North Carolina county joins WRAP campaign

North Carolina county joins WRAP campaign
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The Flexible Film Recycling Group (FFRG) of the American Chemistry Council (ACC), Washington, has joined officials from Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and Charlotte to introduce a campaign designed to increase recycling of plastic wraps and bags throughout the county. City and county officials announced the campaign, which is part of the WRAP (Wrap Recycling Action Program),  at the Harris Teeter store in the Ballantyne Commons East shopping center, one of many local grocery and retail stores that accept plastic wraps and bags for recycling in storefront bins.

Nationwide, more than 18,000 grocery and retail stores collect flexible plastic wraps and bags (also known as “film”) for recycling—yet consumer awareness remains low, the ACC says.

A recent survey of Mecklenburg County residents found that only half are aware that certain plastic items should be brought to grocery or retail stores to ensure proper recycling. Plus, few residents are aware of the many types of plastic wraps and bags that can be recycled. ACC says the Mecklenburg County campaign is designed to change that.

At the kickoff event, local officials pointed out that although plastic wraps and bags are widely collected for recycling at many grocery and retail stores throughout the county, residents should not place these materials in curbside recycling bins because they can cause significant problems with machinery at the community recycling facility. Putting plastic bags or wraps in curbside bins makes recycling more difficult, time consuming and expensive, officials said.

Shari Jackson, director of film recycling for ACC, echoed these remarks at the event. “As you will hear time and again today, these plastic wraps and bags do not belong in your curbside recycling bins,” Jackson said. “Residents can simply gather their clean and dry plastic wraps and bags in a plastic shopping bag at home and then deposit that bag in a storefront recycling bin at participating Mecklenburg County grocery and retail stores.”

Mecklenburg County residents can learn where and what to recycle at www.RecycleTheWrap.com.

WRAP is a public-private partnership that promotes recycling of plastic film beyond bags. The partnership includes the FFRG, GreenBlue/the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, the Association of Plastics Recyclers, brand companies, retailers, states, cities and other. The Mecklenburg County campaign is expected to serve as a model for other areas in North Carolina and eventually the entire state, ACC says.

The campaign includes advertising on billboards, buses, newspapers, radio and social media. The goals are to increase the amount of plastic wraps and bags being returned to retailers for recycling, reduce unwanted wraps and bags in curbside bins and help reduce litter.

Mecklenburg County residents can recycle the following plastics at Harris Teeter and other participating stores: plastic bags, such grocery bags, produce bags, bread bags, dry cleaning bags, newspaper bags and food storage bags (even sealable food bags and bags with “zippers”); plastic wraps from beverage cases, diapers, bathroom tissue and paper towels; bubble wrap; and shipping pillows. Residents can recycle any thin, flexible plastic wrap labeled with a No. 2, No. 4 or the How2Recycle store drop-off label.

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Source: Recycling Today
North Carolina county joins WRAP campaign
<![CDATA[The Flexible Film Recycling Group (FFRG) of the American Chemistry Council (ACC), Washington, has joined officials from Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and Charlotte to introduce a campaign designed to increase recycling of plastic wraps and bags throughout the county. City and county officials announced the campaign, which is part of the WRAP (Wrap Recycling Action Program),  at the Harris Teeter store in the Ballantyne Commons East shopping center, one of many local grocery and retail stores that accept plastic wraps and bags for recycling in storefront bins. Nationwide, more than 18,000 grocery and retail stores collect flexible plastic wraps and bags (also known as “film”) for recycling—yet consumer awareness remains low, the ACC says. A recent survey of Mecklenburg County residents found that only half are aware that certain plastic items should be brought to grocery or retail stores to ensure proper recycling. Plus, few residents are aware of the many types of plastic wraps and bags that can be recycled. ACC says the Mecklenburg County campaign is designed to change that. At the kickoff event, local officials pointed out that although plastic wraps and bags are widely collected for recycling at many grocery and retail stores throughout the county,…