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WEAC to continue Trex recycling challenge despite program changes; member questions Stop & Shop processing
Summary
The Westwood EAC discussed Trex’s shift from annual to quarterly collection and a prize-drawing system, agreed to continue participation to promote bag-and-wrap recycling, and assigned follow-ups for bench installation and delivery.
At its March 16 meeting the Westwood Environmental Advisory Committee reviewed recent changes to the Trex recycling program and decided to continue participating despite reduced guaranteed rewards.
Chair Norel Blundo said Trex moved from an annual to a quarterly collection schedule and replaced a guaranteed bench award with a quarterly drawing. Under the new rules, 25 winners will be chosen each quarter; Blundo noted that roughly 4,000 organizations now participate in the Trex challenge, making the odds of winning a drawing small.
A majority of committee members favored continued participation, arguing the program still incentivizes residents to collect plastic bags and wraps that would otherwise go to landfill. Member Gary Dragona said he remained concerned that bags dropped at the Emerson Stop & Shop "may not be processed through to the recycler as we are led to believe." Blundo reported she raised the concern twice with the Trex program coordinator, who said they believed Stop & Shop was participating appropriately.
Follow-up assignments included G. Dragona contacting Rick Woods about installing two available Trex benches at Meadowbrook Park and asking Anthony Cambria about delivery of the last earned bench.
The committee did not suspend participation; instead members labeled the program useful for encouraging recycling while assigning local follow-ups to place benches and confirm logistics.
