East Hartford, Shop Rite Partner to Recycle More Plastic Wraps & Bags

East Hartford, in partnership with Shop Rite, is rolling out a major new environmental sustainability initiative to dramatically increase recycling of plastic wraps and bags. The initiative seeks to educate East Hartford residents about the importance of recycling their plastic wraps, bags and other flexible film packaging[1] at retail drop-off locations like Shop Rite and other local grocery and retail stores, and not in curbside recycling bins.

The initiative is part of an ongoing statewide Wrap Recycling Action Program (WRAP) Campaign, an innovative public-private partnership that promotes recycling of flexible film packaging. Nationwide, more than 18,000 grocery and retail stores collect flexible film packaging for recycling—yet consumer awareness remains low.

“We are very excited to participate in this important state and nationwide program,” said Mayor Marcia A. Leclerc. “We’re proud to partner with Shop Rite to increase public awareness of the types of plastic wraps and bags that can be recycled, and where to recycle this material. Many people may not be aware that they can’t place these plastics in their blue recycling bins, and our goal is to raise awareness and divert 100% of plastic film from curbside bins by 2020.”

“Our statewide plastic film recycling campaign is helping Connecticut to increase plastics recycling and decrease contamination in our curbside recycling bins,” said Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Rob Klee. “We are thrilled that East Hartford and Shop Rite are partnering together on this important program.”

East Hartford is one of the first communities in Connecticut to partner with a local grocery store to educate residents about recycling plastic film. Shop Rite of East Hartford / Waverly Markets, LLC is the third local grocery chain to partner with the WRAP Connecticut Campaign, after Price Chopper and Adams Markets.

Residents in East Hartford and across the nation can recycle a wide variety of clean and dry flexible plastic wraps and bags. For more information, please visit the East Hartford WRAP website at www.easthartfordct.gov/wrap