Thousands of North Americans got an inside look at how plastics are recycled during the Association of Plastic Recyclers’ (APR) second annual Recycling in Action month. Throughout the month of May, 41 facilities across 21 states, including one in Mexico, hosted more than 135 public tours, giving more than 2,500 visitors a firsthand look at how recyclables are sorted, processed, and turned into new products. According to post-tour surveys, the experience helped strengthen public confidence in the recycling system. Results include:
- 78% of attendees said they came away believing recycling works better than they previously thought.
- 78% expressed strong confidence that what they put in the bin gets recycled.
- 89% said they are very likely to share what they learned with others.
“Facility tours are an effective way to build trust in the recycling process, giving community members the opportunity to see how recycling works firsthand. This is especially important at a time when public trust is challenged and can leave people uncertain about what happens to their recyclables after they are placed in the bin,” said Steve Alexander, APR President & CEO. “We’re grateful to all the facilities and partners who opened their doors this year and helped build greater understanding and confidence in recycling within their communities.”
Participating locations and recycling facilities include:
- Summerdale, AL- Baldwin County MRF
- Troy, AL- KW Plastics
- Omaha, NE- First Star Recycling
- North Las Vegas, NV- Republic Services
- Scottsdale, AZ- Republic Services
- Anaheim, CA- Republic Services
- Sacramento, CA- WM
- Sun Valley, CA- WM
- Palm Beach, FL- SWA Palm Beach County
- Pembroke Pines, FL- WM
- Lexington, KY- Lexington Recycling
- Charlestown, MA- Casella
- Cockeysville, MD- Baltimore County MRF
- Portland, ME- Ecomaine
- Grand Rapids, MI- Kent County Recycling
- Grand Rapids, MI- Schupan Recycling
- Wixom, MI- Schupan Recycling
- Minneapolis, MN- Eureka
- Asheville, NC- Curbie
- High Point, NC- City of High Point
- Brooklyn, NY- Circular Services
- Clifton Park, NY- Casella
- Yonkers, NY- Westchester County MRF
- Cincinnati, OH- Rumpke
- Cleveland, OH- WM
- Columbus, OH- Rumpke
- Clackamas, OR- Pioneer Recycling
- Portland, OR- Denton Plastics
- Bellefonte, PA- Centre County Recycling
- Denver, PA- PureCycle
- Shippenville, PA- ADS Recycling
- Sioux Falls, ND- Millennium Recycling
- Austin, TX- Circular Services
- Plano, TX- Republic Services
- San Antonio, TX- Circular Services
- Seattle, WA- Recology
- Seattle, WA- Republic Services
- Appleton, WI- Tri-County Recycling
- Madison, WI- Pellitteri 91TV Systems
- Toluca, Mexico- PetStar
“One of the most powerful moments during our Recycling in Action tours is when visitors see recyclables transformed from a pile of mixed materials into market-ready commodities,” said Kara Napolitano, Education Director of Circular Services, the largest privately held recycling company and circular economy service provider in the United States. “That firsthand experience demonstrates that recyclable materials are valuable resources that can be returned to manufacturing and used again. By opening our doors to the community, we help build trust in the recycling system and reinforce the important role residents play in keeping valuable materials in circulation.”
“As one of the largest plastic recyclers in North America, we were proud to participate in Recycling in Action and open our doors to help build greater understanding and confidence in recycling,” said Kristen Rinehart, Vice President of Recycling at Advanced Drainage Systems. “Opening our facility gives people the opportunity to see firsthand how discarded plastics are transformed into valuable new products and to better understand the role they play in the recycling value chain. The variety of perspectives represented by tour participants generated meaningful conversations and reinforced the importance of continued education, engagement and industry collaboration to advance a more circular economy.”
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