One ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ City Council member’s test run of a program to turn residents’ discarded plastic into construction-grade building material has seen significant buy-in, paving a potential path for a permanent plastic reuse program in the city.
In August, Councilman Steve Kozachik set up a large roll-off container behind his ward office in midtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ for residents to drop off unrecyclable plastic that would have ended up in a landfill.
Instead, the plastic was sent to , a California company that places plastic into a patented machine that uses steam and compression to churn out 22-pound blocks that fit together with interlocking pegs. Since the material is all superheated, ByFusion can take the discarded food packaging, plastic grocery bags and bubble wrap that standard recycling plants often can’t process.
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When Kozachik first asked for residents’ plastic, he hoped to collect about 20 tons to test how a plastic reuse program could work. Instead, his ward office received more than 35 tons by the end of 2022, when the pilot program was set to end.
Now, the councilman is continuing to collect plastic at his ward office at 3202 E. First St. with hopes to iron out the logistics of making the program a permanent city service.
The City Council will discuss the ByFusion program at its Jan. 24 meeting, a conversation Kozachik hopes will lead to bringing ByFusion to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ to manufacture the blocks locally.
“This is really way beyond the scope of ‘Let’s just see if the community will buy into it.’ The community has totally bought into it,†Kozachik said, “My message to them has been, this is not going away. We are far too deep into this now.â€
Bringing ByFusion to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
While the company has collaborated with other municipalities throughout the country, ByFusion CEO Heidi Kujawa said ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s pilot program has been “one of the first in this capacity,†and that “ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ looks like they could be the first in the world,†to adopt the infrastructure to make the program an official city service.
The idea, according to Kujawa, “is solving the global plastic problem locally.†Area residents collect their plastic to be turned into construction material for local projects.

The plastic collected in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ is sent to local sustainable landscape company for baling, shipped to ByFusion’s facility in Gardena, California, to be superheated and compressed into blocks, then shipped back to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ for local use.
The city yielded about 1,200 blocks from one trip to California carrying 20 tons of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s plastic waste. Those blocks have been used to construct four new benches at Himmel Park, while pre-ordered blocks were used for a trash enclosure at the Old Pueblo Community Center and to construct two benches in the San Gabriel neighborhood — the first ever ByFusion project in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
To avoid the environmental impacts of hauling the plastic to California, the remaining plastic is still in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ as the program’s future has yet to be decided by city officials.
Preliminary considerations are to bring ByFusion’s Blocker machine to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and dedicate a facility to create the blocks for local construction. While Kujawa said it’s not certain what the cost of manufacturing a machine to bring to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ would be, it is “a sizable investment,†she said.
Kozachik said he has drafted a business proposal where the city would fund some of ByFusion’s start-up operations in the city with “clawback provisions.â€
“We are actively looking for places to stand up a facility locally. The city is aware of that effort, and our commitment is to come there and replicate everything that we do in (California) in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥,†Kujawa said.
And expanding the program means one roll-off to collect the plastic in Ward 6 won’t meet the needs of a city-wide program.
Plastic pick up
Kozachik says he has seen people from all corners of Pima County drive to his roll-off bin to dump their plastic. Continuing the program could come with expanded drop-off locations throughout the city — similar to its glass drop-off locations set up when ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ decided to remove glass from its curbside recycling program.
Beyond creating more plastic drop-off sites, initial considerations are to create capacity for ByFusion to pick up the plastic itself. While the city currently picks up residents’ blue bins with all recyclable materials in them, Kozachik suggested “a multi-stream curbside pickup†where residents “put (their) plastic curbside and pay ByFusion to come and pick it up weekly.â€
Kujawa said providing plastic pick up services is “exactly where we’re headed.â€
“One of the reasons why we did the pilot is to just learn and understand how the community was going to react to a service like this,†she said. “Now that we’re armed with that information, it’s clear that we would have increased participation if we were to provide some extending services outside of drop-off locations.â€

Plastic recycling bin at the Ward 6 Council office.
The plastic pick-up could happen beyond a residential scale, too. The pilot program’s plastic yield has gained the attention of businesses who have contributed masses of plastic waste from their operations. Plant nurseries, car washes and pool supply companies have all called Kozachik’s office to inquire about the program.
Poly Print, a food packaging company that produces a variety of plastic products from the labels on single-use water bottles to bags for pet food, produces 100,000 pounds of plastic waste a month. Now, several hundred pounds of that waste have been diverted to the ByFusion program.
“We’ve tried other companies for recycling for years, and they couldn’t take it because of glue or adhesive, and ByFusion was like the perfect opportunity. They don’t care what’s on it,†said Wendy Pawlak, the administrative and regulatory assistant at Poly Print.
Kozachik has been sending trucks to the business to pick up its unrecyclable plastic, an arrangement Pawlak said “is just a great opportunity for us to give something back to the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ community as well as the planet as a whole.â€
The cost
The city still has to figure out, and mayor and council have to discuss at their Jan. 24 meeting, the cost of providing such a service, which was one purpose of conducting a test-run of the program.
The city’s Environmental and General Services Department empties the roll-off behind the ward office about three to four times a week, Kozachik said, at a cost of about $110 per trip, or $6,600 total for about 60 trips.
Kozachik has paid Tank’s Green Stuff about $1,200 from his ward budget to bale the plastic, while ByFusion has absorbed the costs of hauling the plastic out to California, turning it into blocks, and shipping them back to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
Plus, the city already has a recycling partner through a contract with the Republic Services Material Recover Facility. Kozachik has previously said the company is reluctant to use a ByFusion machine that could siphon plastics away from its own revenue stream.
Carlos De La Torre, director of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s Environmental and General Services Department, said placing the machine at the Republic Services facility would require “significant amendments to our contract with them.â€
But the machine could be placed at another facility outside of the realm of the city’s waste and recycling services provider.
“Right now, we’ve got all the puzzle pieces laying on the table; we just need to put them together. And they will fit,†Kozachik said.
40+ sunset photos that show off ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s skies

A monsoon storm cloud is caught in the sunset behind a stand of saguaros on the west side of Tumamoc Hill, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Ariz., August 10, 2023. The storm threw down some widely scattered rain, wind and lightning around metro ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.

The sunset illuminates the clouds in pink and orange, overlooking the city of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and the Catalina Mountains.Â

The sunsets behind a Boeing EB-47E Stratojet on the display line outside at Pima Air & Space Museum during Night Wings, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., July 23, 2022.

Sunset seen from East Roger Road near the University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Campus Agricultural Center on July 1, 2022.

A pair of bikers ride under the sunset sky under monsoon clouds along the Rillito River Park paths near Columbus Avenue, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., July 13, 2021. The rains bypassed the city for the most part Tuesday following heavy storms the day before.

As the sunsets behind the visitor's bleachers, the crew of Bobcat TV get set up to record the highlights of Cienega's game at Mountain View High School, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., October 8, 2021.

The sun sets behind monsoon clouds and rain to the west of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Mountain Park, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., July 1, 2021.

An autumnal equinox sunset lines up almost perfectly along the line of east Speedway Blvd., ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., September 22, 2020.

The sunsets behind the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Mountains as seen from S X-9 Ranch Rd. East of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on August 23, 2020. The deep color of the sunset could be influenced by smoke from wildfires burning in California and ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.

The sun sets on a little monsoon action, mostly contained to the southeast side of the valley, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., August 13, 2020.

Lightning strikes as a monsoon cell skirts the ranges to the west of the city shortly after sunset on Aug. 7, 2020. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ received 1.62 inches of rain during last year’s monsoon.

Smoky skies from the Apple Fire in California make for a red tint over the sun, as seen from E. Speedway Blvd., in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on August 2, 2020.Â

Nighthawks weave through the sunset over the Rillito River, just barely running with the first significant monsoon rainfall of the season, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., July 23, 2020.

Sun sets over a dark and locked Hi Corbett Stadium, home to the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats baseball team, as the city begins its second week under COVID-19 restrictions, March 26, 2020, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.

A roaring sunset shows over new lighted grass fields at Kino Sports Park's South Complex in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on January 15, 2020.Â

The sunset is reflected in the rain slicked intersection of Ajo Way and Valencia Rd., during the first of two bands of monsoon storms to roll over the area, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., August 28, 2019.

Several sight seers take a minute to watch the sunset from Windy Point.

A brilliant sunset competes with the annual Lighting of A Mountain party on top of the Main Gate Garage at the University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, on Oct. 21, 2018.

People gather to watch a dramatic sunset as clouds roll in over the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Mountains on August 20, 2018 in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.

A young couple takes in monsoonal cloud sunset over the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Mountains as they endure gusty updrafts at a lookout on Sentinel Peak on July 18, 2018, in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.

Sunset behind the utility towers southeast of the city near Houghton and I-10, Saturday, June 30, 2018, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.

Reader Bonnie Quinn sent in this sunset photo.

Sunset sky seen from Saguaro Park East, Wednesday, June 6, 2018, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.

Sunset over a tall metal cross, one of two for Heather Ramirez on the south side of Golf Links Road just east of Alvernon Way, Thursday, April 11, 2018, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.

Lightning touches down with a rain cell northwest of town on July 31, 2017, west of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.

A saguaro cactus stands tall during sunset following monsoon storm activity on July 24, 2017, as seen from Sentinel Peak in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.

The sun sets behind a ridge after afternoon monsoon storms on July 24, 2017, as seen from Sentinel Peak in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.

The monsoon clouds didn't bring the rain, but sure brought the color for sunset over downtown, Tuesday, July 11, 2017, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ High School Marching 100 band members await their performance time under a striking sunset before the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ High vs. Ironwood Ridge high school football game at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ High School, 400 N. 2nd Ave., in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. Photo taken Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. Mike Christy / ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥

Reader Mike Moroz captured this image at sunset the day after in rained at Saguaro National Park.

Reader Bonnie Quinn submitted this sunset photo in 2015.

Sunset in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on July 19, 2018. Photo submitted by David Aber.

Sunset light on thunderstorm over ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on July 19, 2018. Submitted by Robert Kerry.

Spring sunset with saguaros in bloom. Submitted by Annie Oliver.

A sunset at the end of the day on May 27, 2018, at approximately 7:25 P.M.

Taken from a reader's home in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.

View of the Catalina Mountains with vivid clouds at sunset.

The sunset's light hitting the clouds from ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s west side on July 23, 2022.Â

A faint rainbow appears over downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and the city after monsoon storms on July 24, 2017.

Saguaro National Park at sunset in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.

Lighting strikes southwest of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., July 29, 2021, from one of several monsoon cells that moved through valley just before sunset.

The sunsets behind the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Mountains as seen from S X-9 Ranch Rd. East of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on August 23, 2020.

Santa Catalina Mountains above Pima Canyon at sunset on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022.

Sightseers get out among the rocks to watch sunset from the Windy Point Vista on Mount Lemmon, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., January 4, 2023.