LIVINGSTON, NJ – February 4, 2019 – Inteplast Group has printed its premiere coloring book about recycling, Journey to the Big Time Recycling Extravaganza, complete with a glossary, maze, word search, and more. The resource shows clearly how the plastics industry can package an educational punch with a good story and a bit of creativity.
In this 28-page coloring book, readers meet Lenny and his friends Polly and Ethel (a play on the word polyethylene). All three have big dreams of making it to the recycling processing plant but when a pesky raccoon makes a curbside appearance their high hopes are literally blown away. Children and their families learn about reusing plastic bags, keeping marine life safe, and are taught terms such as extruder, polyethylene, and post-consumer resin, thanks to a reader-friendly glossary.
“We felt this would be a fun, friendly way to get the recycling facts and benefits of plastic carryout bags out to communities. It’s often unknown that all our bags are recyclable and in many cases can be made with post-consumer waste. We want to connect learners of all ages with practical information, which we hope will offset some of the confusion that exists about sustainability and plastic bags,” stated Grocery & Retail Unit Vice President and General Manager Tony Myers.
Inteplast Group President Dr. John Young believes that all plastics companies should take a holistic and transparent approach when supporting sustainability initiatives.
“It is our collective responsibility as manufacturers to support all sustainability efforts,” Dr. Young states. “At Inteplast, we have developed a grounds-up approach to take plastics waste from curbside all the way back to newly recycled products in order to complete the recycling loop. Technology is available for recycling plastics films and bags and we are making use of these latest advances. In other areas, we wish to promote reusability for solid substrates like pallets, containers and carton boxes, which will hopefully make the concept of ‘single use’ obsolete for billions of boxes and more.
“Proper education and outreach are equally important so that we may include children and their parents in this important task. In my view, a more informed audience is actually good for manufacturers since this massive ecological undertaking can only be successful when done hand-in-hand with the entire population participating in all aspects of this project,” Dr. Young explained.
More than 8,000 complimentary copies of Journey to the Big Time Recycling Extravaganza were given to grocery and retail store managers, local schools districts across America and Canada, and to Inteplast Group professionals for their younger loved ones or, for those who find comfort in the power of the crayon, themselves.
Brenda Wilson, senior director of human resources and communications, noted that plastics manufacturing workforces can be effective allies of all recycling and anti-litter initiatives.
“At Inteplast we are conscious of educating employees and their families about the recycling loop and specifically their role in it. We do not shy away from talking about this and accepting our responsibilities to the planet. In fact, our employees proudly embrace this role,” said Wilson.
Colleagues across the company’s departments and locations – from sales to intellectual property and including EFS-Plastics, a recycling process center and joint venture of Inteplast Group – took part in ensuring the coloring book was fun, accurate, and engaging.
A free digital copy of Journey to the Big Time Recycling Extravaganza can be downloaded from Inteplast’s website for a limited time.
About Inteplast Group
Established in 1991, Inteplast Group is a leading integrated plastics manufacturer founded on the ideal of American manufacturing. Our products support diverse markets including healthcare, foodservice, packaging, building products, grocery, retail, sanitation, industrial, and graphic arts industries. Headquartered in Livingston, N.J., Inteplast Group is now over 7,000 employees strong and operates over 50 facilities including our flagship manufacturing complex in Lolita, Texas. Our dedicated and experienced people are committed to delivering quality products and partnering with our customers to enable their success. Visit https://www.inteplast.com for more information.
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