Plastic recycling steps up for cleaner state
We all can – and should – do more to be good stewards of the environment. But all too often outdated recycling methods have led to high levels of contamination in our recycling and dismal recycling rates. Massachusetts nonalcoholic beverage companies are doing something about it.
At the Massachusetts Beverage Association, we are committed to being a part of the solution to improve access to recycling and help prevent plastic from being littered into our environment and the neighborhoods we call home. We have been supporting public space recycling projects across the commonwealth since 2012 and we appreciate the support from our national association to raise these efforts to a new level.
Our commitment to reduce the industry’s use of new plastic starts with carefully designing our bottles to be 100% recyclable. To successfully remake bottles, as intended, it is critical we get every bottle back. Each day, we’re taking action to do just that.
We’re working in communities across the country to modernize local recycling programs and help raise awareness about the recyclability of our bottles – including the caps. Here in Massachusetts, we are thrilled to be working with the Town of Falmouth and the City of Methuen through the industry’s Every Bottle Back initiative to upgrade recycling infrastructure and improve recycling rates.
As part of that initiative – which was launched by the Coca-Cola Co., Keurig Dr Pepper, PepsiCo and our own Polar Beverages – the beverage industry is working with leading sustainability organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund, Closed Loop Partners and The Recycling Partnership, to reduce the beverage industry’s plastic footprint.
Together, Falmouth and Methuen will receive more than $575,000 worth of investments to provide 36,000 households with new, 95-gallon lidded recycling carts. These carts will be provided free to residents in coordination with The Recycling Partnership and the Town of Falmouth and the City of Methuen. Each investment will increase collection capacity, helping to improve recycling rates and keeping recyclables out of nature or from being wasted in landfills. And their impact will be felt statewide.
In total, these investments are estimated to yield more than 40 million new pounds of recyclable materials over the next decade, including more than 600,000 pounds of aluminum and nearly 1.6 million pounds of PET, a valuable plastic designed to be remade into new products. As a result of these investments, and with the increased recycling cart capacity and additional consumer outreach, we hope that recycling rates and material quality in these communities will improve.
We understand, however, that there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to improving recycling access, outreach and education. For that reason, the Massachusetts Beverage Association will continue educational outreach programs to showcase the economic and environmental benefits of 100% recyclable plastic bottles. It is our hope that with additional resources, more communities throughout the commonwealth will create opportunities for future reinvestment in a way that works best for them.
Since the beginning of the Every Bottle Back initiative, the industry has committed to investing $16.64 million in 25 community recycling projects across the country, which will increase the amount of PET collected nationally by more than 715 million pounds over 10 years. The beverage industry continues to prioritize efforts to help consumers recycle better. We have added messaging on a variety of product packaging – including a new on-cap message encouraging customers to recycle bottles with the cap on – and are continuing to improve our recycling systems with new technologies and infrastructure enhancements. Public and private partnerships are a critical component to identifying and implementing solutions to the country’s recycling challenges.
As we continue our work together, the Massachusetts Beverage Association remains committed to providing sustainable solutions and ensuring that the quality of life for consumers and our communities continues to improve each day.
Steve Boksanski is executive director of the Massachusetts Beverage Association.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Massachusetts Beverage Association steps up on plastic recycling
