Composite (combination of materials) products have a long and interesting history of triumphs and tribulations. Plastics are a common component in composite products due to their ability to be shaped, and it combines well with most ingredients. Currently, the most popular composites on the market contain a mixture of wood fibers and various forms of recycled plastics (polyethylene terephthalate and high-density polyethylene). This form of technology solves a problem by disposing of sawdust (sawmills) and utilizing only a small percentage of recycled plastics (depending on manufacture) to create various consumer products. While these products solve a need for our society, it leaves ongoing issues for a more sustainable future.

According to the EPA, of the 267.8 million tons of municipal solid waste generated by Americans in 2017, only 94.2 million tons were recycled or composted. Of this recycled waste, just 27% is glass and only 8% of plastic. Unfortunately, the additional “waste” is most commonly burned or landfilled. By the year 2050, worldwide municipal waste is expected to increase by over 70 percent to 3.7 billion tons. This increase is due to many factors, such as population growth, consumer shopping habits, economic growth, and urbanization.

AIS Clean Tech addresses problems once thought to be ongoing. The first problem addressed is using plastics and glass destined for landfills; secondly, we create new sources for the building industry without compromising natural resources. Finally, we create new education/job opportunities by working with communities and organizations interested in expanding their resources of green technologies. 

Our technology bridges the gaps left by traditional composite technology such as; load-bearing capabilities, no expansion/contraction (real-world climate), strength in colder temps, and colored with UV protectants throughout (if desired). Our technology will not warp, split, leach, rot, or create dust while cutting. It is impervious to salt, water, acid, and insects. It can be glued, screwed, milled, and even painted, all while being 100% recyclable. Our unique blend of “un-recyclable” (low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene) and recyclable plastics and glass, combined with our proprietary comtrusion mold process, creates an industry apex. 

In the past, there has been an issue with forming composite blends into shapes outside of an extruded line; imagine a continuous profile pushed through a dye, then cut into various lengths (decking and boards). By utilizing our new comtrusion technology, we can break free of extruding lines and truly create consistent quality products without the exorbitant space needed for past machinery. Our molds are custom designed to accommodate specific sizes and can duplicate the appearance of products such as stone, wood, brick, and textures (diamond plate, tread, etc.) to meet consumer demand. 

Our unique composite blend is a viable solution over previous formulations of existing technologies. AIS explicitly formulated this mixture to work seamlessly with our new comtrusion molds and traditional extrusion machinery. This flexibility allows AIS technology an infinite amount of possibilities in creating genuinely sustainable building products.