A mutually beneficial relationship between three Erie, PA organizations came together to identify concerns, needs, and innovative solutions to support attainable sustainability solutions.

In September, 2022 Assistant Director of Economic Development for Erie County PA, Jon Whaley, The Plastek Group’s Director of Global Supply, Ray Kraus, and four Penn State Behrend students met railside to discuss the need to reduce/eliminate pellet waste during transloading processes from railcar to tanker. To kick off the conversation, Whaley shared his findings on what the market currently provides as a solution. Sold by two different companies, is one type of containment product for non-liquids. This type of pan is designed for level surfaces, not very effective on uneven surfaces. During the meeting, Kraus demonstrated the intended performance of the product, while describing the physical steps taken by tanker drivers and the potential environmental settings among railcar sites.