After China stopped taking used American plastics last year, Lane County asked Denton Plastics, a Portland-based company that worked only with clean, industrial material, if they'd take a chance on post-consumer containers. It worked. Lane County will host its second plastics round-up Sunday.
Last fall's event netted 2¾ tons of material, but a pullout area for people who hadn't properly prepared their items caused traffic backups and was unsafe. Lane County's Waste Reduction Specialist Sarah Grimm says that won't be an option this time:
Grimm: “If it is not correctly sorted, if it is not correctly prepared, we will not accept it, and people can go off the property and fix it up if they wish or they can throw it away or hope for a second event.”
She says Denton requires material be free of debris, with adhesive labels removed, and sorted by number and shape. She can't name a date for another event, Denton has to okay Sunday's material first. Grimm hopes a nonprofit might take on drop-off plastics collection.
Lane County is promoting car pooling to reduce emissions. Grimm suggests finding someone who's planning to go or taking items for friends and neighbors.
The plastics roundup is at the Glenwood Transfer Station from 10 am to 2 pm Sunday, April 7th. Details are on the Lane County website, here.
