Award limelight shines on Ecoplast

GEOFF LEE WRITER

Ecoplast Solutions needs a new trophy case.

The innovative Lloydminster company that designs and manufactures houses from recycled plastic bottles is the winner of two awards this month for its green technology.

The company is the recipient of an OTIS award presented on June 12 for “Outstanding In Stewardship” (business category) from the Battle River Watershed Alliance for its housing project in Millet Alberta.

Ecoplast built a 2,900 sq. ft. house with a garage there in 2022 using 1.25 million plastic bottles in its construction panels.

“We congratulate you for creating green building technology that enables circular economics in the highly wasteful construction industry, while creating structures with high energy ratings for reduced heating, cooling, and operational costs,” said watershed alliance director, Catherine Peirce.

“We work with other non-profits like The Olive Tree and the Salvation Army and get those supports to them,” she said.

Molle came with CEO Robert Snow, who works in Vermilion.

Snow noted the need for support continues to ratchet up due to social factors such as financial stress from inflation and all types of addictions.

“We’ll help families find work and work on resumes with them. We’ll also build life skills they might be needing growth in and help youth and children find the education they need,” said Snow.

The job Snow does is also rewarding for him as a former paramedic for 22 years.

“I know from my background in paramedics that when I retired as a paramedic and took the role as CEO, I was pretty

Ecoplast also received the Alberta Emerald Award in the infrastructure category on June 7 in Edmonton.

The Emerald Awards showcase organizations, projects, and individuals from across Alberta that are working to address environmental and climate change issues.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 impressed by how much I get out of it,” said Snow.

He says drug addiction, for example, doesn’t just traumatize that person, but the whole family as well.

“There’s mental and emotional sides of it,” he said, along with family violence and financial trauma.

Snow says the main goal at Rotary was for him and Molle to share what Focus does and give them some background on who they serve in the district communities.

“Our main goal is just getting the awareness of what we do out there, which is surveying families and children in crisis,” he said.

Molle also told Rotary the Focus Society started an Invest in Our Youth campaign in May.

“That is set up for families that can afford our services and are not mandated through the courts,” she said.