Plastics recyclers from around the United States are opening their doors to the public in a move designed to combat what one trade group says is misinformation.
The Association of Plastic Recyclers has created what it calls Recycling in Action Month, taking place in May. About two dozen recycling facilities have already signed up to provide tours and information to the general public during that time.
"Recycling is an inter-connected, multi-step process that begins in millions of households when recyclables are tossed into the bin," said APR CEO Steve Alexander said in a statement. "APR created Recycling in Action to connect the crucial efforts people make at home to the creation of new products made from recycled materials."
Facilities taking part in the event include both plastic recycling locations and material recovery facilities, also known as MRFs, that handle a wide variety of recyclables, including plastics.
A list of locations taking part is at RecyclinginAction.org.
APR's move comes at a time when plastics, and by extension plastics recycling, have come under increased opposition. The ubiquitous nature of single-use plastics in everyday life has helped open up a broader conversation about where the material should fit into society. There is a growing refrain from opponents to scale back the production of plastics in general and single-use plastics in particular.
In recent years APR has stepped up efforts to combat anti-plastics recycling messaging and reframe the conversation to include plastic recyclers' views.
"There's been a lot of misinformation about what happens to plastic recyclables after they're placed in the bin," Alexander said. "The truth is that, thanks to households and businesses recycling, the equivalent of 340 18-wheeler truckloads of plastic is kept out of landfills every single day. By letting people see recycling in their own communities, we hope to maintain trust in the system and inspire even greater participation."