Waste disposal and recycling company, WM has announced a partnership with sustainable plastics manufacturer DOW.
Both companies claim they are aiming to improve residential recycling for hard-to-recycle plastic films by allowing consumers in select markets to recycle these materials directly in their curbside recycling.
According to The Recycling Partnership, currently, only 1.9% of U.S. households have access to curbside plastic film recycling, which is the plastic material with the lowest overall recycling rate. Once operating at full capacity, this program is expected to help WM divert more than 120,000 metric tons (MT) of plastics film from landfills annually.
The initiative has kicked off with an initial pilot program in the Chicago-area community of Hickory Hills, reaching approximately 3,500 households, with more cities to follow across the country. Consumers in the program's pilot cities will be able to recycle film plastics like bread bags, cling wrap, and dry-cleaning bags directly in their curbside recycling.
Jim Fish, president and CEO, WM said: "By providing residential customers with a simple, curbside option for recycling plastic films, we will not only help our customers more easily manage their used plastic film products, but also meet the rising demand for recycled content products. We recognize that to continue to meet and exceed our sustainability goals, we need to continue to expand our circularity solutions. We see tremendous untapped potential to recycle and reuse plastic film, which many of our residential customers struggle to properly dispose."