Encinitas-area businesses can participate in a new recycling pilot targeting hard-to-process plastics, the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday, April 30.
The six-month pilot, set to begin June 1, is organized by Plastic Beach — an Encinitas-based organization and Chamber member — in partnership with the Circular Action Alliance. The program focuses on flexible plastics such as bags, pallet wrap and bubble wrap, which are typically not accepted in standard recycling programs and often end up in landfills.
Participating businesses will receive recycling bins, scheduled pickups and material handling at no cost. Collected materials will be processed by U.S.-based recyclers, and participants will receive reporting on how much waste they divert during the pilot period, according to the Chamber of Commerce’s announcement.
The initiative is part of an effort under California’s Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act to reduce plastic waste and improve recycling systems. Organizers say the pilot will also help measure how much flexible plastic small businesses generate, data that could inform future recycling infrastructure.
Nonprofit Plastic Beach focuses on reducing plastic pollution through community-based recycling and waste diversion programs, particularly for materials not commonly handled by municipal systems.
The pilot does not require a long-term commitment. At the end of the six months, bins and materials will be collected, with no obligation for businesses to continue participation.
Enrollment is open ahead of the June 1 launch, with interested businesses required to sign up in advance.
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