ON AMERICA RECYCLES DAY, PLASTICS MAKERS SAY: LET’S RECYCLE MORE TYPES OF PLASTICS

Plastics Make it Possible® Offers Tips, Chance to Win iPad Air

WASHINGTON D.C, (November 9, 2015)—To celebrate America Recycles Day on November 15—and to encourage Americans to recycle more plastics year round—Plastics Make it Possible® is offering some tips to widen the types of plastics collected for recycling, as well as a chance to win an iPad Air.

Recycling plastic beverage bottles from American kitchens has become commonplace, but many other types of plastics also can be recycled, beyond the kitchen and even beyond the home. Plastics Make it Possible® urges Americans to recycle plastics used throughout the home, from the bathroom to the outdoors, as well as plastics used away from home.

“Plastics recycling is increasing year after year, which is great news for the environment,” said Steve Russell, vice president of plastics at the American Chemistry Council, which sponsors the Plastics Make it Possible® initiative. “We can achieve even greater gains in recycling rates by recycling more types of plastics that we use everyday.”

To encourage more recycling, visitors to plasticsmakeitpossible.com/second-chances can learn more about the widening opportunities to recycle plastics, as well as enter for a chance to win a 16GB iPad Air (no purchase necessary) preloaded with applications, tips, and information about plastics and recycling. The sweepstakes will run from November 8, 2015 to November 22, 2015 to focus attention on America Recycles Day, the only nationally recognized day devoted to encouraging Americans to recycle, sponsored by Keep America Beautiful (KAB).

Plastics Make it Possible® also offers these plastics recycling tips that can be used year-round:

  • Start with a Little Knowledge: It’s important to be aware of all of the various types of plastics that are collected for recycling in your community—it’s likely much more than bottles. Check with your local community or trash hauler for a list of recyclables, or head to KAB’s org and enter your zip code. Make sure everyone in your household knows what to recycle.
  • Check All of Your Rooms: Sure, you collect plastics in the kitchen, but the rest of your home likely has plastics you can recycle, too. For example: bottles and containers for shampoo and other bathroom products, packaging for gardening supplies in your garage, and bottles for cleaning products in your laundry room. If there is space, set up collection bins in other rooms, or bring the empty recyclables to your kitchen bin.
  • Collect Caps and Lids: Recyclers want your plastic bottle caps and container lids, too. You can screw the caps back on bottles (that can help in the recycling process).
  • Collect Flexible Bags and Wraps: Did you know that plastic bags can be taken back to participating retail stores for recycling? There are more than 18,000 collection points in the U.S. But you also can recycle other plastic bags, such as those for bread, newspapers, dry-cleaning—and even zipper bags. Plus you can collect plastic wraps used to package products such as water bottles, diapers, napkins, and more. Just make sure bags and wraps are clean and dry, and drop them in the storefront recycling bin.
  • Bring it Back to the Bin: While public recycling bins are proliferating, if you’re not close to one when you’re working or playing, stash your recyclables in a plastic bag and bring them back to your home bin. This will not only increase recycling, but it can help cut down on litter, too.

Visit plasticsmakeitpossible.com/second-chances for more information on plastics recycling and to enter for a chance to win an iPad Air.

Plastics Make it Possible® highlights the many ways plastics inspire innovations that improve our lives, solve big problems and help us design a safer, more promising future. This program is sponsored by America’s Plastics MakersTM through the plastics industries of the American Chemistry Council.

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www.americanchemistry.com/newsroom

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people’s lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care®, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is an $801 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation’s economy. It is the nation’s largest exporter, accounting for fourteen percent of all U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation’s critical infrastructure.