~SENT
ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT DIRECTOR, ADAM ORTIZ~
Dear Municipal Recyclers:
Thank you for the tremendous job you and your communities
are doing to preserve valuable resources by recycling. Due to your
efforts, Prince George’s County has achieved a recycling rate of 59.53 percent
and a waste diversion rate of 64.53 percent. No program is successful
without the support of the community and your continued support is vital to the
ongoing success of the Prince George’s County Residential Curbside
Single-Stream Recycling Program.
Currently, plastic bags and plastic wrap are being accepted
at the County’s Material Recycling Facility (MRF). However, starting July
1, 2015, the County will no longer accept plastic bags or plastic film in its
Residential Curbside Recycling Single-Stream Program. Residents who receive
County recycling pick-up services were notified of this change via a post card
mailing and other sources of notification last month.
In an effort to maximize recycling, the County began
accepting disposable plastic grocery store and retail shopping bags and plastic
film within its Residential Curbside Single-Stream Recycling Program.
Initially, some of the bags were captured and sold to recycling vendors to make
lumber-like material and benches. However, vendors will no longer purchase the
bags from the County’s recycling program because the bags become contaminated
when mixed with the other recyclables.
In addition, the equipment at the Materials Recycling
Facility (MRF) is not designed to remove plastic bags. Consequently,
sorting the bags has become a manual process and many bags still get through to
the automated sorting system causing serious mechanical problems. The
plastic bags and plastic wrap become entangled in the equipment causing jams
and system wide shut downs and thousands of dollars in repairs.
Rather than continue the practice of accepting plastic
bags and plastic wrap in the Residential Curbside Single-Stream Recycling
Program, the County will develop an educational outreach campaign to notify the
public of recycling and reuse alternatives. One alternative is to take
plastic bags to local grocery stores or retailers with a plastic bag recycling
program. Many plastic bags are printed with source reduction tips and
messages encouraging reuse or recycling with the originating retailer.
Most grocery stores have recycling collection boxes located in their main
entrances. Thus, the bags can remain clean and be recycled once they are
taken back to the stores.
We also encourage residents to use reusable bags when
shopping to avoid the use of plastic altogether. Reusable bags are
sturdier than plastic bags and can be used for a longer period of time.
Additionally, most reusable bags can be machine washed to eliminate dirt and
contaminants.
Our goal is to reinforce this message to as many County
citizens and residents as possible; therefore, your assistance in disseminating
the information is key. Attached is a frequently asked questions document that
addresses some of the concerns your residents may have regarding the new
policy, as well as other marketing materials promoting the change. If you
require any other
electronic information, please contact Linda Lowe via
email atlmlowe@co.pg.md.us.
for assistance.
Thanks in advance for your continued cooperation and
commitment to protecting and preserving the environment through
recycling. Please feel free to contact me or Roger E. Merritt, Jr.,
Associate Director, Waste Management Division, at (301) 952-7625 should
you need additional information.
Sincerely,
Adam Ortiz
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