Fishing for ideas to upcycle unused material? Here's one
Posted by Karen M. Koenig on 11th Oct 2021
By Karen M. Koenig
October 7, 2021 | 4:26 pm CDT
ABBOTSTOWN, Penn. – DC Distributing's discontinued and/or otherwise unusable edgebanding is finding a new home – as a fish habitat. Since 2020 the woodworking industry supplier has been donating product to Fishiding, which then upcycles the PVC edgebanding to create artificial habitats where fish can build beds, nests and spawning areas, and protect the fry.
"They actually reached out to us to see if we would be willing to donate to them, which we thought was a great idea," said Dwayne Shultz, vice president at DC Distributing.
In addition to providing protection for the small fish, by upcycling the PVC edgebanding it eliminates it from being landfilled – an important factor to the eco-friendly DC Distributing.
The edgebanding strips are cemented into pots and placed in the water.
"We feel that this has become an important aspect of our current society, and the future of the world is depending on what and how we take care of the current amount of products that do not decompose or take extended amounts of time to decompose," Shultz said. "We are just trying to be responsible and do our part."
Based in Abbotstown, Pennsylvania, DC Distributing is a major provider of edgebanding, surfacing materials, and other supplies to the woodworking industry.
