Dear Readers,
As exciting project is coming to this area! Boy Scout Troop 70 and Montwell Commons are collaborating to meet the Trex Challenge – recycling 1,000 pounds of #2 and #4 plastic film over the next year. Cole Morgan of Renick, an Eagle Scout candidate, is organizing this as his community service project with the support of all the Scouts of Troop 70. At the end of a year, if the Scouts have met the goal of 1,000 pounds of plastic, Trex will donate a composite park bench to Montwell Commons that will be placed along one of the walking paths.
A large recycle bin has been set up on Amy’s Market porch at Montwell Commons, so just drop all clean and dry plastics and plastic film in the bin. Grocery and bread bags, Ziploc bags, bubble wrap, overwraps for bottled water and paper towels, produce bags and newspaper sleeves are all acceptable. If there is no recycle number, a quick test is stretching the plastic over your thumbnail. If it stretches, it’s good for recycling. Let’s all get behind this wonderful project of the Scouts and Montwell Commons and help them achieve their goal of 1,000 pounds of plastic.
TrexCompany, Inc. is the largest manufacturer of high-performance, low maintenance, eco-friendly outdoor living products and the world’s #1 brand of wood-alternative decking. Their eco-friendly recycled plastic composite decking is made from 95% recycled plastic film and reclaimed sawdust. Every year, Trex repurposes more than one billion pounds of polyethylene (PE) and more than 400 million pounds of plastic film. The average 500-square foot composite Trex deck contains 140,000 recycled bags! With the help of the company’s community and school recycling programs, Trex diverts millions of pounds of plastic waste from local landfills.
Dear Recycle Lady,
Can amber-colored empty prescription bottles be recycled?
Reader
Dear Reader,
Thanks for the question. Prescription medicine bottles are made of #5 plastic and are not recyclable, nor are they biodegradable. Before you throw the bottles in the trash, be sure to black out your personal information to protect your identity. Left over or unused pills should be returned to the pharmacy or put in the designated box at the courthouse for proper disposal. Pills should never be flushed down the toilet or mixed with coffee grounds and put in the garbage. According to Recycle Nation, even the best sewage treatment plants will not remove all prescription medications from the water before it is discharged into rivers and streams. Drugs can affect fish and other wildlife and they will eventually make their way back into human consumption. The website, goodrx.com/drugs/medications-basics has some excellent information on correct disposal of medications, repurposing these bottles, and a prescription paper pill bottle that is promising alternative to the propylene prescription bottles.
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to grecycle450@gmail.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
