Bagging The Upcycle Life

Smithtown Expands Plastic Film Recycling Thanks to New High-Density Baler and NexTrex Partnership

The Town of Smithtown has taken another major step toward reducing plastic waste with the installation of a heavy-duty vertical baler at the Municipal Services Facility (MSF) in Kings Park. This new equipment—funded in part by a grant from The Recycling Partnership—will allow the Town to compress and prepare large volumes of soft plastic film for recycling through its partnership with Trex Company, the makers of eco-friendly composite decking.

“This initiative is a prime example of how small everyday actions by our residents can lead to big results for our health and the health of our environment. Installing the new baler makes our recycling program more efficient, and the response from our community has been overwhelmingly positive. I want to commend Sanitation Supervisor Matt Laux and Environmental Analyst Brooke Ferreira for securing the grant which has undoubtedly made this program operate so successfully. Thanks to the leadership of DEW, our Solid Waste Management and Municipal Services Facility teams, and the public’s commitment—we’re keeping plastic film out of landfills and supporting a cleaner, healthier, more sustainable Smithtown.” - Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim

Since launching the Town of Smithtown’s NexTrex recycling program in early 2024, residents have been doing their part, dropping off used plastic bags and stretchy plastic film at designated collection points across town. The public’s enthusiastic participation, and the phenomenal efforts of environmental and solid waste experts, has made it possible for the Town to create its first plastic bale weighing approximately 1,200 pounds, with enough clean, dry material on hand to produce two more. The goal: collect and recycle 20,000 pounds of plastic film by the end of 2025.

“The success of initiatives like this are vital to minimizing plastic use wherever possible and ensuring we maintain a healthy, environmentally sound community. I want to personally thank Matt Laux, our Sanitation Supervisor at MSF, for his outstanding work in helping to coordinate the grant funding for the baler and for overseeing its use with his team… We did notice some contamination in our first bale—items like snack bags and food residue that don’t belong. We’re asking residents to double-check what they drop off so we can keep the program clean, cost-effective, and impactful. ” - Environmental Analyst Brooke Ferreira

The Town of Smithtown’s participation in the NexTrex recycling program began in January 2024. The program encourages residents to recycle stretchy plastic film, including ziploc bags, bubble wrap, shipping envelopes, newspaper sleeves, and plastic packaging, keeping it out of landfills and later upcycling the material which produces sustainable outdoor living products like Trex decking.

Know Before You Drop: What to Recycle (and What to Avoid)

When recycling plastic film, remember: if it stretches, it qualifies—just look for the #2 or #4 recycling symbols, and always ensure items are clean, dry, and free from contamination.

Accepted Items Include:

• Grocery, retail, bread, produce, and dry cleaning bags
• Bubble wrap and case overwraps
• Newspaper sleeves and ice bags
• Ziploc-style food storage bags
• Cereal box liners and pellet stove bags

Not Accepted: Chip bags, salad bags, food-soiled plastics, rigid containers (like detergent bottles), or anything crinkly or dirty. These items contaminate the process and drive up costs.