Posts Tagged ‘Plastic Bottle Recycling’

Recycling By the Numbers

Monday, August 30th, 2010

ACC's bins along Venice Beach in California

The beach is a fundamental part of California’s identity with millions of residents and vacationers enjoying the coastline each year. In addition to sunscreen and beach mats, those visitors bring with them items such as plastic water bottles that if not recycled or properly discarded can end up as litter. To help make sure that more recycling opportunities exist, the plastic industries of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) decided to partner with Adopt-A-Beach to provide on-the-go recycling on several of our state’s beaches.

Through our partnership we have supported efforts to keep our beaches clean by sponsoring 325 bins in three popular Los Angeles area beach locations: Point Dume, Zuma and Venice beaches. Recently, AAB conducted bin measurements on all three beaches, on a single day, to find out just how much plastic material is being diverted from the waste stream.

And, as you can see nearly 1,000 lbs of plastic material once discarded is now being recycled:

  • April – 216.50 lbs
  • June – 335 lbs
  • July – 294 lbs

This program is an extension of the “Plastics. Too Valuable to Waste. Recycle.SM” campaign, which started in 2007. Working with Keep California Beautiful (KCB) and the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks), ACC has placed—and the partnership continues to maintain – nearly 700 recycling bins and signage on various State Parks beaches in San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, San Diego, Monterey and Santa Cruz. And the program continues to expand.

The next time you visit the beach, look for these new recycling bins so that we can all do our part for the environment.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Plastics Recycling | Comments

Public-Private Partnerships Continues in Woodland

Friday, May 7th, 2010

We’re pleased to announce that 11 more recycling bins have been added to Pioneer Park, Woodside Park, Freeman Park, Crawford Park, Ferns Park, Camarena Field, Pedroia Field and the Community & Senior Center parks in the city of Woodland. These new bins, together with the 13 bins our partnership with the City of Woodland, Keep California Beautiful, PG&E and the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation installed last fall, brings us more than halfway to our goal of installing 40 permanent bins across the city. 

 The effort of our partnership  to increase access to recycling in city parks in Woodland is open to other businesses that are interested in the opportunity to participate by sponsoring bins to place in additional parks. If your business is interested, let us know in the comments below and we’ll contact you.

So next time you step out for a stroll or take your kids to the local park in Woodland, look for the new recycle bins and remember to be an example for the next generation by recycling.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Plastics Recycling | Comments

Celebrating Earth Day with LA’s BEST

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Thursday marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and we’ve been working with our friends at LA’s BEST to put together a fun and educational way for the students to celebrate the occasion. This week, 91 LA’s BEST sites—that’s almost 15,000 students—will participate in Earth Day festivals that will test their recycling knowledge while they have some fun.

 These festivals are an extension of The “Go H20!” challenge, which aims to educate LA’s BEST students and their families about the importance of recycling plastics and reducing waste while emphasizing how drinking more water can promote a healthy lifestyle. Last fall, ACC supplied the LA’s BEST program with 15,000 reusable plastic water bottles made out of recyclable material and students participating in the challenge learned why water is a healthy choice and how choosing a re-usable, recyclable container benefits the earth. You can read more about the challenge here.

We’ll be sure to post pictures of the festivals so you can learn how to juggle plastic bags and practice your own water bottle bowling skills. In the meantime, let us know how you plan to commemorate Earth Day this year in the comments below.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Plastics Recycling | Comments

Partnerships Work for the Environment

Friday, April 9th, 2010

Guest post by Barbara Long, Vice President Government Relations and Special Projects, Aquarium of the Pacific

 At Aquarium of the Pacific, we have one major goal: to empower our visitors with the knowledge to make a difference on the most pressing issues affecting our ocean planet. As Southern California’s largest aquarium and the fourth largest aquarium in the nation, we take our goal very seriously.

In fact, our mission is to instill a sense of wonder, respect and stewardship for the Pacific Ocean, its inhabitants and ecosystems. We can’t do it alone, especially in this economy, when resources are limited.

Another key part of our mission is to create the first aquarium—and perhaps the first institution in the world—dedicated to conserving and building natural capital (nature and nature’s services) by building social capital (the interactions between and among peoples), which is why it’s so important for us to build and maintain partnerships.

For example, we recently expanded our partnership with the American Chemistry Council (ACC) to provide recycling bins for our visitors. This is an extension of an alliance that began in November, 2008, with the opening of Our Watersheds: Pathway to the Pacific. ACC is a sponsor of this exhibit, which gives aquarium-goers the opportunity to learn more about our local watersheds and what we each can do to protect them.

Recycling is an integral part of protecting these “pathways” because too often readily recyclable materials end up as litter, and these items – plastic, cans, glass, etc.—belong in a recycling bin. The eight new containers are brightly decorated and feature messages and reminders to our visitors about the value of recycling and its effect on conservation.

With 1.5 million annual visitors, including 170,000 school children, we are confident that these receptacles will have a positive and long-lasting effect on our patrons, to not only recycle at the aquarium, but to recycle at home, at school and on the go.

Our partners and sponsors come from all walks of life because, ultimately, we’re all committed to the same thing: protecting the Pacific Ocean and its marine life through a variety of means, including recycling.

The Aquarium and our various partners understand that we must all work together to protect the earth and our oceans, when funds, friends and assistance are tough to come by. We encourage all Californians to do the same. Make sure you’re part of the solution, and help us meet our goal of protecting our oceans and waterways.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Plastics Recycling | Comments

Recycling Resolutions

Monday, January 4th, 2010
 
I came across this interesting article in the OC Register recently.  It highlights the importance of how each of us can individually reduce the amount of waste we produce just by recycling.  More and more communities, especially in California, are making great strides to help their residents recycle. But ultimately, it’s up to each one of us to decide  to make the conscious effort to sort our household recyclables, take back plastic bags to grocery stores for recycling, or even hold on to things like plastic bottles until we come across a recycling bin.  Small, easy behavioral changes can have a huge impact.  So join me in committing to recycle more and waste less this year. 

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Plastics Recycling | Comments

Get Your Recycle On: America Recycles Day

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

According to the America Recycles Day Website, November 15th is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products. The purpose of America Recycles Day is to promote the social, environmental and economic benefits of recycling and encourage more people to join the movement to protect the environment for future generations. Today you can join the millions of Americans who have pledged to increase their recycling habits and to buy products made with recycled materials. 

Can You Recycle in Your Community?
Recycling varies by community so check to see if plastic recycling is available in your area.  See my previous blog post or visit Earth 911 and enter your zip code to learn more.

Interested in Getting Involved?
Take the pledge and find out what’s going on in your state and in your community.

  • Quick facts about plastic recycling and how it benefits your community:
    In 2008, the recycling of plastic bottles reached a record high of 2.4 billion pounds nationwide.
  • In 2007, the recycling of plastic bags and product wraps grew to 830 million pounds across the U.S., marking an increase of 27% in just two years.
  • A growing number of communities are recycling other types of plastic containers, such as tubs, trays and lids. Currently, about two-thirds of California’s communities and one-third of the nations’ largest cities recycle rigid plastic containers in addition to bottles, and that number continues to rise.  More than 325 million pounds of these materials were recycled in 2007.

What will my Recycled Plastic Become?
Recycled plastics go on to become a number of second generation products. For example, recycled plastic bottles can become: carpeting, fleece jackets, detergent bottles and lumber for outdoor decking. Plastic bags can be made into loads of products, including new bags, backyard decks, fencing, railing, park benches, picnic tables, and shopping carts.

For even more interesting end use recycled products follow this link:

We all want to make the Earth a little greener.  America’s plastic makers are committed to recycling. Please take a moment to tell us about what is working in your community.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Plastics Recycling | Comments

Recycling with the Angels

Saturday, September 26th, 2009
 A child recycles using an Angels recycling bin
After a week-long effort partnering with local organizations to encourage families to recycle (and receive tickets to the Los Angeles Angels game!), everything come to fruition this weekend. Our partners were fantastic!  They included: Fiesta Angels, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Anaheim YMCA, Orange County Children’s Therapeutic ARTS Center, and Latino Health Access.  We all agreed that recycling and keeping our neighborhoods clean is a community effort.

Today was spent passing out educational materials, talking recycling, and anticipating a great game.  It was simple and rewarding.  The smiles on the children’s faces were priceless.

Anaheim YMCA raffled off a bike and we all had a great time encouraging people to recycle.  Today was more than just a day at the ballpark; it was the beginning of a standing commitment in Anaheim to recycle and keep California clean and beautiful.

ACC is always looking for ideas to increase awareness and to make it easier for communities to recycle.  What do you think would work best in your community?

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Plastics Recycling | Comments

ACC’s Commitment to Recycling

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Why are America’s plastics producers so committed to recycling? The answer is simple:  because plastics are too valuable to waste. And, doing right by the environment is also a good thing for business—the recycling industry is a growing part of the economy in California and across the United States, and these businesses rely on used plastics as a vital raw material.

Businesses in the recycling industry rely on each of us to make sure our used plastic bottles, bags and other containers make it into the recycling bin. By doing our part, each of us helps to give these valuable materials a second life as carpeting, fleece jackets, durable backyard decks, home building products, and new bottles and bags. 

What types of plastic can be recycled?  Well, the types of plastics that are collected curbside can vary by community, so it’s always a good idea to check with your local municipality.  Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Almost ALL curbside programs collect plastic bottles, a category that includes:

  • Milk jugs
  • Water, soft drink, juice, and beer bottles
  • Bottles from shampoo, toiletries, laundry detergent and other household cleaners
  • Salad dressing, cooking oil, and condiment bottles
  • Food jars, such as peanut butter and mayonnaise

In addition, 66% of California’s communities collect other plastic containers, such as:

  • Food containers for yogurt, butter, cottage cheese, deli purchases or washed salad greens

And a few cities, such as Los Angeles, collect plastic foodservice items such as:

  • Takeout containers, disposable plates and cups, meat trays, and egg cartons

Perhaps one of the fastest growing areas of plastics recycling is plastic bags and product wraps. 

  • Plastic bags and product wraps – a category that includes plastic shopping bags, dry cleaning bags, news paper bags and wraps from bread, paper towels, bathroom tissue, diapers, and cases of beverages – can be recycled at major grocery stores and pharmacies throughout the State of California. Read more here.

So that covers what you can recycle at home and at the grocery store.  To help increase away-from-home recycling in California, ACC has forged a number of great partnerships throughout the State that have resulted in the placement and maintenance of hundreds of seasonal and permanent recycling bins at rest stops, beaches and parks around the state. 

Look for our recycling bins throughout California and, if you send us a photo of your local bins, we’ll post it here!

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Plastics Recycling | Comments

Launching This Blog

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

Today, we’re launching a blog that will bring you news and insights from representatives of the plastics industry and others who care about how we use, recycle and otherwise handle plastics we use every day. Why now?  Our goal is to encourage a constructive conversation about plastics, California, and recycling – about how, working together, we can keep recyclable plastics out of landfills, and from littering our oceans, waterways, and landscape.

California is one of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse states.  It’s also one of the largest, with a GDP larger than most of the world’s countries.  So keeping California clean and beautiful is a big job that requires everyone to do their part.  That’s why ACC and our partners are working together to increase opportunities for “away from home” recycling – on beaches, in parks and campgrounds, and at rest areas across the state.

We’re very proud of the public-private partnerships we’ve launched to date and of the growing volume of recyclable plastics that are being directed into the recycling stream, and away from our highways and waterways. We’re committed to achieving even more, and we believe the best way to make that happen is to engage the state’s best minds. This is where you come in…we look forward to your ideas.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Plastics Recycling | Comments