Lorain County’s plastic bag recycling contest kept nearly 300 pounds out of landfills and rewarded schools with recycled plastic prizes.
The bags will be collected at the Lorain County Collection Center, which is located at 540 South Abbe Road in Elyria.ELYRIA, Ohio -- Turns out those plastic grocery bags stuffed under kitchen sinks across Lorain County were good for more than just multiplying overnight.
plastic bag recycling contest launched last fall successfully diverted more than 298 pounds of plastic grocery bags from landfills, all while turning recycling into a friendly competition for area schools. The Plastic Bag Recycling Collection Contest, organized by the Lorain County Solid Waste Management District, ran from Nov. 15 through Dec. 29, launching on America Recycles Day. Residents were encouraged to bring clean, dry plastic grocery bags to the Lorain County Collection Center in Elyria and assign their donation to a Lorain County school of their choice. The idea was simple: recycle responsibly, keep plastic bags out of curbside bins where they can jam equipment and help schools earn something useful in the process. “Plastic bags cause serious problems when placed in curbside recycling bins, but when recycled correctly, they can be given a second life,” said Thomas Patrick III, Director of the Lorain County Solid Waste Management District. “This program shows what’s possible when our community recycles responsibly and works together to support local schools.” In the end, Ranger High Tech Academy in North Ridgeville topped the leaderboard, recycling 101 pounds, 1 ounce of plastic bags. The school took home a picnic table made from recycled plastic lumber. Avon Heritage Elementary School earned second place with 73 pounds, 3 ounces, winning two benches, while Elyria High School finished third after collecting 61 pounds, 5 ounces, earning a bench of its own. The contest was first announced last November during a Lorain County Commissioners meeting, where officials pitched it to keep plastic bags out of traditional recycling streams while encouraging residents to take advantage of the county’s Collection Center. The drive-through facility also accepts household hazardous waste, electronics, paper for shredding and other recyclables.A second Plastic Grocery Bag Recycling School Contest is now underway and will run through Saturday, May 16, coinciding with Lorain County Beautiful Day. All accredited K–12 public and private schools in Lorain County are eligible to participate. Donations can be dropped off at the Lorain County Collection Center, 540 South Abbe Road in Elyria, during regular business hours. Additional details are available through the Lorain County Solid Waste Management District.Hannah Drown has been with cleveland.com since 2014 and currently works in education reporting covering a variety of education topics impacting the region. Previously, she worked as the Facebook Live news...
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