By  Paul Ploumis 10 Sep 2015  Last updated at  06:33:03 GMT

DENVER (Scrap Monster): Alpine Waste and Recycling is making huge investment into equipment at its Denver recycling facility that will help the company to commence styrofoam recycling. The updated equipment will be capable of handling additional recycling materials. The investment is expected to pull out more materials from the waste stream.

According to Brent Hildebrand, the company's vice president of recycling, the upgrades to the existing facility are aimed at increasing the capacities of the entire plant. The latest range of equipment includes optical sorters that uses cameras to detect materials and then uses air nozzles to push the materials in the right direction. The new ballistic separator equipment is capable of separating paper from containers. The upgraded facility also has a condensing machine that condenses larger volumes of Styrofoam. Alpine is the first company in Colorado to possess this state-of-the-art equipment.

The new equipment is a clear proof of company’s commitment to invest in recycling. Alpine expects to have the equipment up and running at the earliest, after which it will begin accepting Styrofoam from its customers. No other recycling facility in the area currently accepts styrofoam waste, the company added.

Alpine Waste & Recycling handles 300,000-plus tons of waste, compost and recycling annually, with more than 80 trucks and more than 200 employees. Locally owned, Alpine is currently the largest independent waste and recycling company in Colorado.