News from the Noteworthy from The Arc Otsego

Otsego Reuse Tackles Plastic Waste with Trex

The Otsego ReUse Center has long been a local leader in sustainability, reselling building materials, furniture, books, and other household goods to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities served by The Arc Otsego organization. Since opening in 2018, the center has been on a mission to reduce waste and give usable items a second life. Now, through a partnership with Trex Company, it has taken that mission one step further.

Already a hub for recycling hard-to-process materials like fluorescent light bulbs and polystyrene, the Otsego ReUse Center saw an opportunity to address another local recycling challenge: plastic film waste. Due to its stretchy nature, plastic film is notoriously difficult to recycle through traditional channels. As a result, materials such as grocery bags, newspaper sleeves and shipping pouches often are not accepted by curbside recycling programs and, ultimately, wind up in landfills.

“We saw a clear need to reduce plastic waste in our community, and NexTrex offered a smart, scalable solution,” said Faith Tiemann, chief marketing officer of The Arc Otsego. “It’s a meaningful way for residents to contribute to a greener Otsego County.”

According to a press release, NexTrex® is a nationwide material sourcing initiative for Trex, the world’s largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking and railing, and one of the largest recyclers of polyethylene plastic film in North America. Each year, Trex uses more than 320 million pounds of recycled PE plastic in the making of its decking and has diverted more than five billion pounds of plastic film waste from landfills over the past three decades.

The NexTrex Grassroots Movement provides eco-minded organizations, like The Arc Otsego, with a way to responsibly dispose of plastic waste while earning funds for their programs, officials explained. The turnkey framework equips partners to serve as centralized drop-off sites for plastic film recycling, including all the necessary tools and support to effectively manage the collection and baling process.

Once 20-40 bales are accumulated (20,000-40,000 pounds of plastic film), Trex picks up the material and transports it to its manufacturing facilities in Virginia, Nevada and Arkansas, where it is used to produce high-performance, low-maintenance Trex composite decking. Trex then compensates partners for the baled recyclable films, making participation a viable source of ongoing funding for business operations or community initiatives.

“Community organizations are ideal partners for our Grassroots Movement,” explained Stephanie Hicks, materials and recycling programs manager for Trex Company. “Like Trex, they are committed to bettering their communities and the world at large. It’s really inspiring to see the amount of good that can be done when like-minded people come together to preserve our planet.”

The Arc Otsego joined the NexTrex Grassroots Movement in 2023, establishing the Otsego ReUse Center as a public-facing plastic recycling drop-off point. Through strong community partnerships with local retailers, schools, colleges and even the local police department, nearly 100,000 pounds of plastic film were recycled through that location in just one year. This impressive performance and the positive impact the program has had on the Otsego community earned the center a Sustainability Leadership Award from Casella Waste Systems.

“We are THE place for folks to recycle their plastic film, and that’s brought more people through the doors of our ReUse Center—boosting both foot traffic and sales,” Tiemann shared. “Those increased sales directly support our work with individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

According to Tiemann, the biggest surprise has been the community’s overwhelming willingness to participate. “Whether it’s a small bag or a large tote, every contribution makes a difference,” she added.

“With the NexTrex program, everyone wins,” noted Hicks. “Our partners win by driving increased traffic and earning funds for their organizations. Communities win by knowing their household plastics are being effectively recycled. Trex wins by sourcing a key ingredient for our decking. And, most importantly, the planet wins!”

Inquiries about The Arc Otsego recycling program can be made via e-mail to tiemannf@arcotsego.org. For more information about the NexTrex Grassroots Movement, contact recycle@trex.com or visit NexTrex.com.