News Release

CA State Parks, American Chemistry Council and Keep California Beautiful Announce Partnership for Beach Clean-Up and Plastics Recycling

Area city councilmembers to attend event

(Monterey, CA – June 13, 2008)  Citing the need for all Californians to work together to reduce litter and marine debris – state government, the private sector and nonprofit groups joined together today to announce the expansion of a public-private partnership to help increase the recycling of plastics.  The goal is to help keep recyclable plastics out of the ocean and waterways – and instead into recycling bins.

“California State Parks welcomes the opportunity to partner with other government entities, the private sector and Keep California Beautiful to promote the value of recycling plastics and other materials,” said State Parks Director Ruth Coleman.  “This program will help to prevent litter on beaches that costs taxpayers dollars to collect.” 

Earlier this year, leaders from the state Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks), American Chemistry Council (ACC) and Keep California Beautiful (KCB) announced availability of this new beach recycling program on State Parks sites in the San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles and San Diego areas.  This program is now expanding to include key state beaches in Santa Cruz and Monterey.

"Too much plastic – including some of the most readily recyclable products in the world – is ending up as litter on our beaches and in our waterways,” said ACC Plastics Division Managing Director, Steve Russell.  “We know Californians want to recycle more.  This new partnership highlights our commitment to work with government officials and nonprofit groups to help make our environment cleaner and provide for the future of California.”

The “Plastics. Too Valuable to Waste. Recycle^SM” programming planned for 2008 will bring the total number of new recycle bins donated by the partnership to 529 (204 permanent bins on State beaches and 325 term-limited bins on county/city beaches) at 19 coastal locations in the San Diego, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Santa Cruz areas (39 new bins on three State Park sites in Monterey and 30 new bins on six State Park sites in Santa Cruz).

Public-private partnerships have become popular under the leadership of California’s governor.  In his January 2008 State of the State Address, Gov. Schwarzenegger said that California needs to expand partnerships where government and the private sector can work together to meet the needs of the people.

Approximately 79 million people visited California’s State Parks during the 2006/07 fiscal year, with many traveling to visit the 320 miles of ocean-front property managed by State Parks.  Until now, there has not been a widespread public education program that encourages park visitors to recycle plastics instead of placing them in the trash or leaving them behind.

“Keep California Beautiful 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.”

More than 80 percent of U.S. households have access to a recycling program, be it curbside collection or community drop-off centers.  Yet in most areas, the demand for recycled plastics exceeds the available supply.  While there are approximately 2,100 certified recycling centers in California, many Californians still treat plastics as trash instead of a valuable material that is readily recyclable.