News Release

Plastic Bag Makers Support Recycling Program in Isle of Wight County, Virginia

ARLINGTON, VA (August 5, 2009) – The Isle of Wight County today kicked off a new program aimed at increasing the recycling of plastic shopping bags and product wraps by announcing the availability of convenient collection areas in five commercial centers and all elementary schools in the county. 

The Progressive Bag Affiliates (PBA) of American Chemistry Council, which comprises the leading manufacturers and recyclers of plastic bags and plastic resins in the United States, applauded the effort.  “Plastics bags and wraps are too valuable to waste and should be recycled.  We commend the Isle of Wight for bringing convenient access to recycling opportunities and for educating its citizens about the importance of recycling,” said Shari Jackson, director of the PBA.

PBA participated as member of the advisory coalition that helped to shape the program when county officials last year opted to pursue a recycling program in lieu of a proposed ban on these products.

“Through the Isle of Wight’s recycling initiative and similar partnerships in communities across the country, we hope to raise awareness of the many plastics that can be recycled through these programs – not just shopping bags, but bags from dry cleaning, news papers, bread and produce, as well as product wraps from paper towels, bathroom tissue, diapers, and cases of soft drinks,” Jackson said.

Recycled plastic bags and wraps are used to make durable home building products, shopping carts and new plastic bags.  Trex Company, the nation’s largest manufacturer of composite decking made from recycled plastic bags and wraps is headquartered in Winchester, Virginia.

Wide scale recycling of plastic bags and product wraps is a rapidly growing trend.  The recycling of plastic bags and wraps increased 27 percent nationwide from 2005 to 2007, and the rate of recycling these products climbed to 12 percent.  Programs like the one in Isle of Wight County and other public policy initiatives, such as California’s 2007 statewide, at-store plastic bag recycling mandate and similar laws in New York, Rhode Island and Delaware, will help fuel continued growth in recycling.

Recently, the Progressive Bag Affiliates announced a landmark recycling goal of 40 percent recycled content, including 25 percent postconsumer material, in all plastic shopping bags made by these companies by 2015.  When fully implemented, the Full Circle Recycling Initiative will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 463 million pounds, conserve enough energy (mainly natural gas) to heat 200,000 homes, and reduce waste by 300 million pounds every year.  More information is available at www.americanchemistry.com/fullcircle.  

About the Progressive Bag Affiliates
The Progressive Bag Affiliates of the American Chemistry Council promote the responsible use and recycling of plastic bags. The PBA recycling toolkit is being used by retailers around the nation as a reference for determining the best ways to deploy effective recycling solutions in stores. To learn more about increasing plastic bag recycling, please visit www.plasticbagrecycling.org.