Bags to Benches: Recycled Benches Placed Around Rappahannock County, VA

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): What will 600,000 plastic bags get you? Thirteen plastic outdoor benches. That’s according to the Rappahannock Lions Club which launched its highly successful plastic bag recycling program a little over a year ago. The program is supported by Trex, a plastics recycling company which converts waste polyethylene plastic into benches, decking and other recycled products. Trex sponsors the program in communities and schools where participating organizations can receive a free bench made from recycled plastic for every 500 pounds of plastic bags and films they collect.

“We are closing in on collecting 7,000 pounds of plastic bags and other plastic films,” said Jim Manwaring, the club’s secretary, who coordinates the program for the Lions. “That’s a whopping amount of plastic from a small county like ours. We could have never done this without the participation of our partner nonprofit organizations in the county.”

Rappahannock County organizations who have participated in the program and have received or are in line to receive benches include Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection, RappFLOW, Rapp at Home, Rappahannock County Garden Club, Rappahannock County Park Foundation, Food Pantry, Friends of the Library, Knights of Columbus, Castleton Volunteer Fire Company, Rappahannock County High School LEO Club, and Wakefield Country Day School LEO Club.

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com