A new pilot program in Georgia aims to solve one of the insulation industry’s biggest sustainability challenges by reclaiming hard-to-recycle plastic film used to wrap fiberglass products and giving it a second life as new materials.

The program, called "The Plastic Take Back Program", is led by the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA), whose members include some of the largest insulation manufacturers in the world, and Installed Building Products (IBP), one of the nation's largest installers of insulation and complementary building materials. 

The program targets the Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) plastic packaging that's used to encase fiberglass insulation such as batts. Film plastic–including LLDPE plastic packaging–is elastic and lightweight. This type of material is not accepted in local curbside recycling programs because it cannot be properly processed at Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs); the film often becomes tangled in conveyor belts and other machinery.

Through "The Plastic Take Back Program," insulation installers return used plastic film packaging to IBP's warehouse in Duluth, Ga., where it is baled, processed, and sent to manufacturers like Trex, who convert reclaimed plastic packaging into their popular composite decking, demonstrating the market value of recovered materials. 

This closed-loop system keeps valuable plastic materials out of landfills and demonstrates the insulation sector's growing commitment to sustainability, waste reduction, and the circular economy. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, "The circular economy is a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated." Currently, nearly all used LLDPE plastic packaging is sent to landfills every year, since there are very few facilities that can accommodate its unique recycling requirements. 

"The Plastic Take Back Program" will provide a solution for industrial plastic film recycling. The plastic will be collected directly from the job site and delivered to the baler, ensuring it remains clean and free from contamination.

"At its core, the home insulation industry is about sustainability," said Abbey Patterson, director of sustainability for NAIMA. "Our products not only help homeowners save money on their energy bills but also reduce pollution and have a lighter impact on the environment. It's only natural for us to also want to focus on making every aspect of the industry environmentally friendly."

NAIMA's largest members—CertainTeed, Knauf, John Mansville, Owens Corning, and ROCKWOOL— serve Metro Atlanta homeowners and plan to participate in the program.

"Georgia and Alabama are a manufacturing hub for the fiberglass insulation industry, and our companies are united in the goal of finding recycling solutions that work in our operations," said Curt Rich, CEO of NAIMA. "By reclaiming and recycling LLDPE packaging, we are turning what was once considered waste into a resource."

Atlanta has emerged as a regional center for recycling technology investment, particularly in plastics and glass, offering sustainable solutions for both manufacturing and the recovery of film packaging in the home insulation industry.

The pilot program between IBP and NAIMA exemplifies how strategic industry partnerships can drive measurable progress, especially as states nationwide consider extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies to reduce packaging waste.

Fiberglass and mineral wool insulation play a critical role in energy-efficient construction, helping Georgia families and businesses lower heating and cooling costs while reducing carbon emissions. Recovering and recycling the packaging that protects these products from factory to jobsite reinforces the industry's long-standing commitment to sustainability, energy efficiency, and environmental stewardship.

"IBP has a long-standing commitment to protect and improve our environment. We are happy to have the opportunity to partner with NAIMA to create more sustainable solutions for the packaging materials at our warehouse and hope to share results with others in the industry," said Rodney Hulse with IBP.