City of Woodland teams up to increase recycling options

The City of Woodland, California, the American Chemistry Council (ACC), Keep California Beautiful (KCB), PG&E and the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation have unveiled a new program that gives Woodland residents and businesses more access to “away-from-home” recycling opportunities, to help keep plastics and other products out of the waste stream and in recycling bins.

A total of 24 bins will be installed at the Woodland Community & Senior Center, Ferns Park and other locations throughout the city, to help protect the state’s environment for future generations.

Woodland is the latest community to join in an effort that began in 2008 when representatives from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, ACC and KCB launched a beach recycling program at state park sites in the Los Angeles and Central Coast areas. The program soon spread to state park beaches in San Diego, Monterey, Santa Cruz, and the City of Brentwood.

The recycling of plastics in California, particularly in away-from-home settings, can help reduce litter and marine debris. As a result, program participants welcome opportunities to work with cities like Woodland to deliver additional recycling bins and educational displays, reminding people that plastics are too valuable to waste and should be recycled.

Since its inception, the “Plastics. Too Valuable to Waste. Recycle.” campaign has found success in a variety of areas.

“Our combined efforts have led to the placement of more than 500 permanent and seasonal recycling bins on dozens of state park beaches along California’s coastline,” said Christine Flowers-Ewing, director of Keep California Beautiful.

“In times like these, such public-private partnerships can sometimes be the only way to provide important services,” she added.

More than 80 percent of United States households have access to a recycling program, be it curbside collection or community drop-off centers. While there are approximately 2,100 certified recycling centers in California, too many people still see plastics as trash instead of valuable materials that should be recycled.