important that building owners see energy efficiency as a core business priority. But to do this, they must fully understand the benefits that it offers.

What is deep energy retrofitting?

A deep energy retrofit is a process that is performed in order to achieve large energy savings than conventional retrofits. For example: creating energy efficiency in most buildings is achieved by upgrading old systems with newer, more efficient technology. This is a standard retrofit, but it’s limited. It could prevent a building from even more efficient technologies with even greater savings. Designing a new approach for higher energy savings is called deep energy retrofits and aims for a savings of 50%. Deep energy retrofits are effective in cutting energy use, saving building owners money, and providing business for architects.

What are the existing trends used to improve energy efficiency?

Why should architects take advantage of this opportunity in the market? The energy efficiency market is a growth opportunity for architects. The architect community has engaged in multiple efforts to reduce energy waste by incorporating more energy efficient building design and construction. Deep energy retrofits reduce energy waste for a more sustainable environment, save building owners money to possibly create more construction for the economy, and can also be a source of business for architects. Other incentives for considering energy retrofitting include long term savings for building owners, the economical demand for energy efficient buildings, as well as incentives from the financial community.

What are some examples of sustainable products used in construction?

When designing and constructing a building, the products that you install into a facility are important. You want to make sure that you’re not adding products that are made up of harmful material that could be hazardous to a person’s health. Scranton Products bathroom partitions, lockers, showers and dressing compartments, and vanities are made up of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). This material reduces environmental impact and offers both initial and long-term improvements to the indoor air quality of your projects. Made from recycled materials, HDPE plastic resists mold and mildew for improved air quality and is one solid color throughout, so you’ll never have to deal with harmful emissions from paint. Be sure to take these ideas into consideration as an architect for a more sustainable environment. Click here to find out where to buy Scranton Products.





Sustainable Building Products




How the 4 Phases of Emergency Management Should Guide Education Building Plans

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Duralife Locker - Blue

When you build your school’s facility, it’s crucial to focus on emergency management, for the safety of the students who walk through the doors every day. Nobody likes the thought of an emergency taking place in a school, but it’s important to consider. You have to be as prepared as possible in order to take the right actions should an emergency occur. Emergency management should be at the forefront of your education building plans. The US Department of Education has broken emergency management in schools down into four separate parts. Learn more about what you can do to make sure you’re ready.

  • Prevention-Mitigation: When creating the school, utilizing strategic design techniques can prevent or reduce damage. This can include making it more difficult for intruders to enter, or designing structures that can’t be damaged by the elements of weather.
  • Preparedness: Safety features are necessary when building a school, such as a school-wide communication system. This can alert the school, faculty and students of an emergency and allow everyone to act accordingly.
  • Response: This includes accessible floor plans that can make it easier for emergency responders to navigate the school site and reach people or areas in need. It can be difficult to figure out the layout of a building, especially one that’s large with reoccurring hallways. This could save a lot of time, as well.
  • Recovery: In the event that there is an incident, the school must remodel and adapt in a way that addresses the issue and ensures that the same problem will not occur again.

Planning for Safe Products

Another way to ensure that your school is safe is to utilize safe products and materials throughout the facility. Learn more about what types of products will be safe for your students. HDPE Plastic: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) reduces environmental impact and also offers initial and long-term improvements to the indoor air quality of your products.Materials in your facilities can also be damaging to your respiratory system and cause even more health problems in the long run, especially in young children. Choosing eco-friendly, sustainable products will improve the air quality rather than polluting it like other materials. HDPE plastic is also resistant to bacteria and mold growth which can be harmful to students’ health as well. HDPE exhibited no microbial growth during a 21 day testing period. Solid HDPE plastic materials do not absorb moisture, making them resistant to mold and mildew. The surface is non-porous so the growth of mildew cannot be supported. HDPE plastic partitions are also fully power washable and steam cleanable, so you can wash them without the need for harmful chemical cleaners. In addition, HDPE plastic materials are one solid colored material throughout. This means you don’t have to worry about painting. Your HDPE products deliver no VOC emission and are GREENGUARD GOLD During the construction process, make sure that safety is accounted for. Click here to find out where to buy Scranton Products for a safer school.










Why Architects and School Officials Need to Work Together on Vulnerability Assessments

Red Duralife Locker

Working on construction in a school district requires a lot of attention to detail, as building a facility for children and students is especially important to adhere to safety requirements. To ensure that everything is accounted for, the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, has outlined the school vulnerability assessments. A vulnerability assessment identifies, evaluates and prioritizes risks and areas that need improvement individual schools and school districts. This also makes it necessary to design a system of accountability with timelines required to address the risks. Learn more about these vulnerability assessments and why it’s important to adhere to them.

Why are vulnerability assessments beneficial?

Vulnerability assessments are crucial to school emergency management planning. Being able to predict specific threats potential hazards in a facility and understanding how they can be eliminated with emergency management can drastically reduce dangers in a school. They inform all four of the interconnected phases of emergency management, especially the prevention/mitigation phase, to help determine which areas should be focused on. They also give the school to partner with emergency personnel, first responders, mental and public health officials, and the local government to identify and prevent these issues. By establishing these relationships, communication is accelerated when there is a crisis and they can address the situation as soon as possible. Violence occurs easily in sites where there are weaknesses present, which also means that it’s harder to intervene quickly. These types of situations can mean that there issues such as victims being unable to escape, staff doesn’t identify threats, and communication is sparse. These types of site weaknesses are often identified in a vulnerability assessment.

Why is it important for architects and school officials to work together?

Vulnerability assessments must be performed starting at the very beginning of designing a school. This will allow architects and school officials to determine a solidified plan and identify issues that must be addressed. Making sure that these assessments are performed ahead of time will allow for the best results. It’s also important to eliminate hazards within the facility. Products such as lockers or bathroom partitions could be made up of material that is harmful to the air quality, be prone to mold, or contain dangerous parts. Make sure you choose materials that are safe for the students instead of hazardous. Scranton Products are made up of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), a material that is Greenguard certified and meets the strictest standards for air quality. In addition, these products are a solid material throughout, so you’ll never have to paint them and contribute to VOC emissions. They are also impermeable to moisture, meaning they resist mold and mildew that can also be harmful. Make sure to take these items into consideration as an architect or a school official. Working together on a vulnerability assessment can make all the difference for a school’s safety. Click here to find out where you can buy Scranton Products.





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Incorporating Natural Capital in Architecture with the United Nation’s Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

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Ecosystem

Natural capital is a term that’s used to describe the method of ecosystem evaluation that considers the earth’s natural resources as the basis for economic viability, meaning that the health of our forests, air, and water is directly linked to that of our market. For example, a forest includes short-term provisions, including lumber, as well as long-term benefits, such as air and water purification.

Global standards put in place by operations such as the United Nation’s System of Environmental-Economic Accounting help to keep natural capital in balance.

As an architect, one goal may be to apply natural capital to a project. This would require the team to develop a plan that incorporates the site’s natural value rather than just the economics of the job. This means, the architect and the design team must work closely to generate designs that follow this ideology.

To help this process, the United Nations’ Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) analyzes the impact of humanity on the environment and helps to understand the depths and breadth of ecosystem services.

Four Categories of Ecosystem Services

To assist the architect and design teams with an innovative approach, the MA outlines four categories of ecosystem services: cultural, provisioning, regulating and supporting services.

Cultural: These types of provisions aren’t material items. Instead, they’re inspiration benefits that come in spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, reflection, and other aesthetic experiences. Witnessing other forms of architecture in nature allows architects to take this value and utilize it to make their own contribution to the environment.

Provisioning: These are products that we obtain from ecosystems, such as raw materials, water, food, and energy. When design teams adopt a natural capital framework, there’s a more intensified focus on provisioning services than the general recognition for the importance of recycled products and energy conservation.

For example, Beijing-based People’s Architecture Office created a reuse project, Courtyard House Plugin, the transforms dilapidated housing into useful contemporary habitats with minimal additional resources.

Regulating: These fundamental natural processes are often missed design opportunities and are benefits that come from ongoing monitoring of the ecosystem, including air and water purification, climate regulation, storm protection, waste treatment and pollination. Identifying the site’s potential can lead to design strategies with measurable outcomes. Theses strategies could lead to the support of regulating service, which can maintain goals such as climate regulation.

Supporting services: Supporting services reveal the largest disconnect between conventional design practices and ecological thinking. These services are necessary for ecosystem functions and include primary production, nutrient and water cycling, oxygen production, soil formation, and habitat provisioning. These services show an impact over an extended period of time rather than direct impacts that the other services produce.

One example is a masonry unit called Loom Studio’s Egg Block. This company supports bird nesting.

Scranton Products’ sustainable products support a healthier environment and offer both initial and long-term improvements to the indoor air quality of your projects. Click here to find out where you can buy Scranton Products.





Sustainable Building Products




Hazards & Health Risks Lurking at Your Local Community Pool

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Whether you’re trying to escape the heat of summer or getting some regular exercise, a public pool can be a fun and relatively inexpensive way to enjoy your favorite water activities. However, there could be hidden dangers that you’re not aware of. Understanding the possible hazards and health risks at your local community pool can help you to protect yourself and your family.

If you’re an administrator or the manager of a public pool facility, this post will provide you with actionable tips for keeping your facility safe.

Locker Room Rust

When a building’s main feature is a few thousand gallons of water, it’s understandable that things will get wet. However, when water comes in contact with iron, rust is a serious concern. As a form of corrosion, rust can eat away at metal surfaces inside the pool’s locker room. This can include the lockers themselves as well other metal fixtures like benches.

When rust gets into the air, it can irritate the eyes, similar to the way dust does. It can also lead to stomach irritation if ingested accidentally. Inhaling rust particles is particularly concerning, since long-term exposure can lead to siderosis, a condition in which iron deposits build up in the lungs.

One way to keep rust to a minimum is to replace metal fixtures with other materials. HDPE, for example, is resistant to rust and corrosion, making it perfect for use in locker rooms. This highly durable plastic can be used for lockers, locker room benches and bathroom partitions.

Bacteria in the Showers

Although we use showers to get clean, these areas can be some of the dirtiest places in the pool building. Particularly, the partitions that separate one shower stall from the next can act as bacteria landing pads as the germs splash off the occupant and onto the surface of the partition. If not cleaned properly by the janitorial staff, these surfaces can continue to be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.

This is another area where HDPE plastic can offer some assistance. In addition to good cleaning practices, HDPE is resistant to bacteria. By being a poor surface for bacteria to live and multiply on, it helps to keep the showers and the rest of the locker room cleaner and healthier.

Chlorine

We all know about chlorine’s unpleasant smell, but did you also know that it could be potentially life threatening? Chlorine is used in pools because it helps to kill bacteria and fight off algae, but when it comes in contact with certain impurities in the water, it can produce haloacetic acids, which have been linked to cancer and birth defects.

To keep swimmers safe, pool officials should keep a close eye on the water’s pH and acidity levels. Proper cleaning should also be enforced to reduce impurities. Swimmers should never ingest pool water and always wash skin thoroughly after swimming in a chlorinated pool.

We hope you found this article on hazards and health risks at your community pool helpful. If you’d like to know more about HDPE and how it can improve the safety of your public pool, contact us at Scranton Products. 

Why You Need to Care about ASTM Standards

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When you’re purchasing products for your facility, you want to make sure they’re long-lasting and high-quality. You also want to make sure they’re safe for use and they perform the way they’re supposed to. The products in your facility are investments and it’s crucial that they are the deliverables you’re in need of. ASTM (The American Society for Testing and Materials) will help you determine whether your products adhere to these standards.

What are ASTM Standards?

ASTM is recognized globally as a leader in development and delivery of voluntary consensus standards. Over 12,000 ASTM standards are used all over the world to improve product quality, enhance health and safety, strengthen market access and trade, and to let customers know they can count on products. ASTM serves many industries, such as metals, construction, petroleum, consumer products and more. Standards have been developed in accordance with the guiding principles of the World Trade Organization. These standards are used by individuals, companies and institutions globally. Government regulators cite standards in laws, regulations and codes.

How is an ASTM standard developed?

A member of an ASTM technical committee will identify a need to develop a standard. Group members will prepare a draft standard and it is then reviewed by its parent subcommittee.

Why is this important?

When individuals, companies, or institutions have products that adhere to ASTM standards, their products are proven to be reliable. Many tests are performed to find out vital information about the products and what they have to offer consumers. Consumers can rest assured knowing that the products they are purchasing will be effective and perform the way they expect it to. They also know that the standards make these products safe for use so that they’re not in danger. These standards also allow suppliers to know that their products are top notch and they’re offering the best quality to their customers.

Do Scranton Products adhere to ASTM standards?

Scranton Products are sustainable, durable and microbial resistance. HDPE plastic exhibited no microbial growth during a 21-day testing period which was conducted in accordance with ASTM D3293. While HDPE was microbial free, Phenolic had mold and mildew growth. The durability of Scranton Products also adheres to ASTM standards. The abrasion resistance of various bathroom partition materials was measured in accordance with ASTM G195, which resulted in HDPE having the best abrasion resistance with the lowest surface wear. Based on graffiti resistance, Scranton Products adheres to ASTM standards. Testing was conducted in accordance with ASTM D6578 which provides a standard set of conditions that can be used to evaluate the graffiti resistance of a surface. Seven marking agents and six cleaning products were used in the evaluation to show that HDPE is graffiti resistant utilizing no specialized maintenance procedure or additional coating. ASTM standards go a long way in proving how valuable a product is.

Click here to find out where you can buy Scranton Products.


Sustainable Building Products

Leaving a Lasting Impression with Tufftec Lockers

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locker

Tufftec Lockers creates tough, durable, aesthetically pleasing lockers and benches for your facility that will hold up against wear and tear, odors, and graffiti. The groundbreaking High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) material that these lockers are made of makes them resistant to even the harshest daily use. No matter what type of facility you’re running, you’ll benefit from all that Tufftec Lockers have to offer.

Find out more about why Tufftec Lockers are the most durable, cost-effective products in the industry.

Durability at Its Finest

Tufftec Lockers are engineered for strength and durability, with the HDPE plastic material holding up to daily use, while also remaining low maintenance. HDPE plastic material is resistant to bacteria, mold and mildew, which is crucial no matter what type of facility you’re running, but can make all the difference.

Maintenance for your Tufftec Lockers will be low, as HDPE plastic never needs painting, is scratch resistant, impermeable to moisture, graffiti resistant, power washable and steam cleanable. The years of everyday low maintenance will also save you a substantial amount. While metal lockers are the cheaper option initially, the cost of maintenance adds up overtime.

Customized for Your Facility

In addition to saving you money and looking beautiful in your facilities, there are also ways for you to customize your HDPE plastic lockers to make them your own. Tufftec Lockers provide you the ability to engrave your company or team logo.  The option to customize your Tufftec Lockers allows you to create an even greater aesthetic appeal rather than just having generic looking lockers.

Choose from Various Options

When it comes to durable, visually-appealing lockers, one size does not fit all facilities. That’s why Tufftec Lockers offers a variety of style options and accessories. These locker designs come in many different configurations so you can make the most of your space while also providing design options that are complementary to your architecture.

Choose from athletic lockers, emergency response lockers, industrial lockers, healthcare lockers, recreational lockers, cubbie lockers, education lockers and specialty lockers.

Style options include standard and Z-lockers, as well as open lockers without doors such as the athletic style, the utility style, and even cubbies.

The venting style is also important, as ventilation can serve a huge purpose depending on what type of facility you’re choosing for. Whether your facility calls for a small amount of ventilation, or a full lattice mesh side and top vent.

You can even choose what type of locker base, handle and fillers that you believe will work best for your facility. Also choose from various lock options, plastic benches, hooks and even ADA compliant conversion kits that are available with ADA plaques, adjustable shelves and clips.

Tufftec Lockers are “where solid plastic construction meets good looks.” Whatever you envision your facility to look like; you can achieve it with Tufftec Lockers.

To get a better understanding of HDPE lockers and all that they have to offer, click here to download our free eBook, The Ultimate Guide to HDPE Lockers. This guide will discuss the benefits of HDPE material and why these lockers are superior to other materials.

Different Types of Plastics and SPI Codes Used to Classify Them

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In today’s market, numerous different types of plastics available, all of which are constructed differently and vary in their recyclability. For an eco-friendly facility, building with sustainable materials that are recyclable and come from recycled materials is important to consider. To ensure that you make the best choice, look at the SPI codes of potential plastic materials.

An SPI (Society of the Plastics Industry) code segments the different plastics on the market based on their materials and how they should be recycled. Continue reading to learn about which materials have SPI codes and what they mean to you.

Different Types of Plastics

SPI Code 1: PETE or PET

Polyethylene terephthalate (PETE or PET) is the common plastic material used for water bottles of all sizes and jars for common kitchen goods such as peanut butter. When recycled, PETE is used to make textiles and fabrics such as tote bags and carpets and sometimes even to line clothing.

SPI Code 2: HDPE

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic is a safe material, as it doesn’t give off any harmful chemicals. It’s commonly used to make containers for shampoo, detergents, and motor oil, but when recycled, it can be used for plastic lumber, fencing, or bathroom partition materials.

SPI Code 3: PVC

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is mostly used for pipes and tiles. When recycled, it’s used as flooring, walls, and industrial-grade materials.

SPI Code 4: LDPE

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is a durable and flexible plastic that’s safe for food storage and used for plastic and Ziploc bags. While not commonly recyclable, LDPE can be used as garbage can material, furniture, and other common household products.

SPI Code 5: PP

Polypropylene (PP) is the plastic material that makes up Tupperware, stadium cups, and prescription bottles. While it’s infrequently accepted for recycling compared with materials such as HDPE or PETE, it can be used for durable items such as rakes or ice scrapers.

SPI Code 6: Polystyrene

Polystyrene (Styrofoam) isn’t a plastic material that can be recycled efficiently. Recycling Styrofoam requires a lot of energy, but when the process is undertaken, recycled Styrofoam can be used to create insulation and objects such as license plate frames and rulers.

SPI Code 7: Other Plastics

The SPI Code 7 materials are any plastics that don’t fall into the previous six categories, such as polycarbonates and polylactides, which are difficult to recycle. These materials are most commonly seen as compact discs, storage containers, and baby bottles. However, the other materials that fall into this category that are recyclable can be used for plastic lumber.

Noting the SPI codes of your intended plastic materials can help you to make sure you use sustainable materials that aren’t harmful to your customers.

Scranton Products specialize in the usage of safe and recyclable HDPE plastic for our materials. Learn more about the benefits of choosing sustainable materials through the eBook below.



different types of plastics


The Environmentally Friendly Secret Weapon Every Building Should Have

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When designing or remodeling a building, facility owners are faced with many challenges. The two most common needs for a building concept are aesthetically pleasing designs and durable features, but a commonly forgotten yet important aspect is a strong environmental impact. But how can you build a facility and incorporate sustainable materials at the same time?

While unknown by many building owners or facility managers, there’s an environmentally friendly secret weapon that every building should have. You can read on to learn about the sustainable benefits of HDPE plastic materials.

Recyclable

The recycling loop works at its highest level when buildings purchase materials made from post-consumer recycled products but are also recyclable so they can be disposed of in an efficient manner. This process helps to reduce industrial waste, but not all facility and building materials are able to contribute.

HDPE plastic materials are available with up to 100% post-consumer products in order to provide facility managers with the ability to support the recycling loop. And with 100% recycling material, you can dispose of these products in an environmentally friendly way when you’re remodeling or renovating. HDPE secretly provides this added sustainability while other common building materials, such as phenolic or solid color reinforced composite, do not.

Non-Chemical Dependent

Many facility owners constantly experience a need for expensive chemical cleaners in order to efficiently clean their building materials. This is especially common in restrooms, where germs are frequent. However, these harmful cleaners usually have concerns surrounding their production and impact on indoor air quality.

Thankfully, if you choose materials made of HDPE plastic, you won’t need to worry about these harmful chemicals. HDPE plastic can be power washed or steam cleaned. And since it’s built with a solid color throughout and scratch resistant, facility owners won’t have to reapply chemically infused paints to cover up fading or marks.

Free of Urea-Formaldehyde Resins

While you may not be able to see them, many facility and building products have added urea-formaldehyde resins worked into them. While used to increase durability, this type of resin can be harmful for the air around your building. Your patrons will be in jeopardy of moderate to severe allergic reactions that could result in anything from a runny nose to difficulty breathing.

While HDPE plastic helps to improve and maintain an environmentally friendly and healthy air quality level by staying free of added urea-formaldehyde resins, other building and facility materials, such as phenolic, do not.

HDPE is an environmentally friendly secret weapon that every building should have. Not only is the material customizable for design and durability, but it also features a number of sustainable benefits that facility managers have the opportunity to take advantage of.

Scranton Products features a number of HDPE plastic materials near you that you can add into your building. You can also take a look at our continuing education courses to learn more about the beneficial environmental impact of HDPE.