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Lyten’s Circular Win: Recovering Unused Plastics for Reuse
Find out how we helped Lyten remove and recycle excess plastic with our innovative plastic recycling technologies.Byline: BTB Author
January 8, 2026 / Time to read: 5 minLyten, an advanced materials applications company based in San Jose, CA, had a large quantity of unused plastic resin beads that were no longer needed. When the team learned that returning the product was not an option, they reached out to us to determine if the material could be recycled.
Once we took the reins, our team successfully removed the excess plastic and delivered it to our Polymer Center, where 100% of it could be recycled and eventually turned into new, usable plastic products.
The Challenge
As part of their research and development for Lyten 3D GrapheneTM technology, which is known for its high tunability and revolutionary strength and flexibility, Lyten evaluated various manufacturers’ plastic products. After testing, they were left with seven pallets of unused plastic resin beads.
Given that returning the plastic resin beads to the supplier was not possible, the next best option was to recycle the material. However, because of the volume and form (loose resin beads), some vendors were unable or unwilling to recycle it.
The Solution
When our team arrived onsite, we got to work quickly. We used cubic yard boxes to package the loose bags of plastic resin beads and opened pallets. We then shrinkwrapped the boxes for transport and used a pallet jack to load them onto one of our trucks.
From there, we shipped the material to our Las Vegas
The Outcome
Lyten was thrilled that their unused material wasn’t just recycled — it was recycled in a more sustainable, circular way and turned into beverage containers.
Kim Racine, head of environment, health and safety at Lyten, was relieved not only to offload the extra material, but also to see it put to good use. “It is fantastic that the plastic resin beads were diverted from a landfill and recycled into useable consumer products,” she said.
We continue to partner with Lyten, supporting their global R&D operations by transporting samples around the world.
Breaking the Plastics Recycling Mold
We’re challenging outdated recycling ideas and transforming the plastics value chain with innovative approaches to sorting and processing.
For instance, we’ve made plastics recycling more efficient and effective with AI-powered technology that:
- Scans dumpsters for items that can’t be recycled
- Educates customers on recycling missteps, helping improve their recycling knowhow
- Identifies and separates materials in milliseconds
- Enables recycling facility operators to maximize the volume of materials recycled
And with each Polymer Center capable of producing a projected 100 million pounds of recycled plastic each year, we’re helping meet CPG manufacturers’ rising demand for recycled plastics.
Learn more about our innovative
