The Gloucester Lions Club is now in its sixth year of collecting plastic bags and plastic wraps in a project that aims to provide two community benefits: benches for public spaces, and removal of a non-biodegradable substance from the waste stream.
The lasting benefit is a bench for the community, and the club has announced the newest bench is at Petsworth Elementary School, placed this month.
A release said the club set a goal in November 2016 of collecting 500 pounds of plastic each month. Working with Gloucester Clean Community and the Gloucester Food Lion, the club turns over that plastic to the Trex company and in return receives a bench made from the recycled material.
Benches have also been made and donated to Brown Park, Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic, Page Middle School, Peasley Middle School, Bethel Elementary School, and the Boy Scouts.
The club said the collection of plastic bags is ongoing. For those interested in recycling clean, dry plastic bags and plastic wraps, bins a...