WINCHESTER, Va., April 22, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For environmentally conscious students across the country, it pays to be “green” – this year more than ever! Trex Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of high-performance, low-maintenance composite decking products, recently concluded its 15and Annual Trex® Plastic Film Recycling Challenge and is pleased to announce and award the winners.
The national challenge kicks off each fall on U.S. Recycling Day (November 15and) and ends the spring following Earth Day (April 22n/a). For five months, K-12 students worked together to collect and recycle the most plastic polyethylene film for the chance to win high-performance Trex products to beautify their campuses. For the first time ever, students involved in the latest challenge also competed for the chance to win cash prizes for their schools, thanks to corporate sponsor Charter Next Generation (CNG), one of specialized polyethylene in North America.
“Over the past 15 years, the Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge has provided thousands of students with a hands-on opportunity to make a difference in their communities and schools by learning the value of recycling,” said Stephanie Hicks, manager of sourcing materials for Trex Company. . “Together with CNG’s generous corporate sponsorship, we continue to expand the adoption of our easy-to-implement annual recycling program in schools and, in turn, increase the overall amount of plastic film recycled in world-renowned composite decking from Trex. »
Launched in 2007, the Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge was designed to educate students about recycling and actively engage them in recycling plastic film, a key ingredient in the company’s low-maintenance, eco-friendly composite decking. , which are made from 95% recycled and reclaimed materials. Students from 686 schools participated in the 2021-2022 challenge. Together they have collected a combined total of 323,586 pounds of polythene plastic film, contributing to the nearly 400 million pounds of plastic film that Trex diverts from landfills each year.
Trex awards prizes to the top recyclers based on grade level, school size, and region. Fifty-seven (57) regional winners were recognized this year, representing schools across the country. Moscow Charter School, located in Moscow, Idaho, came out on top in the 2021-2022 challenge, where students collected 7,735 pounds of recycled plastic film through classroom challenges and outreach to the community scale.
New to this year’s program, CNG’s sponsorship funds further incentivized elementary, middle and high schools that recycled the most polyethylene plastic film during the collection period. CNG is proud to present $5,000 each to top recyclers at Moscow Charter School, EL Wright Middle School in Columbia, South Carolina, and North Cross High School in Roanoke, Virginia. Prizes of $2,500 each go to second-place winners at each level, including Woodland Elementary School in Monroe Township, NJ, Einstein Middle School in Appleton, Wis., and York Community High School in Elmhurst, Illinois.
Additionally, a special $2,500 prize is being awarded to students at Maple Grove Elementary School in Greenfield, Wisconsin, in recognition of their creativity and impressive social media activity. Through teamwork, grassroots community outreach and exceptional use of social media, this school educated and engaged its community to get involved in the recycling program and generated a steady stream of images, videos and posts using the hashtags #TrexRecyclingChallenge and #Recycle2Win. In addition to the cash prizes, CNG developed and operated a homepage, Recycle2Win.com, which featured leaderboards, social media activity, and competition information.
“CNG was thrilled with the energy, commitment and enthusiasm the students brought to this year’s competition and would like to thank all schools across the country for their participation. We would also like to thank Trex for the opportunity to partner with this year’s competition and hope to continue what began this year, for years to come,” said Kathy Bolhous, Managing Director of Charter Next Generation.
As one of the leading suppliers of specialty polyethylene films to the North American market, CNG is focused on diverting plastic films from landfills by developing easily recyclable materials and actively promoting the importance recycling. The company is a long-time participant in the NexTrex™ recycling program and has worked closely with Trex on its GreenArrow™ platform of sustainable flexible packaging films to ensure they fit into the Trex recycling stream.
One of the largest recyclers of plastic films in North America, Trex produces its decking using 95% recycled and reclaimed materials, including a mix of wood waste and polyethylene plastic films ranging from a variety of common household items such as grocery bags, newspaper sleeves and bubble wrap, for the retail sale of plastic waste, including pallet wrap and industrial packaging. Each year, Trex manufacturing diverts nearly 400 million pounds of plastic waste otherwise destined for incineration or landfill. Built to last – without leaving a lasting impact on the environment – Trex decking incorporates this recycled plastic to provide a superior alternative to wood that requires minimal maintenance, lasts for decades, and creates an eco-friendly decking option for homeowners.
16and The annual Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge will begin November 15, 2022. Interested schools can enter by filling out a brief form at Recycle.Trex.com. Once registered, Trex makes it easy to participate by providing each school with a turnkey toolkit, including step-by-step instructions, promotional materials, recycling bins and a list of eligible recyclable materials. Schools can also take advantage of the easy-to-navigate Trex recycling website, which offers engaging content and educational resources.
For more information on the Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge, visit Recycle.Trex.com.
About Trex Company, Inc.
Trex Company, Inc. [NYSE: TREX] is the world’s largest manufacturer of high performance wood alternative decking and railing, with nearly 30 years of product experience. #1 Outdoor Living Brand Proudly Named to Forbes 2021 List of America’s Best Midsize Companies and Fortune Magazine’s 2020 List of the World’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies . Stocked in over 6,700 locations worldwide, Trex outdoor living products offer a wide range of style options with less ongoing maintenance requirements than wood, as well as a truly eco-friendly choice of the environment. For more information, visit trex.com. You can also follow Trex on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/trex-company/), Twitter (@Trex_Company), Instagram (@trexcompany), Pinterest (trexcompany) or Houzz (trexcompany-inc), “Like” Trex on Facebook (@TrexCompany) or view product and demo videos on the brand’s YouTube channel (TheTrexCo).
About Charter Next Generation
Charter Next Generation is North America’s leading independent producer of high performance specialty films used in flexible packaging and other end-use markets. Recognized for its durable, innovative products and world-class manufacturing capabilities, the company’s quality and expertise are unmatched. Its sustainability mindset and relentless pursuit of excellence make it an ideal partner to help brand owners achieve their long-term sustainability goals. Visit Charter Next Generation at: https://cnginc.com.
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