Plastic grocery bags, bubble wrap, and other plastic film products will no longer be destined for the landfill in Oxford County.
The county has launched a new pilot project, effective immediately, that will see the items recycled instead of trashed.
Residents can drop the plastic products off at the Waste Management Facility in Salford, the Tillsonburg Transfer Station, and Woodstock EnviroDepot. They will be recycled at the three locations free of charge.
Only #2 and #4 plastic film is being accepted under the pilot program. Residents hoping to recycle the items must ensure they are clean, dry, and free of food residue, paper, and receipts.
"The plastic film recycling program aims to determine how much plastic film can be separated from the waste stream and ultimately diverted from the landfill," the county said in a statement Monday. "Oxford County also encourages residents to reduce the use of plastic film by choosing reusable shopping bags when going to the store and encouraging food producers, manufacturers and retailers to switch to reusable and recyclable plastic alternatives."
Plastic film products are not accepted in the curbside blue box program in Oxford or many other Ontario municipalities because they can damage recycling equipment and contaminate other recyclables.
A complete list of plastic film materials being accepted through Oxford's pilot project can be found by clicking here.