Easttown residents quickly embraced plastic film recycling when Easttown Township offered the opportunity to recycle this plastic waste in Spring 2021.  The response has been tremendous!  However, an increasing number of food-contaminated items that  cannot be recycled are being placed in the bins, causing volunteers to sort out the trash. 

WHAT DOES IT TAKE- In Terms of Types of Plastic?  Plastic film includes dry cleaner bags, Ziploc or fold over plastic food bags, water bottle and paper towel package overwraps, bread & bagel bags, produce bags, bubble wrap, plastic mailing envelopes, ice bags, cereal bag liners, wood pellet bags, salt bags, and any plastic labeled #2 or #4- polyethylene films.

Things that cannot be recycled are chip bags, candy wrappers, mesh produce bags, plastic gloves, six-pack rings, pre-washed salad bags, linen or bedding packaging, frozen food plastic bags, paper mailing envelopes or pet food bags.  If the plastic film stretches when you pull on it, it is recyclable.  If it tears into big pieces like paper does, and/or if it is crinkly/crunchy and shiny, it cannot be recycled.  

WHAT DOES IT TAKE- In Terms of How Can Residents Recycle Effectively?   The plastic must be clean and dry because it is hand sorted by the township volunteers who empty the bins at the township building and the Library. Further, the company that recycles the plastic cannot use dirty plastic.  Clean means that no food or liquid can be on the plastic.  All baggies or other items with food on them must be put in the trash by the volunteers or at the recycling plant, along with any items onto which food from baggies have leaked. The township volunteers weigh and photograph the bin contents so that Easttown Township can get credit for the total amount of the plastic film we send to the company that uses the plastic. We have recycled well over 3300 lbs. of plastic since we began weighing plastic in September 2022.  Every time we reach 500 lbs., we earn another bench for Easttown’s parks. We have earned three benches, thanks to Easttown residents’ commitment to the environment through this program.  Once the plastic is weighed and photographed, volunteers drive the plastic to Wegmans where the plastic company picks up the plastic.  The plastic is recycled into beautiful outdoor products including  outdoor furniture, stairways, deck material, and privacy screens.

Plastic film is not a type of plastic that is able to be recycled through our township waste hauler.  Prior to the initiation of the Easttown Township plastic film recycling program, plastic film had to be thrown in the trash.   From there, it contributed to the mountains of trash in landfills.  Now, we can recycle plastic film following the guidelines above.  Small actions lead to big results!