THUNDER BAY — "We have always had this entrepreneurship spark inside of us," Elena Rogalski says.
She and her husband Viktor have developed a way to make insulation panels out of recycled extruded polystyrene (XPS) in the form of rice-sized beads produced from Type 6 plastic.
Among other uses, Type 6 plastic is used to protect appliances and other items that are shipped in boxes.
"Nobody actually recycles this in Canada or the U.S.," Rogalski said, so they believe they are helping the environment while simultaneously providing a more cost-efficient option for insulation.
Working out of leased space in the former Buchanan Northern Hardwoods plant in Rosslyn, the two hope to begin marketing their XPS insulation foam boards later this year.