The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
FIRST OF ITS KIND
Pottstown selected to pilot flexible plastic recycling
POTTSTOWN >> Shrink wrap, shopping bags, bread bags, potato chip bags, food storage bags, drink pouches, bubble wrap and so much more.
For years, none of these kinds of flexible plastic have been recyclable. As a result, it ends up in landfills or, even worse, the ocean and the stomachs of the creatures who live there.
But a nationwide effort by manufacturers and retails to divert all kinds of flexible plastic is underway and the first place in North America that it will be tried is right here in Pottstown.
That’s because Pottstown was chosen by J.P. Mascaro and Sons as the place to start, in large part because its recycling bins have lids and it is close to the company’s recycling sorting facility in Exeter Township, Berks County.
After a nationwide solicitation, Mascaro was chosen by an industrysponsored research collaborative that includes such business giants as Procter & Gamble, Target, The Dow Chemical Company, PepsiCo, Nestlé USA, Nestlé Purina PetCare, Amcor, The Walmart Foundation, KraftHeinz, and the American Chemistry Council.
The collaborative is called “Materials Recovery for the Future, and awarded a $2.6 million grant to Mascaro to install sophisticated optical sorting equipment at its TotalRecycle facility to make the recycling of FPP possible.
In a prepared statement, Joseph P. Mascaro Sr., the company director of sustainability, said, “Our company is thrilled to have been chosen by the MRFF for this Pilot Program; we have purchased and installed all the new automated optical sorting equipment needed to recycle FPP; and we are excited to add FPP to the Borough of Pottstown’s existing curbside recycling program.”
“Pottstown was a great choice for us,” said Frank Sau, director of communications for Mascaro. “There are a list of requirements for the program and Pottstown met all those requirements. It will be the only community in the country where we can tell people, just throw those things in loose, we’ll do the rest.”
But before they get thrown in the bin, they have to be clean and dry, said Sau. “Otherwise, you can contaminate the load, it won’t get sorted properly and it slows everything down,” he warned.
In fact, Pottstown residents will be getting a lot of pointers. On Friday, the company put information in the mail to the community outlining how the program will work, and what new materials can be added to the recycling stream.
And within the next two weeks, crews will begin putting stickers on Pottstown’s trademark blue
“The 26-to-33-year old age group remains the most at-risk population for drugrelated incidents. We want to try and get kids, or people over the age of 18, sometime before they get past that statistic of being 26 years old,” Amato said.
Over the past year, the three have met with Montgomery County law enforcement officials and members of the Lower Providence Police Department, to develop a program modeled on one begun there.
The result of those talks is what the trio rolled out Tuesday night: the “North Wales Borough Drug Education and Addiction Prevention program,” a series of actions those facing charges can take that borough officials hope will steer them away from addiction.
“One of the benefits, the upside to the offender, is that he’s released at the scene. He’s not put in cuffs, not processed, not fingerprinted, so no criminal history is generated,” Eves said.
“Prosecution is basically suspended at that point, until they successfully complete the program,” he said, at little if any cost to the resident and to the borough.
Those who take part must be between ages 18 to 26, a local resident, with no more than two prior convictions for minor drug or alcohol offenses, and cannot be on probation, parole, or subject of a protection from abuse order, Eves said.
“You have to be recommended by the arresting officer, and be a good candidate, and you can’t be under investigation for a felony or violent offense,” he said.
Those deemed by police to be suitable for the program must sign a formal participation agreement, schedule a drug and alcohol assessment, check in with police weekly by phone, and be subject to random drug tests.
“We can test them any time, for any reason. If they fail the test, they’re out,” Eves said.
Those who take part in the program will also be required to schedule and complete tours of a correctional facility, attend sessions of county drug court, and visit the county coroner’s office, all while staying out of trouble.
“We want them to see the consequences of their actions, if they continue down this road,” Eves said.
“If they stay on track, it should take approximately six months to complete. If they successfully complete the program, no charges are filed, the matter is closed,” he said.
Councilwoman Paula Scott asked how the drug tests would be scheduled, and the estimated costs to the department. Eves said the department would typically call in the subject for a test administered by the local department, using tests that can be purchased locally for $25 to $30 each.
“I don’t anticipate using dozens or dozens a year — we just don’t have that type