EcoPaq seeks licensees for two patents

San Diego-based EcoPaq LLC says it has developed and patented two technologies available for licensing to waste management recycling companies, fluorescent bulb manufactures, recycling shipping container manufacturers, intra- and interstate transporter such as UPS and FedEx, manufacturers of automated sorting equipment employed in single-stream recycling and local governmental authorities focused on reducing waste management collection costs.

The first technology is described in U.S. Patent No. 8,613,867, titled “Inorganic dry compositions for absorption of mercury vapor.” The patented mercury sorbent can be sprayed on any absorbent material (e.g., paper, cardboard packaging, etc.) as a fine, quickly drying mist in two steps.  When the first and second solution combine after being absorbed into packing material, they react chemically to form an insoluble, unleachable and stable compound, similar to a naturally occurring mercury absorbing mineral that is stable on geologic time frames, the company says. The compound can sequester mercury vapor if it is released upon bulb breakage and be used to treat original bulb-manufacturer packaging for new bulbs as well as packaging for bulb recycling, EcoPaq says.

Because the binary absorbent can be sprayed on any shape or size packaging material, it is equally useful for CFLs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs) as well as for the various tubular, circular and other shapes currently being manufactured and sold, the company says. Because the packaging can conform closely to bulb shape, the distance that the mercury vapor must diffuse before reacting with the sequestering agent is minimized, speeding absorption and reducing mercury vapor escape compared with, for example, sulfur impregnated carbon in sachets.

The second invention is described in U.S. Patent No. 8,616,377, titled “Device and method for single-stream recycling of hazardous materials.” The invention provides any currently available or future recycling container to be marked with machine-readable or manual 2D or 3D bar codes, passive or active radio frequency or magnetic tags or a variety of  graphic markings to facilitate automated or manual sorting from commingled or previously separated single-stream recycling processes, providing identification of the toxic component to allow verification and documentation of compliance with government regulations or reimbursement of any associated recycling deposit, EcoPaq says.

Scroll to continue with content

EcoPaq is seeking licensees for the patents in the form of companies involved in the recycling industry, including active recyclers, manufacturers of automated sorting equipment, municipal waste collectors or other governmental agencies interested in encouraging participation in automated recycling, shippers or bulb manufacturers interested in reducing or eliminating exposure to toxic waste in the confined spaces of transport vehicles or factory facilities.

More information is available from:

• Ed Maggio, Aegis Therapeutics LLC/EcoPaq LLC, 618-1400, ext. 101, emaggio@aegisthera.com, or
• Ralph Barry, Aegis Therapeutics LLC/EcoPaq, 618-1400, ext. 102, rbarry@aegisthera.com.