Partly cloudy skies. Low 53F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..
Partly cloudy skies. Low 53F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Winchester-based Trex and NW Works have partnered to place this recycling drop-off shed on NW Works' property to help collect plastic film materials for Trex.
Winchester-based Trex and NW Works have partnered to place this recycling drop-off shed on NW Works' property to help collect plastic film materials for Trex.
WINCHESTER — Winchester-based Trex and NW Works have partnered to establish a recycling drop-off shed.
The shed will be located on the NW Works property to help collect plastic film materials for Trex. This is part of Trex’s NexTrex program, a nationwide material sourcing initiative for the composite decking products the company produces. Trex manufactures its decking from reclaimed content, including a mix of industrial wood scrap and recycled polyethylene plastic.
Trex upcycles about 400 million pounds of discarded plastic annually, according to the company.
The locations collect shopping bags, newspaper sleeves, bubble wrap and package liners, product overwrap, shrink wrap and stretch film used to palletize boxes. The company partners with over 32,000 grocery stores and major retailers nationwide, thousands of schools and community groups to provide opportunities for the public to responsibly dispose of plastic waste. Locally, Trex utilizes Martin's grocery store locations.
Stephanie Hicks, Trex's materials sourcing manager, explained the partnerships are "how we get our main material that consumers have at their house."
“There really isn’t another way for us to get it," she said. "The materials get baled by those facilities and they sell it to Trex when they have a full tractor trailer load.”
The NW Works recycling shed, located at 3085 Shawnee Drive in Winchester, will provide 24/7 access to recycle clean, stretchy household plastics. The shed is accessible from the south end of Battaile Drive near the intersection with Shawnee Drive at the end nearest Valley Avenue. It is not accessible from NW Works’ front entrance. Posted signs direct drivers to the building, which is clearly marked with Trex branding and signage indicating what types of plastic film are acceptable. Large bins are inside the shed.
As part of the partnership, Trex will compensate the organization for the bulk plastic film collected at the site. Hicks was unable to disclose the amount of the compensation, saying it depends on how much material is collected.
NW Works spokesperson Ellie Williams Tahmaseb said money the organization receives will be used in its general operating fund.
Trex and NW Works, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, have strived to bridge employment gaps for those with disabilities and others who face barriers to meaningful employment, according to the companies.
Trex employs NW Works’ clients at its nearby railing warehouse, where they help assemble shipping boxes for Trex products. Trex also receives work from NW Works’ clients for projects including construction of birdhouses, planter boxes, picture frames and windchimes. These are made from Trex materials and used as prizes in the annual Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge.
Tahmaseb said the recycling shed furthers the companies' relationship, but also allows NW Works to gain revenue while supporting environmentally friendly practices.
“It gives our community a place to get rid of plastics that really otherwise would be going into a landfill," she said. "We really believe that serving the vulnerable populations in our community is tied into larger issues like environmental issues and waste reduction. We’re trying to build a community and an environment that is positive for adults with disabilities, so that means it has to be positive for everybody else, too.”
— Contact Matt Welch at mwelch@winchesterstar.com
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