S.A.V.E. Press Advisory Plastics Drive and Future of Plastics

Press Advisory:  Plastics Recycling Drive in Helena November 8 to 11^th; Future of SAVE Plastic Drives

           

CONTACT: 

Eric Walliman, Recycling Coordinator, S.A.V.E. Foundation / 406.449.6008

Weekends: Matthew Elsaesser, Executive Director, S.A.V.E. Foundation / 406.431.0815)

Plastics Recycling Drive Starts Friday: 

HELENA – The next community plastic drive hosted by The S.A.V.E. Foundation and community partners will be held November 8^th through 11^th at from 8am to 6pm at 1100 N Last Chance Gulch.

Items collected at the event are type one (#1) and two (#2) plastics including: type one beverage containers (e.g. water and soda bottles), type one clear clam shell trays (e.g. the heavier duty, less "crackly" trays that often contain fruit, but not those that contain cookies), type two natural color containers (e.g. standard milk jugs, distilled water containers), and type two color plastics (e.g. orange juice containers, white milk jugs, detergent bottles). *Motor oil containers are not accepted; cooking oil containers need to be free of oil. **Items should always be stored without lids for quality control and safety.  

The event based plastics drive is a partnership by S.A.V.E., The City of Helena, City-County Sanitation, Pacific Steel and Recycling, General Services of the State of Montana, and the Montana Beverage Association with additional support from Carroll College. S.A.V.E. will have information outlining plastics collection going into the New Year at the event and posted soon online at Savemobile.org

S.A.V.E. is pleased with the success of the long-standing collections, but believes it is time for the City of Helena to establish a permanent program at the publicly financed Transfer Station. “….We've seen the program grow tenfold….”  notes Board Chair Tyler Evilsizer. “..Based on the tremendous popularity of the program, the scale of collections, and the challenges of ensuring safety in a winter parking lot”, we believe the program has outgrown the capacity of volunteer-driven events. Helena wants a permanent plastics program” His statement notes in “S.A.V.E Calls on City to Recycle Plastics.”

S.A.V.E. is committed to ensuring a successful transition, but we wants to see a plan for a permanent collection soon, especially with the upcoming challenges of winter and over a million dollars of investment slated for the Transfer Station this year.  “We've demonstrated that a plastics program can work, and we're ready to help the City set one up” Continues Evilsizer, “Households in Helena and most of the Valley pay for recycling at the Transfer Station. It's time that some of the upgrades at the Transfer Station included giving residents a sheltered location where they can recycle plastics year-round.”

Additional details, volunteer opportunities, and more about recycling is available at www.Savemobile.org or by calling 406.449.6008.

*Motor oil and other non-vegetable oil containers cannot be recycled because there is no way to clean the container while protecting water quality. Motor oil should be taken to a location that collect oil, which includes the City of Helena Transfer Station. Add a bit or sand or cat litter to render the remaining oil in a container dry, compact and seal the container, and throw it away. More details at Savemobile.org under “Resources”

**Lids are a different type of plastic in most cases, pose a hazard for volunteers during the bailing process, and create a sanitation concern where items would usually “dry out” in this climate.

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