{"id":74291,"date":"2016-10-21T07:36:46","date_gmt":"2016-10-21T11:36:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=74291"},"modified":"2016-10-20T19:42:34","modified_gmt":"2016-10-20T23:42:34","slug":"solid-waste-authority-announces-2016-plastic-film-recycling-challenge-for-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=74291","title":{"rendered":"Solid Waste Authority Announces 2016 Plastic Film Recycling Challenge for Schools"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"plastic-film\"<\/a>The Plastic Film Recycling Challenge for schools is sponsored by the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority and Trex\u00a0Company in an effort to promote and educate youth and the community on proper recycling of plastic grocery bags\u00a0and other plastic film, which cannot be recycled through regular curbside recycling programs. The initiative focuses\u00a0on collecting clean, dry, plastic film in order to keep it out of our region\u2019s landfill.<\/p>\n

In 2009, New York State\u2019s Plastic Bag Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Act went into effect. The law states that stores within 10,000 square feet or more of retail space and chains which operate five or more stores with greater than\u00a05,000 square feet of retail space, and which provide plastic carryout bags to customers, are required to establish an\u00a0in-store film plastic recycling program and ensure that collected film plastics are recycled.<\/p>\n

In 2013, nearly 4 million plastic bags, sacks and wraps were generated in the United States. Of that amount, less\u00a0than 15 percent were recovered for recycling. Because curbside recycling programs do not accept plastic film for recycling,\u00a0the Authority\u2019s goal for this Challenge is to not only increase student awareness and involvement, but also encourage the\u00a0community to take action and save plastic film to be delivered to local grocery stores for proper recycling.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen residents place plastic film in their recycling bin, it contaminates acceptable recyclables and also causes mechanical problems at the Recycling Center,\u201d said Authority Recycling Educator Jamie Tuttle. \u201cWe encourage\u00a0residents to utilize the plastic film recycling programs provided by retailers across the region.\u201d<\/p>\n

The following items cannot be placed in your curbside recycling bin but can be recycled at local grocery stores and\u00a0through the Plastic Film Recycling Challenge:<\/p>\n