UPDATE: We collected a total of 65 (30 gallon size) bags from Nov. 15 until April 22,” Green Squad sponsor Pamela Frontzak said.

The Niles North Green Squad has teamed up with Trex to take part in their plastic bag recycling challenge and they need our help to win. Trex is the country’s largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking, railing products and fencing products. They turn millions of pounds of recycled and reclaimed plastic and waste wood each year into Trex products.

Just for participating in the challenge, our school will receive a birdhouse made from Trex material. The school that collects the most recycling will win a park bench made from the material as well. “It would look great outside and last a long time,” Pamela Frontzak, sponsor of Green Squad, said. “Even better, it would be made from all the bags we kept out of the landfills.”

Frontzak adds that, “Right now, North is in 15th place in the competition, even behind some grade schools.”

The following plastic materials will be accepted:
Polyethylene stretch and shrink wrap, grocery bags, newspaper sleeves, paper towel/toilet paper over wrap, cleaning and dry produce bags, dry cleaning bags, case wrap (used to wrap soda bottles, canned goods, water bottles, etc), zip lock bags (dry and clean), bread bags (dry and clean), salt bags (shaken), ice bags (no moisture or hard/metal clips), garment bags, bubble wrap, polyethylene foam (used in wrapping furniture), other polyethylene packaging (Recycle Code 2 and 4) and cereal bags.

The contest will run from Nov. 15 until Earth Day, April 22. Recycling bins are located in the main lobby, at door 16, in the physical education hallway and in the teacher mail room.