Feel Fantastic Recycling Your Plastic! Trex Launches Annual Recycling Challenge For Schools

WINCHESTER, Va., September 12, 2017 – It’s time for schools nationwide to get excited about going green! On November 15^th, in honor of America Recycles Day, Trex Company, the world’s number one decking and railing brand and leader in high-performance, low-maintenance outdoor living products, will kick off its annual Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge. The challenge encourages K-12 students to compete against one another to see who can collect and recycle the most polyethylene plastic. The winning schools receive beautiful Trex products and the gratification that comes with going green.

“Last year, a total of 252,813 pounds of polyethylene plastic material were salvaged through the Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge,” said Stephanie Hicks, material resource coordinator for Trex. “We encourage more schools to activate this turnkey program to promote fun, healthy competition that educates and excites students about recycling – and help us to beat last year’s record of the most pounds of plastic ever recycled.”

One of the largest recyclers of plastic in North America, Trex uses more than 1.5 billion plastic bags each year to make beautiful composite products that offer a superior alternative to wood and an environmentally-responsible choice for consumers. In fact, a standard 16-foot Trex deck board contains recycled material from approximately 2,250 plastic bags. By motivating schools to participate in the Plastic Film Recycling Challenge, Trex and thousands of students across the country have prevented millions of plastic bags from ending up in landfills.

“The Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge teaches students to think beyond cans and paper products, raising awareness about polyethylene items that can be recycled,” says Jim Cline, president and CEO of Trex. “As a company built on green principles and values, Trex is extremely proud of this program and the many schools and students that have participated over the past 10+ years. Together, we are protecting and preserving our environment – and having some fun in the process.”

Easy-to-implement for schools of any level and size, the Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge comes complete with detailed instructions, promotional materials, recycling bins and a list of qualifying recyclable materials, which include everyday items such as:

• Grocery and retail bags
• Bread bags
• Case overwraps
• Dry cleaning bags
• Newspaper sleeves
• Ice bags
• Ziploc and other reclose-able bags
• Produce bags
• Bubble wrap
• Salt bags
• Cereal bags

Participants weigh and report collection totals to Trex each month throughout the program before delivering the recycled plastic to designated Trex drop-off points in their communities.

National winners and regional finalists will be announced in conjunction with Earth Day on April 22, 2018. All participating schools will receive an award made from Trex deck boards. The national winners will receive a Trex composite bench and regional finalists will receive Trex bird feeders to help beautify their school playgrounds or campuses.

To enroll your school in the 2017-18 Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge, complete the online form at http://www.trex.com/recycling/recycling-programs/ by October 15, 2017. For more information, visit Trex.com/Recycling.

About Trex Company

Trex Company is the world’s largest manufacturer of high performance wood-alternative decking and railing, with more than 25 years of product experience.  Stocked in more than 6,700 retail locations worldwide, Trex outdoor living products offer a wide range of style options with fewer ongoing maintenance requirements than wood, as well as a truly environmentally responsible choice.  For more information, visit trex.com.  You also can follow Trex on Twitter (@Trex_Company), Instagram (@trexcompany) Pinterest (trexcompany), or Houzz (trex-company-inc), “like” Trex on Facebook, or view product and demonstration videos on the brand’s YouTube channel (TheTrexCo).

Contact: Lindsey Lucenta or Brian Shutters
L.C. Williams & Associates
800/837-7123 or 312/565-3900
llucenta@lcwa.com or bshutters@lcwa.com