A group dedicated to promoting polyethylene film recycling has a new member and a new collaborator.
LyondellBasell Industries has joined the Flexible Film Recycling Group of the American Chemistry Council. And the state of North Carolina has agreed to work with the group.
FFRG represents material suppliers, brand owners, retailers and recyclers while its Wrap Action Recycling Program works directly with governments and retailers to promote film recycling through drop-off locations.
“We are thrilled to welcome LyondellBasell and North Carolina in our efforts to significantly increase the recycling of flexible wraps and bags,” said Shari Jackson, director of FFRG, in a statement. “These great partnerships expand our footprint and our ability to educate consumers about the wide range of polyethylene film packaging that can be recycled at major grocery and retail stores.”
FFRG was established to bring together representatives from throughout “the polyethylene value chain” to raise public awareness and create programs to recycle PE film, according to the group.
North Carolina follows Wisconsin as the second state to work with WRAP.
“Much of the infrastructure to recycle polyethylene wraps and bags is already in place," said Scott Mouw, of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, in a statement. “Working through WRAP will expedite our efforts to educate residents about opportunities to recycle and divert more valuable plastics and reduce waste.”
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition and the Association of Plastics Recyclers also will work with North Carolina and FFRG in the new WRAP initiative there.
“Polyethylene is a valuable material and resource even after its initial use,” said Jim Clark, LyondellBasell's polyethylene director, Americas, in a statement.
LyondellBasell joins more than a dozen companies that are already part of FFRG, including Berry Plastics Group Inc., Bemis Co. Inc., Procter & Gamble Co., and Trex Co. Inc.
