Children's graduations, beloved pets, family vacations, uplifting art.

孩子們的畢業(yè)季，心愛(ài)的寵物，家庭旅行，令人振奮的藝術(shù)……

Around the world, hundreds of millions of picture frames are sold every year, adorning our offices, homes and lobbies with scenes of everyday levity and reminders of personal milestones; fusing sterile spaces with glimpses of warmth and personality.

每年，全球銷(xiāo)售上億片相框，它們記錄生活美好日常和人生重要時(shí)刻，無(wú)論是辦公桌，抑或是你的家里，他們的身影隨處可見(jiàn)，為原本冷漠的環(huán)境帶來(lái)了溫暖和個(gè)性。

Driven by the global boom in residential and commercial building projects, and the accompanying demand for interior design, global picture frame revenue is expected to exceed $8.8 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 5.2% (Straits Research).

隨著全球建筑行業(yè)的蓬勃發(fā)展，室內(nèi)裝飾需求隨之增加，受此帶動(dòng)，全球相框市場(chǎng)銷(xiāo)售額有望于2030年超過(guò)88億美元，復(fù)合年增長(zhǎng)率約5.5%(海峽研究)。

INTCO Recycling (688087:Shanghai) is one of the world’s largest makers of picture frames – to the figure of 45 million a year, and counts a long list of major consumer brands like Target, The Home Depot, Lowe's, Hobby Lobby, Zara Home and Nitori among its buyers.

英科再生是全球最大的相框制造商之一，服務(wù)于Target, The home depot, Lowe's, Hobby Lobby, Zara Home and Nitori等全球知名零售店。

With Europe the fastest-growing market for picture frames and North America the largest market to date, many of us are already in daily contact with INTCO Recycling's decorative products, even if we don't realize it. Less visible is the end-to-end process of plastic recycling and reuse that goes into INTCO's frames – a process that transforms styrofoam waste into essential ornaments. "There is no such thing as waste, only resources in the wrong place,” notes INTCO Recycling's CEO, Frank Liu.

目前，北美是相框最大的消費(fèi)市場(chǎng)，歐洲則是發(fā)展最迅速的市場(chǎng)。即使沒(méi)有意識(shí)到，我們中的許多人已經(jīng)在日常使用英科的裝飾產(chǎn)品了。“垃圾是放錯(cuò)位置的資源”英科再生董事長(zhǎng)劉方毅言道。

To trace the journey from trash to treasure, we'll start at the beginning.

讓我們現(xiàn)在探尋這一“變廢為寶”的旅程。

The Styrofoam Dilemma

泡沫塑料的“困局”

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) – better known by its trademarked brand name, Styrofoam – is a hardworking material. Shaped and molded into our lives in everything from takeaway cups to furniture packaging, it protects us in the form of helmets, life vests and children's car seats; it keeps our food fresh and our gifts intact.

發(fā)泡聚苯乙烯(EPS)- 以其商標(biāo) Styrofoam 而得名 - 是一種“萬(wàn)金油”材料。 經(jīng)過(guò)模塑加工，廣泛應(yīng)用于我們生活中的方方面面，例如：外賣(mài)杯子和家具包裝等。它既可以化身頭盔、救生衣、兒童座椅來(lái)保護(hù)我們的安全，也可以讓我們的食品保持新鮮、讓禮物完好無(wú)損。

But there's a problem with EPS: the same properties that make it versatile, lightweight and industrially useful also make it challenging to recycle. EPS is 98% air. "It is difficult in the start-up stage of the recycling industry."

EPS面臨一個(gè)困境，其中98%是空氣，低密度和大體積使得它難以被回收，開(kāi)始從事再生行業(yè)時(shí)是比較艱辛的，因?yàn)樵缙诘耐鼗恼邿o(wú)論在技術(shù)、商業(yè)模式和客戶接受度上都比較困難。

Only 30% of EPS is recycled every year. The other 70%, or an estimated two million tons, ends up improperly discarded, haphazardly burned or tucked away in landfills.

每年只有30%的EPS被回收利用，而剩余的70%，大約200萬(wàn)噸，被不當(dāng)丟棄、隨意焚燒或被當(dāng)做垃圾填埋。

A Compact Solution

壓縮解決方案

EPS recycling rates also vary widely by country, from 0% in Iceland to 60% in the Netherlands (OceanWise) and 90% in Japan.

不同國(guó)家的EPS回收率差異明顯，例如，冰島的EPS回收率為0%，而荷蘭和日本則分別達(dá)到了60%和90%。

To provide a solution for global recycling networks to keep more EPS out of landfills, INTCO Recycling independently developed a range of GREENMAX compactor machines that compress waste foam blocks to 1/50 of their original volume in minutes. With these technologies, INTCO Recycling has helped more than 1,000 recycling stations in 80 countries improve their recycling efficiency and reduce operating costs.

為了給全球回收商提供解決方案，英科自主研發(fā)了GREENMAX減容增密設(shè)備，可迅速將廢泡沫壓縮體積至原來(lái)的1/50。利用這些技術(shù)，已經(jīng)幫助了80多個(gè)國(guó)家的1,000余個(gè)回收站點(diǎn)提升回收效率，減少回收成本。

Among these is Safeway, one of the largest food retailers in the United States. Across several thousand stores, including bakeries, delis, pharmacies and flower stores, as well as Starbucks and petrol stations, Safeway consumes large quantities of EPS packaging, but local recyclers are not always on hand to sort and remove the waste.

GREENMAX減容增密設(shè)備使用者之一，Safeway是美國(guó)大型連鎖商超，旗下?lián)碛猩锨€(gè)商店，涵蓋烘焙店、食品店、藥店和花店，以及星巴克和加油站等。Safeway使用了大量的EPS包裝，但是本地的回收商并不能提供及時(shí)的分類(lèi)、回收服務(wù)。

Since 2017, INTCO Recycling's GREENMAX compactor and conveyor has enabled Safeway in Auburn, Washington to take EPS recycling in-house. On-site EPS compacting reduces the high truck and labor costs of packing and transporting waste to far-flung recycling facilities.

從2017年開(kāi)始，英科GREENMAX壓縮機(jī)在Safeway華盛頓站點(diǎn)投入使用，根本上解決Safeway自己回收及處理EPS的難題，大大減少了物流和人工成本。2022年，Safeway在其特雷西，加利福尼亞最大的倉(cāng)庫(kù)安裝了另一臺(tái)GREENMAX壓縮機(jī)，這一方案將陸續(xù)覆蓋他們更多站點(diǎn)。

Beyond Waste Reduction

不僅僅是減廢

In 2022, INTCO Recycling recycled 60,000 tons of styrofoam waste across its global recycling networks, collectively eliminating 190,000 tons of global carbon emissions and avoiding 89,000 tons of landfill.

在2022年，英科通過(guò)其全球回收網(wǎng)絡(luò)共回收了6萬(wàn)噸泡沫垃圾，共計(jì)減少了約19萬(wàn)噸碳排放，避免了8.9萬(wàn)噸垃圾被填埋。

"We have developed an end-to-end supply chain recycling solution, transforming recycled pellets into trendy, high-quality household and consumer goods. It's a difficult process, but we were able to overcome the challenges through innovation." says Liu.

“我們創(chuàng)新地打通了塑料循環(huán)再利用的全產(chǎn)業(yè)鏈，將塑料回收再生與時(shí)尚消費(fèi)品運(yùn)用完美嫁接。其中每一個(gè)環(huán)節(jié)都很難，合在一起更難。通過(guò)創(chuàng)新，我們成功了” 劉說(shuō)。

INTCO Recycling's contribution to the green economy is multifaceted: not only do its compactor solutions reduce the volume of waste EPS, its automated production line further transforms recycled EPS into trendy, high-quality household and consumer goods, including picture frames, decorative moldings, wall panels and home products. INTCO Recycling has reduced 200,000 tons of carbon emissions, saved 300,000 tons of crude oil, and protected 2 million trees every year, an elegant and profitable solution for the recycling of waste EPS foam.

英科的貢獻(xiàn)不僅僅是通過(guò)壓縮方案減少?gòu)U棄泡沫的體積，通過(guò)自動(dòng)化生產(chǎn)系統(tǒng)和專(zhuān)業(yè)設(shè)計(jì)的巧思，更是將其蝶變?yōu)榉蠒r(shí)下潮流的相框、畫(huà)框、鏡框等家居消費(fèi)品，以及墻板、踢腳線、頂角線等裝飾線條，每年減少20萬(wàn)噸碳排和30萬(wàn)噸原油，保護(hù)200萬(wàn)顆樹(shù)木免于被砍伐。這是EPS泡沫塑料回收重生后，最具商業(yè)價(jià)值且非常精彩的應(yīng)用領(lǐng)域。

From EPS Foam To Plastic To Bottles

從泡沫跨越到飲料瓶

As a global leader in resource recycling, INTCO Recycling has not stopped pursuing innovation in the circular economy despite the success of EPS recycling. In 2018, INTCO Recycling launched its PET recycling base in Malaysia. Spanning the recycling of multiple types of plastics, this facility transforms beverage bottles into food-grade plastic.

作為資源再生領(lǐng)域的全球領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者，英科并未因EPS模式的成功而止步，2018年，英科在馬來(lái)西亞建立了PET回收基地，在馬來(lái)西亞建立了PET回收基地，涵蓋多種塑料品類(lèi)，可以將飲料瓶變?yōu)槭称芳?jí)塑料。

When it comes to plastic bottle recycling, many people think of family-owned recycling businesses, where liquids are poured out, labels are torn off, and caps are twisted off manually. With outdated recycling equipment and the direct discharge of toxic elements, these businesses often cause secondary pollution to the environment. The quality of recycled plastic products is generally poor and mainly sold to the low-end market.

提起瓶子回收，很多人第一印象是家庭作坊，人工倒污水、撕標(biāo)貼、擰瓶蓋。通過(guò)這種方式回收的瓶磚貨源品質(zhì)參差不齊、生產(chǎn)設(shè)備老舊、直接排放污染，造成環(huán)境的二次污染，其生產(chǎn)的再生塑料產(chǎn)品品質(zhì)較差，主要供應(yīng)低端市場(chǎng)。

This impressed Liu. "We realized we need to create a new model, relying on technological innovation to push plastic recycling into modernization and industrialization."

英科再生創(chuàng)始人劉方毅先生對(duì)此很感慨：“一開(kāi)始我就決定開(kāi)創(chuàng)一種新的模式，依靠技術(shù)創(chuàng)新，讓塑料回收進(jìn)入現(xiàn)代化、工業(yè)化。”

A Difficult But Worthwhile Cause

難而有價(jià)值的事業(yè)

Having been in the recycling industry for more than 20 years, there are still many challenges to navigate. "Although we have developed an innovative end-to-end supply chain recycling solution and public awareness of environmental protection is increasing, the recycling industry is still struggling,” Liu explains. Billions in investments are needed for the construction of recycling factories and creation of new technologies.

踏入環(huán)保行業(yè)20載，英科仍然面臨很多挑戰(zhàn)。 “雖然我們創(chuàng)新的打通了廢塑料從回收到再生利用的全產(chǎn)業(yè)鏈商業(yè)模式，公眾的環(huán)保意識(shí)也在進(jìn)一步提高，但回收行業(yè)仍舉步維艱，建設(shè)一個(gè)回收再生工廠需要投資數(shù)十億美元，以及若干創(chuàng)新的技術(shù)”，劉解釋道。

"For instance, to recycle 50,000 tons of waste EPS foam, this waste must be imported from all over the world, but now the global market is fragmented. If every country rejects the import of waste plastics, there will be a negative influence on domestic capacity, which reduces economies of scale. The recycling industry is more complex than it was 20 years ago." In addition, waste plastic is costly to purchase due to strict national policies. "Many countries have issued a plastic waste import prohibition decree, which seems superficially reasonable, but in fact, there are hundreds or thousands of types of plastics, and you can’t recycle them all from a specific country." notes Liu.

“例如，要回收5萬(wàn)噸EPS塑料，不可能從一個(gè)國(guó)家獲得全部所需，必須從全球回收，但現(xiàn)在全球市場(chǎng)是碎片化的。如果每個(gè)國(guó)家都不允許回收別人的廢塑料，就不能大量生產(chǎn)回收，無(wú)法實(shí)現(xiàn)規(guī)?；?jīng)濟(jì)效應(yīng)。實(shí)際上，回收行業(yè)比20年前更困難。此外，由于政策嚴(yán)格廢塑料的收購(gòu)成本較高，很多國(guó)家都頒布了禁止進(jìn)口塑料垃圾的法令，表面上看起來(lái)很合理，但實(shí)際上，塑料有成百上千種，不可能從一個(gè)國(guó)家全部回收。”

Despite these difficulties, Liu and his team still insist on their mission. "We have a dynamic and hardworking team making concerted efforts on a difficult but worthwhile cause. The recycling industry has a profound impact on the environment and society, leading to sustainable development."

盡管有這些困難，劉和他的團(tuán)隊(duì)仍然堅(jiān)持自己的使命。“我們擁有一個(gè)充滿活力和拼勁的團(tuán)隊(duì)，齊心協(xié)力從事一項(xiàng)艱難而有價(jià)值的事業(yè)?；厥招袠I(yè)很難，但是這個(gè)行業(yè)對(duì)環(huán)境和社會(huì)對(duì)影響是深遠(yuǎn)的、可持續(xù)發(fā)展的!”

Building A Better World

造福人類(lèi)創(chuàng)造美好生活

Resource regeneration requires the efforts of everyone, including recyclers, entrepreneurs, governments and consumers. Unfortunately, public awareness remains limited.

“想要做好這件事，我們需要全人類(lèi)的共同努力，包括民眾、從業(yè)者、企業(yè)家、政治家。然而，大眾對(duì)再生沒(méi)有太大的意識(shí)。”

To this end, INTCO Recycling works with schools and educational institutions to advance environmental science education for more than 1,000 primary and middle school students every year. "Recycling is not only fun but also profitable. We need education to do it the right way," says Liu.

“我們與學(xué)校、社區(qū)等開(kāi)展很多交流合作，每年至少為1000多名中小學(xué)生做低碳環(huán)保科普教育。Recycling is not only fun but also profitable, you need education to do it the right way.”

As for INTCO Recycling, its team knows their mission of renewing the world is difficult but worthwhile.

"Sustainable materials, net-zero and a circular economy… INTCO Recycling has been committed to ESG for more than 20 years. What is the future of resource regeneration? We can't wait to see it."

對(duì)于英科再生而言，他們的團(tuán)隊(duì)深知“萬(wàn)物再生”這一使命是難而有價(jià)值的。“可持續(xù)材料、凈零、循環(huán)經(jīng)濟(jì)......”，英科再生ESG之路已堅(jiān)守了20余年，資源再生領(lǐng)域未來(lái)是什么?我們拭目以待！

由 Bloomberg Media Studios 制作提供原文鏈接 ↓↓↓

https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/article/intco/from-styrofoam-waste-to-finishing-touch-how-a-leader-in-plastic-renewal-sees-the-bigger-picture