About Us
In 2023, Dr. Ivan Scrooby founded The Green Bench Project, a non-profit organization in Williams Lake BC, committed to transforming recycled surgical masks and other medical-grade polypropylene plastic into new products such as park benches, flower beds, fences and more. Creating an eco-friendly and sustainable way of reducing waste by using these recycled materials to build new products. Through a collective effort with our community's support and our partners, we hope to foster environmental awareness while giving back to the community. We are teaming up with schools, students and volunteers passionate about making a positive impact in local and surrounding communities.
Our Team.
Dr. Ivan Scrooby
Founder
Lisa Dyck
Assistant Teaching Professor
School of Nursing at Thompson Rivers University
Debbie Fadenrecht
Supervisor of Environmental Services and Laundry
We believe in the power of recycling and community involvement. Together, we can create a more sustainable future for all.
Our Mission
At The GreenBench Project, our mission is to transform discarded Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) into innovative and practical end products that benefit communities and protect the environment.
The COVID-19 pandemic marked a turning point in global history. During its peak, an estimated 4 billion face masks were used each day worldwide. While usage has decreased, hospitals remain major users of disposable PPE—most of which is made from woven polypropylene, a plastic that can take up to 450 years to break down in the environment.
We launched the GreenBench Project in 2023 with a simple but powerful idea: recycle surgical masks into park benches. In 2024, our efforts expanded when the BC Provincial Government introduced a province-wide PPE recycling initiative. Our project became part of this larger effort at Cariboo Memorial Hospital (CMH) in Williams Lake, BC.
By January 2025, CMH had recycled over 2 tons of PPE. Today, we’re proud to work with Vitacore Industries Inc. in Vancouver, who processes the PPE into durable 2x2” construction materials. These recycled materials are being integrated into the construction of CMH’s new tower and the renovation of the existing facility.
Looking ahead, we're collaborating with Graham Construction LTD (for CMH Redevelopment project in particular) and engaging local high school students in smaller community initiatives. Our goal is to repurpose this recycled material into fences, flower planters, benches, decking, railings, tables, chairs, and more.
Our Vision
Our vision is to create a community where waste is minimized and sustainability is the norm. We believe that small actions can have a big impact and we strive to make a difference in our local and surrounding communities.
Through strong community involvement, we aim to scale this initiative and raise funds to support key needs—such as staff incentive programs to boost recycling efforts, maintaining our website, and funding tools that bring the community closer to their new hospital.
Your support matters. By joining us, you're not just backing a local project—you’re helping inspire similar initiatives across British Columbia and Canada, keeping our environment clean and sustainable for generations to come.