Build with Bags: Store Procedures
Increased Plastic Bag Recycling
The cornerstone of Build with Bags is the grant program aimed at providing funding for schools and parks to purchase equipment made of recycled plastic. This program will be funded by IGIA participants, together with matching funds that will be sought from other sources. The idea is to connect the grant funds to revenues generated from the recycling of plastic shopping bags. The grant program, which will be administered by either the IGIA or Keep Iowa Beautiful, will provide funds to make the purchase of recycled plastic playground equipment, benches, and tables more affordable.
SUMMARY
The Build with Bags program provides Iowa grocers the opportunity to affect real change in reducing consumption of plastic bags and in increasing the recycling of those bags that are used. In so doing, the program will not only provide environmental benefits, but also save participants money. The grant program provides communities (schools and parks) an opportunity to share in the benefits of the program by increasing demand for recycled plastic products. This economic driver is often what is missing in other efforts aimed at reducing environmental impacts of products and services. Build with Bags also provides regulators and communities a meaningful alternative to the banning of plastic bags, a practice that has been shown to have a number of negative unintended consequences.
- Promotional Efforts: Promotional efforts aimed at increasing plastic bag recycling will include signage, messaging, advertising and the displaying of products made from recycled plastic (benches, tables, containers, etc.).
- Best Bagging Practices: The best bagging practices guide will also focus on things participants can do to attain the Build with Bags Program’s goal of doubling the amount of plastic bags recycled in 24 months. Items to be addressed as a part of this effort include:
- Training & Operations: Employee training will focus on the routine servicing of the recycling bins and on proper placement of the recycle bins in a highly visible location. New Build with Bags recycling bins will be used by each participant. These bins will likely be recycled materials further demonstrating the program’s focus on “closing the loop” on recycling.
- Measurement: Participants will measure the number of pounds of plastic recycled using a standardized conversion on the amount of plastic wrap that is included with their recycle streams so we may have an estimate of the number of overall bags being recycled in the program.
The cornerstone of Build with Bags is the grant program aimed at providing funding for schools and parks to purchase equipment made of recycled plastic. This program will be funded by IGIA participants, together with matching funds that will be sought from other sources. The idea is to connect the grant funds to revenues generated from the recycling of plastic shopping bags. The grant program, which will be administered by either the IGIA or Keep Iowa Beautiful, will provide funds to make the purchase of recycled plastic playground equipment, benches, and tables more affordable.
SUMMARY
The Build with Bags program provides Iowa grocers the opportunity to affect real change in reducing consumption of plastic bags and in increasing the recycling of those bags that are used. In so doing, the program will not only provide environmental benefits, but also save participants money. The grant program provides communities (schools and parks) an opportunity to share in the benefits of the program by increasing demand for recycled plastic products. This economic driver is often what is missing in other efforts aimed at reducing environmental impacts of products and services. Build with Bags also provides regulators and communities a meaningful alternative to the banning of plastic bags, a practice that has been shown to have a number of negative unintended consequences.
