Town joins pilot recycling program
Residents can now recycle flexible plastic packaging
Lower Providence has become the second municipality in the country to be added to a one-of-a-kind recycling pilot program that accepts flexible plastic packaging as a recyclable.
The township joins Pottstown — which was the first municipality in the country to begin accepting the materials — in the two-year pilot program being conducted by J.P. Mascaro & Sons. The goal of the pilot program is to demonstrate that the material can be recycled and that the material — called r-Flex, can be marketed to endusers.
Flexible plastic packaging includes items like clear storage bags, bread bags, grocery store carry bags, pet food bags, granola pouches, chip bags, product overwrap and pouches. The items — which represent a growing portion of the residential household waste stream — had previously not been accepted for recycling, and typically ended up in landfills.
“We’re happy and enthusiastic to be part of the pilot program. It’s a great opportunity for the township and residents,” said Donald Delamater, Lower Providence Township Manager. “We’re looking to be a more sustainable community and this is one step that will help us get there. Environmentally, it’s a win-win for everybody. How can you not be excited about it?”
Like Pottstown, Lower Providence’s estimated 8,000 households use recycling carts with lids, according to Mascaro spokesman Frank Sau. Carts with lids are required for participation, and in the early stages of the pilot, the recyclables must go directly to the Exeter TotalRecycle facility without a stop at a transfer station.
Delamater said that as part of the roll out in Lower Providence, information is being shared with township residents, to let them know what kinds of ma
terials they can now add to their recycle bin.
Information has been posted on the township’s Facebook page and its website, letting residents know they can begin putting the items in their recycling containers immediately. In addition, J.P. Mascaro & Sons has mailed an informational piece to all customers in the township. Two informational displays will also be set up in the lobby of the Lower Providence Township building and the library.
Audubon-based J.P. Mascaro & Sons was awarded a $2.6 million grant by Materials Recovery for the Future, to install optical sorting equipment at its TotalRecycle facility in Exeter, Berks County, which allow the flexible plastic packaging
material to be recycled.
The pilot program was outlined in February for Mascaro municipal customers from across the region, when J.P. Mascaro & Sons and representatives from the manufacturing community and industry associations announced that J.P. Mascaro would lead the pilot program. Delamater was at that meeting.
“When I walked out of there I thought it was something that could work here; I knew we had things in place. From a business perspective they were trying to manage the roll out,” he said, adding that the township meets regularly with J.P. Mascaro & Sons, which is headquartered in Lower Providence. “They came to realize this is where to do it. This is their home town — what better place to do it — and we agree with that.”
Pottstown was announced as the first municipality in the program
in September. Since its launch, the program has been going well in the borough, according to J.P.
Mascaro & Sons and Justin Keller, Pottstown Borough Manager.
“Residents are thrilled
to have this option and think it’s a great step for sustainability borough wide and toward their personal goals,” Keller said.
Pottstown residents also received an informational mailing about the kinds of materials they can now be recycling. Keller said communication is important, because “this is so ingrained that they can’t throw these materials into recycling — it’s hard to break these old habits.”
“We’ll probably do another reminder soon and throughout the year,” he added, “to keep it on people’s radar.”
As the pilot program progresses, more municipalities will be added: starting with those municipalities that get picked up by the Berks Hauling Division or that deliver directly to TotalRecycle, followed by those with their own transfer stations.
Sau added that J.P. Mascaro & Sons expects to add another municipality to the program this month, but could not say which municipality it is.
“Our sustainable mission is to remove these types of flexible plastics from the waste stream and to give these materials an end market purpose. The plan is to expand this program into every qualifying municipality that J. P. Mascaro & Sons services,” Joseph P. Mascaro Sr., Mascaro’s director of sustainability, said in a statement.
“For the communities that are not using carts with lids — we are helping them with education on how to get state grant money to eventually obtain carts so the partnership can grow,” Sau added. Email business story ideas to business editor/ writer drovins@21stcenturymedia.com.