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Solid Waste & Recycling Services

Flexible Plastic Packaging Collection

Flexible Plastic Packaging Collection
Put Flexible Plastics in Your Curbside Cart. Recycling More is Now Easier than Ever!

What can be recycled?

In qualifying communities, all plastic pouches, wraps, and bags can now be recycled in your JP Mascaro recycling carts. This includes grocery bags, bread bags, dog food bags, shrink wrap, wrap from cases of paper towels/water bottles/toilet paper/diapers/etc., cheese pouches, salad bags, zip top storage bags, bubble wrap, air pillows, detergent pouches, zippered pouches, baby food pouches, chip bags, snack food pouches, and the list goes on!

How should residents prepare recyclables?
• Make sure all flexible plastic packaging is empty, clean, and dry. 
• Place the packaging loose in the recycling cart. Do not bundle together or place in one large bag.
• Close the cart lid – don’t let material blow away!

What CANNOT be recycled?
Please don’t recycle vinyl items such as shower curtains, packages for bedding/linens, or inflatable toys. Also, please don’t recycle any packages that are not empty. Never recycle diapers, small plastic like cutlery, or tanglers – such as hoses, chains, cords, string. 

What if I don’t live in a In qualifying community? Can I still recycle flexible plastic packaging?
Due to the experimental nature of this pilot program, right now only In qualifying communities residents can participate. As the pilot progresses, we will add flexible plastic packaging to more and more communities’ recycling programs. Do you want your community to be included in the J.P. Mascaro Flexible Packaging Recycling Pilot? Please contact community staff or J.P. Mascaro – we would love to hear more about where residents are interested in participating.  

What is MRFF?
Materials Recovery for the Future (MRFF) is a research collaborative of leading brands, manufacturers, recyclers and trade associations in the recovery value chain that are committed to increased recovery of flexible packaging and improved recycled feedstocks for manufacturing.

Why Recycle Flexible Packaging?
Flexible packaging—pouches, bags and film wraps—has grown faster than other packaging formats, including those that are traditionally recycled. However, in North America, flexible packaging is not accepted in the current recycling infrastructure. While flexible packaging offers many sustainability benefits (e.g. requires less material/energy to make and reduces food waste) it is currently not recycled curbside. Instead, this potentially valuable plastic material is going to landfill. MRFF has researched ways to get this material back into new products for the Mascaro pilot. 

 

These items can now be recycled. Please make sure they are empty, clean, and dry before placing in the curbside cart. 

Grocery Bags, Retail Bags, Pet Treat Pouches, Detergent Pouches, Case Wrap, Shrink Film, Food Storage Bags, Snack Food Pouches, Salad Bags, Wipes Pouches, Candy Pouches, Baby Food Pouches, Bread Bags, Diaper Wrap, Packaging (No Diapers New or Used), Air Pillows, Bubble Wrap, Pet Food Bags, Cereal Bags, Paper Towel Overwrap, Chip Bags, Meat Bags, Cheese Bags and Drink Pouches

 

What can flexible packaging get recycled into?
The MRFF project is currently testing a wide range of uses for the material collected during the pilot, including plastic pellets, construction materials, and durable goods. 

Where can I learn more about the MRFF project? 
More information is on the website www.materialsrecoveryforthefuture.com .

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