Get Paid to Recycle in El Paso!

Tag Archive: plastic

  1. Get Paid to Recycle in El Paso!

    Leave a Comment

    See a Need, Fill a Need: PET Recycling in El Paso

    Crinkle, crackle, crunch… The sounds of plastic are all around us in the modern world, from your supermarket container lunch to the tub of dog treats. Plastic products are widely recyclable, but 85% of all US plastics end up in a landfill or as litter on streets and in waterways, according to a recent study.

    Factors that contribute to low recycling rates include a lack of public awareness of the importance of recycling, limited materials sorting capabilities, and lack of access to recycling infrastructure. PET thermoforms – which are thermally molded sheets of PET plastics used in clamshell containers, tubs, and bottles –  are completely recyclable, but often end up discarded, where they pose a threat to wildlife and pollute Texas’ 190,000 miles of waterways.

    That’s why Texan by Nature and Texans for Clean Water teamed up with El Paso Sam’s Club to launch a 6-month PET thermoform recycling pilot project with the goal of incentivizing thermoform recycling at the community level. Learn more here about how #TxNsRecycle.

     

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Texan by Nature (@texanbynature)

    More Cash, Less Waste

    Pilot participants receive 10 cents for each item deposited for recycling at participating Sam’s Clubs locations. Since the PET Recycling Pilot launched in El Paso on July 6, 2022, over 5,500 PET #1 plastic items have been dropped off for recycling. Pilot participants also have the option to donate their incentives back to community partners in El Paso or claim their incentives through Venmo.

    The Pilot also generated interest from beverage bottler and retailer BlueTriton Brands, which manages well-known water bottle brands like Ozarka and PureLife. In late August, Blue Triton approached Texans for Clean Water with funding support to expand the Pilot to accept PET #1 plastic bottles, in addition to PET #1 thermoforms. Starting September 14, all PET Recycling Pilot locations will accept plastic water bottles for recycling!

    Community Driven

    El Paso community partners not only benefit from the PET Recycling Pilot in terms of reduced pollution and cash donations, but have also been instrumental in spreading the word on the ground about the pilot. Frontera Land Alliance, the Green Hope Project, the Paso del Norte Community Foundation, Better Business Bureau Paso del Norte, and the El Paso Community Foundation support the pilot through sharing information on social media and have helped us connect students to the pilot through the PET Pilot Video Contest. So far, over 20 students in El Paso County have submitted videos promoting awareness about the PET Recycling Pilot and the importance of recycling in general – stay-tuned for the winning videos in October!

    We are grateful for the enthusiasm of the El Paso community and look forward to seeing the impact of the pilot over the coming months.

    Get Involved

    How many pounds of plastic can we keep out of the Rio Grande, off El Paso streets, and out of landfills? How much money can you earn from recycling incentives? As much as you and your neighbors can carry! Get paid to recycle: https://texanbynature.org/projects/mecycle-el-paso-pet-recycling-pilot/ 

  2. PET Recycling in Texas

    Leave a Comment

    Don’t Throw Away That Strawberry Container –– Here’s Why!

    Fresh strawberries, star-spangled cookies, and everyone’s favorite drinks. Summer is full of occasions that call for get-togethers and treats, and plastic is part of the package, literally – we purchase produce and baked goods that come in PET thermoforms that are discarded after a single use.This plastic adds up: how can we move toward circularity by putting plastic packaging back into use?

    Circularity: the creation and use of products with the product’s end-of-life (what happens to the product after use) taken into account. In a circular economy, once the user is finished with the product, it goes back into the supply chain instead of the landfill. 

    PET Plastics can be found in your household and are marked with the PET 1 identification code

    What are PET thermoforms?

    PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is a type of clear plastic that is strong, lightweight, and typically used for food packaging.PET thermoforms are sheets of PET plastic that have been molded by heat into packaging such as:

    • Clamshells to package produce
    • Trays
    • Tubs
    • Clear egg cartons
    • Lids
    • Cups

    According to Green Impact plastics, 1.6 billion lbs of PET are discarded each year in North America alone – but PET is completely recyclable! Despite its widespread use and recyclability, lagging PET recycling infrastructure means that some material recovery facilities (MRFs) send PET thermoforms to landfills. 

    Why should I recycle PET thermoforms?

    PET thermoforms that aren’t recycled become part of the 400,000 tons of trash and litter that are produced annually in Texas. Litter like PET threatens wildlife and the more than 190,000 miles of waterways that provide habitat, drinking water, and keep Texas industries running. 

    As Texas’ population continues to grow, responsible disposal practices are an essential part of preparing for the future. According to Texans for Clean Water, Texas’ four largest population centers will start to run out of landfill space in 2030. Unmanaged litter and trash harm the health of communities and are burdens to city infrastructure. Each year, 10 Texas cities spend more than $75M on mitigating the impact of litter and illegal dumping, including $6M per year in costs to the City of El Paso.

     

    Moving toward a more circular disposal economy – one in which waste materials are recycled and re-enter the economy as new packaging or products –  would allow that funding to be spent elsewhere. Recycling when possible puts less pressure on landfill capacity and protects Texas wildlife, natural resources, and communities from the negative impacts of litter on health and the environment.

    You can get cash back for recycling PET in El Paso this summer!

    As part of the effort to keep our roadways and waterways clean, a Texan-led and science-based conservation project has emerged. Studies show that there was 50% less litter on roadways and 30% less litter in waterways in 10 U.S. states with deposit/return policies that provide 5-10 cents for containers returned for recycling.

    Texan by Nature and Texans for Clean Water have partnered with Sam’s Club for a proof of concept, 6-month PET thermoform recycling pilot that is expected to launch at  four locations in El Paso, Texas starting July 2022.

    The pilot will provide 670,000 El Paso residents and the binational community of people who commute from Juarez, Mexico, with monetary incentives to recycle PET thermoforms.Together, with the community of El Paso, the pilot is expected to recycle 110,000 lbs of PET Thermoforms in 6 months! 

    For packaging other than PET thermoforms, The City of El Paso offers both curbside recycling and recycling drop-off locations. Access information about curbside recycling, recycling drop-off locations, and search for where to recycle particular materials here. See the complete list of recyclable materials that the City of El Paso accepts.

    This collaboration seeks to build a community movement around recycling and conservation and is exploring ways to integrate the PET thermoforms recycled through the pilot back into the supply chains of Sam’s Club. Additionally, all data, best practices, and lessons learned will be captured and reported to share with other retailers as a model for replication.

    If You Live in Other Parts of Texas…

    Not in the El Paso area? You can still be part of moving Texas toward a circular economy by recycling PET thermoforms and other household materials. Here are some options for recycling near you:

    Panhandle:

    Lubbock 

    Amarillo 

    Central Texas:

    Austin

    DFW

    East Texas:

    Houston

    Tyler

    Additional Resources

     

X