City of Elyria, OH

Installation Information

The City of Elyria, Ohio, was awarded a grant to enhance its public spaces with new planters, with the key requirement that the planters be made from a minimum of 20% recycled content. While the city needed a solution that was long-lasting and durable enough to withstand the harsh Ohio winters, they were also set on a vibrant terracotta color to complement their urban landscape. This presented a unique challenge, as the pigment variations in post-consumer recycled material are often best masked by darker hues, such as the black planters that TerraCast® Products offers with up to 100% recycled material. 

To meet the city’s specific aesthetic preference while still complying with the grant’s sustainability mandate, our team put its expertise in resin molding and material science to the test. We developed a custom terracotta-colored resin formulation using Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) that was created with a minimum of 20% post-consumer recycled content. This innovative blend ensured the planters met all the grant's requirements without compromising on color vibrancy or quality. The LLDPE resin proved to be the perfect choice, as its robust properties allow the planters to perform exceptionally well in extreme temperatures, resisting cracks, chips, and fading to provide years of maintenance-free life. 

This collaboration with the City of Elyria was a resounding success. We delivered custom, terracotta-colored planters that not only met but exceeded the city’s expectations. The project successfully complied with the 20% recycled material requirement while showcasing our ability to deliver a product that is both stunningly beautiful and highly durable. The new planters will provide a sustainable and maintenance-free addition to the city's public spaces for years to come.