
Photo courtesy of Trex
Based in New York, The Otsego ReUse Center resells building materials, furniture, books and other household goods to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities served by The Arc Otsego organization. Since opening in 2018, the center has been on a mission to reduce waste and give usable items a second life. Now, through a partnership with the NexTrex Grassroots Movement, it has taken that mission one step further.
RELATED: Trex Co. expands polyethylene film collection efforts
NexTrex is a nationwide material sourcing initiative for Trex, a Virginia-based manufacturer of wood-alternative decking and railing and one of the largest recyclers of polyethylene (PE) plastic film in North America. According to the company, each year, Trex uses more than 320 million pounds of recycled PE to make its decking and has diverted more than 5 billion pounds of plastic film from landfills over the past three decades.
A hub for recycling hard-to-process materials like fluorescent light bulbs and polystyrene, The Otsego ReUse Center saw the partnership as an opportunity to address the challenge of plastic film. Given its stretchy nature, plastic film is difficult to recycle through traditional channels. As a result, materials such as grocery bags, newspaper sleeves and shipping pouches often are not accepted in curbside recycling programs and, ultimately, wind up in landfills.
“We saw a clear need to reduce plastic waste in our community, and NexTrex offered a smart, scalable solution,” says Faith Tiemann, chief marketing officer of The Arc Otsego. “It’s a meaningful way for residents to contribute to a greener Otsego County.”
The NexTrex Grassroots Movement, which launched in 2022, provides eco-minded organizations, like The Arc Otsego, a way to dispose of plastic while earning funds for their programs. The turnkey framework equips partners to serve as centralized drop-off sites for plastic film recycling, including all the necessary tools and support to manage the collection and baling process. Once 20-40 bales are accumulated (20,000-40,000 pounds of plastic film), Trex picks up the material and transports it to its manufacturing facilities in Virginia, Nevada or Arkansas, where it is used to produce Trex composite decking. Trex then compensates partners for the baled recyclable films, making participation a viable source of ongoing funding for business operations or community initiatives.
“Community organizations are ideal partners for our Grassroots Movement,” explains Stephanie Hicks, materials and recycling programs manager for Trex Co. “Like Trex, they are committed to bettering their communities and the world at large. It’s really inspiring to see the amount of good that can be done when like-minded people come together to preserve our planet.”
The Arc Otsego joined the NexTrex Grassroots Movement in 2023, establishing the Otsego ReUse Center as a public-facing plastic recycling drop-off point. According to The Arc Otsego, through strong community partnerships, nearly 100,000 pounds of plastic film were recycled through that location in just one year. This impressive performance and the positive impact the program has had on the Otsego community earned the Center a Sustainability Leadership Award from Casella Waste Systems.
“We are the place for folks to recycle their plastic film, and that’s brought more people through the doors of our ReUse Center—boosting both foot traffic and sales,” Tiemann says. “Those increased sales directly support our work with individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
According to Tiemann, the biggest surprise has been the community’s overwhelming willingness to participate. “Whether it’s a small bag or a large tote, every contribution makes a difference,” she adds.
“With the NexTrex program, everyone wins,” Hicks says. “Our partners win by driving increased traffic and earning funds for their organizations. Communities win by knowing their household plastics are being effectively recycled. Trex wins by sourcing a key ingredient for our decking. And, most importantly, the planet wins!”
RELATED: Trex Co. expands polyethylene film collection efforts
NexTrex is a nationwide material sourcing initiative for Trex, a Virginia-based manufacturer of wood-alternative decking and railing and one of the largest recyclers of polyethylene (PE) plastic film in North America. According to the company, each year, Trex uses more than 320 million pounds of recycled PE to make its decking and has diverted more than 5 billion pounds of plastic film from landfills over the past three decades.
A hub for recycling hard-to-process materials like fluorescent light bulbs and polystyrene, The Otsego ReUse Center saw the partnership as an opportunity to address the challenge of plastic film. Given its stretchy nature, plastic film is difficult to recycle through traditional channels. As a result, materials such as grocery bags, newspaper sleeves and shipping pouches often are not accepted in curbside recycling programs and, ultimately, wind up in landfills.
“We saw a clear need to reduce plastic waste in our community, and NexTrex offered a smart, scalable solution,” says Faith Tiemann, chief marketing officer of The Arc Otsego. “It’s a meaningful way for residents to contribute to a greener Otsego County.”
The NexTrex Grassroots Movement, which launched in 2022, provides eco-minded organizations, like The Arc Otsego, a way to dispose of plastic while earning funds for their programs. The turnkey framework equips partners to serve as centralized drop-off sites for plastic film recycling, including all the necessary tools and support to manage the collection and baling process. Once 20-40 bales are accumulated (20,000-40,000 pounds of plastic film), Trex picks up the material and transports it to its manufacturing facilities in Virginia, Nevada or Arkansas, where it is used to produce Trex composite decking. Trex then compensates partners for the baled recyclable films, making participation a viable source of ongoing funding for business operations or community initiatives.
“Community organizations are ideal partners for our Grassroots Movement,” explains Stephanie Hicks, materials and recycling programs manager for Trex Co. “Like Trex, they are committed to bettering their communities and the world at large. It’s really inspiring to see the amount of good that can be done when like-minded people come together to preserve our planet.”
The Arc Otsego joined the NexTrex Grassroots Movement in 2023, establishing the Otsego ReUse Center as a public-facing plastic recycling drop-off point. According to The Arc Otsego, through strong community partnerships, nearly 100,000 pounds of plastic film were recycled through that location in just one year. This impressive performance and the positive impact the program has had on the Otsego community earned the Center a Sustainability Leadership Award from Casella Waste Systems.
“We are the place for folks to recycle their plastic film, and that’s brought more people through the doors of our ReUse Center—boosting both foot traffic and sales,” Tiemann says. “Those increased sales directly support our work with individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
According to Tiemann, the biggest surprise has been the community’s overwhelming willingness to participate. “Whether it’s a small bag or a large tote, every contribution makes a difference,” she adds.
“With the NexTrex program, everyone wins,” Hicks says. “Our partners win by driving increased traffic and earning funds for their organizations. Communities win by knowing their household plastics are being effectively recycled. Trex wins by sourcing a key ingredient for our decking. And, most importantly, the planet wins!”
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