$64 Million In Plastic Doomed To Landfills

A study done for the Wisconsin DNR says a gold mine of plastic is going to Wisconsin landfills.

Some plastic containers are officially banned from most state landfills and are supposed to be recycled, but a study commissioned for the DNR says Wisconsin is probably in sync with national EPA estimates that only 30 percent of high value plastic items are recycled. Cynthia Moore coordinates recycling for the DNR. She says more education is in store, “So one of the obvious improvements is to spread the word to local government recycling programs, because that material is in demand around the world.”

Moore says the study estimates that in 2009, $64 million in recyclable plastic material was landfilled. The study also recommends about 40 other changes to boost collection and market creation for plastics, and Moore says a state recycling council will look into recommending the steps that make the most sense. Moore says the DNR has already agreed to a pilot project this spring to expand recycling of plastic film.

It was a state law that touched off major growth of recycling in Wisconsin. But Moore says it’s too early to decide on additional regulation. She does say if more plastic is recycled in Wisconsin, that would help create more jobs.