Finally – RAD’s Curbside Collection of Plastic Bags & Films is Now Happening!
Recycling enthusiasts and curbside recycling customers have something to be excited about as starting this week, RAD Curbside will begin collecting clean, dry, stretchy plastic bags and overwrap to recycle in collaboration with the Teton County Transfer Station and NexTrex, the company that turns this plastic waste into durable composite decking.
Plastic bag recycling is available immediately to all existing residential recycling customers. Business customers, yes it is available to you as well, but please email us first and we will discuss a few more questions. Residential customers need to follow these key rules to do it right (not have your plastics left in your bings):
- Only recycle plastic that you are 100% sure is recyclable. If in doubt, throw it out! (or you can see the full list on the RAD website)
- All plastic must be completely CLEAN & DRY
- All plastic must be consolidated and secure inside one clear plastic bag and placed in the RAD bin with the lid secured. Plastic film is notorious for flying away and causing problematic litter (think microplastics, choking animals, etc.) so it is CRITICAL that residents securely CONSOLIDATE all the loose plastic to prevent this from happening. A “littering fee” may be incurred by residents who do not secure their plastics (or other trash).
Which plastic bags are accepted?
(Clean & Dry) grocery bags, clear bread bags, cereal bags, case overwrap, pallet wrap, newspaper sleeves, and dry cleaning bags. Plastic bags need to be clear or mostly clear to be accepted curbside as the recyclers collect from hundreds of houses and need to inspect each bundle for contamination. Dark or heavily colored plastics will be rejected, as will any sign of food contamination, trash, rubber bands, or metal.
Bubble wrap and air pillows are accepted, provided all of the bubbles are popped. If you would prefer to see packing warp reused instead of recycled, another option is to bring excess bubble wrap and plastic padded envelopes to the TVCR plastic shed behind MD Nursery where local potters and others needing bubble wrap for shipping can come and reuse them for free.
There is a key catch that can spoil the loads…
Wet, dirty, or otherwise unaccepted plastics or any non-plastic materials can result in the whole lot of collected material being landfilled, so everyone needs to do their part by only putting CLEAN, DRY, and ACCEPTED items - no crumbs, no receipts, no staples, no produce slime, no crinkly plastic, no frozen food bags. RAD has emailed customers a detailed list of what is accepted and what is not along with a printable postcard with images.
Businesses with large quantities of pallet wrap, case overwrap, or other recyclable plastic film that they’d like to recycle should contact the RAD office (208-220-7721) to schedule Commercial Plastic Film collection. Do NOT put plastic bags/film in business recycling bins at this time until specific arrangements have been made.
RAD is continually looking for additional ways to divert more waste from the landfill and providing curbside customers with a convenient way to recycle items rather than trucking them to the landfill. In this strategic partnership, Teton County has developed a relationship with NexTrex, a division of the Trex Corporation. NexTrex collects post-consumer plastic waste and integrates it as the raw materials for its various lines of plastic products. Trex manufactures many plastic products, including plastic decking, fencing, and benches. Since 2019, RAD has collaborated with the non-profit Teton Valley Community Recycling to run a pilot program collecting plastic bags/film and to finally scale it up to a community-wide curbside collection option.
For more information about recycling or waste reduction opportunities through RAD Curbside or to sign up for curbside recycling pickup (seasonally or year-round), please contact us