500 Pounds Of Plastic Collected 'Ahead Of Schedule' In Mahwah Recycling Challenge

MAHWAH, NJ — As part of a six-month recycling challenge that started in June, Mahwah has collected, weighed and submitted more than 500 pounds of plastic refuse, meeting the goal over a month ahead of schedule.

In the eco-friendly challenge hosted by Trex — a Virginia-based company that produces composite decking —, the Mahwah Environmental Commission collected over 500 pounds of plastic bags and film to be recycled into plastic decking.

Mahwah High School students, along with Sustainable Mahwah members, the Public Works Department and volunteers, helped "sort, bag and deliver" the plastic material to local collection sites, the Commission said in the fall issue of the township's official newsletter.

Having met the goal, Mahwah will now be rewarded for its efforts with a high-performance composite bench to be placed somewhere in town.

Many residents who dropped off plastics, the Commission noted, asked about Mahwah adding the material to the town's list of recyclable items on a permanent basis.

"(The Environmental Commission) is actively pursuing a plastic film recycling program," the government arm said in the newsletter.