California Recycling Program Highlights Value of Plastics
Plastics are a valuable resource—too valuable to waste. That’s the message ACC's Plastics Division is spreading through its plastics recycling program designed to help reduce litter and marine debris and encourage plastics recycling in California’s coastal communities and beyond.
This recycling initiative is the result of a public-private partnership between the ACC Plastics Division, California Department of State Parks and Recreation, and the nonprofit organization Keep California Beautiful. Recognizing California as a national leader in environmental issues, the ACC sought to create a partnership that would directly benefit the residents of California by providing more receptacles for recycling and raising awareness of the benefits of recycling plastic.
By partnering with the California State Parks Department, which leads the fight to help protect California’s abundant natural landscape, ACC wants to reach a large and already environmentally aware audience.
| Recycling Tips Plastic Bags • Be creative in storing old plastic bags. Try storing them in old tissue or garbage bag boxes until you’re ready to recycle or reuse. • Use a bag more than once before recycling. Plastic bags’ durability and flexibility allow them to be reused in many ways. • Return retail and grocery bags to be recycled. In most stores, bag collection areas are located at the front entrance or near checkout areas. • Make sure bags are clean and empty, so they won’t contaminate the plastic as it is recycled. Plastic Bottles |
“California State Parks welcomes the opportunity to partner with the private sector and Keep California Beautiful to promote the value of recycling plastics and other materials,” said State Parks Director Ruth Coleman. “This campaign will help to prevent litter on beaches that costs taxpayers dollars to collect.”
About 76 million people visited California’s State Parks during the 2005/06 fiscal year, many to the 320 miles of oceanfront property owned by State Parks. Until now, there has not been a widespread public education campaign reaching park visitors to encourage the recycling of plastics instead of leaving them behind or placing them in the trash.
Keep California Beautiful (KCB) is a nonprofit environmental organization that promotes individual responsibility for California’s environment by mobilizing tens of thousands of volunteers to conduct cleanup, litter prevention, recycling and beautification projects throughout the state.
“KCB is excited to join with State Parks and the plastics industry to form this new public-private partnership,” said KCB Executive Director Christine Flowers-Ewing. “We’ll be working to help increase awareness of recycling as a method for litter prevention, and to help Californians get the message that plastics should be recycled, not wasted.”
During 2006, Californians recycled more than 12 billion beverage containers—an increase of 814 million containers compared to 2005. California still leads the nation in total quantity of bottles and cans recycled. With counties like Los Angeles and Santa Barbara increasing the types of plastics that can be recycled, the opportunities to keep recyclables from becoming litter are constantly increasing.
Many plastic bottles and other plastic containers are some of the most readily recyclable products. The plastic collected from the new bins are recycled to create second-generation products ranging from fleece jackets and detergent containers to carpeting and composite lumber for outdoor decking.
The partnership was announced formally on Pismo State Beach in San Luis Obispo County and Leo Carrillo State Beach in Los Angeles County, two of the 12 locations featuring the recycling bins. Local elected officials and representatives from all three partners were present to speak about the partnership and re-affirm their commitment to keeping plastics off the beaches and in recycling bins. The program will continue with hopes for expansion nationwide in coming years.
*Recycling does not exist in all areas. Check to see if there is a recycling facility in your community.