Trex Company Encourages K-12 Schools to Go Green and Enrol in Plastic Film Recycling Challenge

Competition Hosted by Compositae Decking Leader Educates Students About Recycling, Kicks-off on America Recycles Day

WINCHESTER, Va., (October 22, 2021) – Trex Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking and railing, motivates K-12 students across the country to participate in the Trex® Plastic Film Recycling Challenge and earn an A+ for their schools by learning to give new life to discarded plastic film. Now in its 15th year, the annual competition challenges students to collect and recycle polyethylene plastic film over a six-month period for the chance to win high-performance Trex products for their schools. Schools are encouraged to enrol now, as the challenge kicks-off on America Recycles Day (Nov. 15, 2021) and concludes on Earth Day (April 22, 2022).

Built on green values, Trex decking is manufactured from 95% recycled materials, including a mix of reclaimed wood scrap and discarded plastic film. Each year, the company repurposes approximately 850 million pounds of recycled and reclaimed material in the production of its world-famous composite decking, making Trex one of the largest recyclers of plastic film in North America.

“Our school challenge programme provides students with a better understanding and appreciation for the importance of recycling, showing that value can be found in something that was once considered waste,” said Bryan Fairbanks, president and CEO of Trex Company. “This challenge exemplifies that small, everyday efforts and a little bit of creativity can make a positive impact on not only the environment, but also on the lives of the people who live within it.”

To enrol in the Plastic Film Recycling Challenge, schools can sign up by simply completing a short form on www.recycle.trex.com. Once enrolled, Trex makes participation easy by supplying each school with a turnkey toolkit, including detailed instructions, promotional materials, recycling bins and a list of qualifying recyclable materials, which range from plastic grocery bags and newspaper sleeves to cereal liners and case overwraps. Schools can also leverage the easy-to-navigate Trex recycling website that features engaging content and educational resources.

During the six-month collection period of the programme, participating schools weigh and report their collection totals to Trex each month before delivering the recycled plastic to designated drop-off points in their communities. At the end of the collection period, the totals are tallied and Trex determines national and regional winners based on the most plastic film collected per capita. Each winner will be presented with high-performance, sustainable Trex products to help beautify their school’s campus. Every participating school will receive a special gift from Trex in appreciation for their efforts.

“Through our school recycling programme, we’ve seen first-hand how this fun and engaging initiative inspires students to make eco-conscious choices for their schools, communities and lives,” said Stephanie Hicks, materials sourcing manager for Trex Company. “Last year, students from 271 participating schools recycled nearly 130,000 pounds of plastic waste. We are very grateful for the dedication and enthusiasm these students bring to this programme. They can be proud knowing the plastic they collected will find new life in beautiful Trex decks around the world.”

The 15th annual Trex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge begins on November 15, 2021. For more information or to register, visit https://recycle.trex.com or contact NexTrex@trex.com.

About Trex Company, Inc. 

Trex Company is the world’s largest manufacturer of high-performance wood-alternative decking and railing, with nearly 30 years of product experience. The #1 brand in outdoor living is proud to be to Fortune magazine’s 2020 list of the world’s 100 Fastest-Growing Companies and to Forbes’ 2021 List of America’s Best Mid-Sized Companies. Stocked in more than 6,700 retail locations worldwide, Trex outdoor living products offer a wide range of style options with fewer ongoing maintenance requirements than wood, as well as an environmentally responsible choice. For more information, visit trex.com. You also can follow Trex on Twitter (@Trex_Company), Instagram (@trexcompany) Pinterest (trexcompany), or Houzz (trex-company-inc), “like” Trex on Facebook, or view product and demonstration videos on the brand’s YouTube channel (TheTrexCo).

Contact: Anna Figy
L.C. Williams & Associates
(312) 565-4612
afigy@lcwa.com