Profession: Business Owner/Manager

Number of times previously entering contest: 1

Inspired by: I founded Plastic Technologies, Inc. (www.plastictechnologies.com) 35 years ago and have spent 40 years in the plastics industry designing, manufacturing, and selling plastic packaging to the major beverage, food, and personal care product brand owners. I therefore recognize the tremendous value that plastic packaging has meant to the world's food, healthcare, and personal care products industries. However, I also recognize the magnitude of the contemporary global disposable plastics waste issue which caused us, 30 years ago, to found Phoenix Technologies International LLC (www.phoenixtechnologies.net) which remains today one of the largest merchant PET plastic recyclers in the US, in order to help solve the single use plastics disposal problem. Over my career, however, I have come to recognize that the one thing that is missing from creating a successful universal recycling system is that we have never been able to incentivize consumers, universally, to engage in returning their recyclable disposable plastic items and to clean and separate those items so that recycling can be both successful and economical. My idea of utilizing the "lottery mentality" as an incentive is both novel and proven. I want neither personal credit nor personal recognition for this idea but, if I can get someone or some organization in the country to recognize the power of this idea and to find a way to commercially try/pilot this idea, then my entrance into this "Create the Future" contest will be the only recognition I need.