Conservation & Sustainability Project

The Garden Club’s newest project, the Plastic Project, is about educating our members about recycling. Specifically, reducing our use of plastic, reusing plastic, and even refusing some plastic items.

Did you know that Recology only recycles three types of plastic? Bottles, jugs, and tubs.

That’s right, they collect bottles (generally described as lightweight containers that have necks smaller than the body of the container), jugs (such as laundry detergent or bleach containers), and tubs (such as cottage cheese containers).

Other types of plastic we throw in the recycle barrel unfortunately, goes into the landfill.

Through our partnership with Zero Waste McMinnville, the McMinnville Garden Club Plastic Project will be doing our part by collecting recyclable plastic items from our members.

We will be collecting larger items like clear clamshells, salad containers and cold drink cups. In addition, we will collect smaller items like caps from the bottles and jugs, lids from the tubs, plastic utensils, bread clips, straws, and pill bottles, just to name a few.

Zero Waste accepts collections three times per year so make sure to check below for future club-scheduled collection events. Remember, it is not a requirement that you bring items to the club meeting – you can take them to the event yourself!

Please bring your CLEAN, sorted plastic recycling to the meeting. We can also use paper bags. A full paper bag costs $4 so a monetary donation would also be appreciated. If you are willing and able, we will have a donation jar available at the recycling table at each of our meetings.

As a reminder, Recology Western Oregon takes plastic bottles, tubs and jugs in your curbside barrel.

NOTE: According to Recology’s Customer Service & Recycling Guide, plastic utensils and straws go in the garbage which is incorrect. UPDATE (Feb. 2025): Now you can take these items: plastic utensils and straws, along with bottle caps and bread clips to Recology (not in curb side recycling) or bring them to the Garden Club meetings and these items will be recycled at the collection events.

Thank you for your participation in this project with the Garden Club.

Collection Guidelines

Cost is $4 per full paper grocery bag/12 bag limit. Tax-deductible cash or checks only, please.
All items must be sorted, clean, dry, and bagged together as follows:

UN-NUMBERED MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

  • Bag all straws, utensils, and bread bag clips separately
  • Bag all screw-on and flip-top plastic caps together(with or without numbers)

NUMBERED ITEMS

Does it have a number on the bottom? Bag together by its number!

  • #1s CLEAR ONLY plastic clamshells, to-go containers, cups (NO COLOR)
  • #2s, #4s, or #5s bagged separately.
  • #6s are not being accepted by Zero Waste at this time, but there may be another organization that will. So, continue to save your #6s and we will let you know when a collector is found.

Examples: cold/hot drink cups and lids, take-out containers, prescription pill bottles (caps go with other caps), all plant pots and seedling trays, yogurt tubs under 6 oz., etc.

NO STYROFOAM, COMPOSTABLE ITEMS OR CURBSIDE RECYCLING ITEMS

QUESTIONS

PARTNERS

  • Zero Waste McMinnville
  • Sustainable Rituals
  • James Recycling
  • First Baptist Church
map

Location

Conservation & Sustainability Project

10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Location:

First Baptist Church
125 SE Cowls
McMinnville, OR 97128

contact

For More Information

  • Committee Chair

    Adele O’Neal

    Committees: Conservation & Sustainability Project

    Adele Oneal
  • Committee Chair

    Beth Frischmuth

    Committees: Conservation & Sustainability Project

  • President

    Elaine Pollak

    Committees: Executive Committee

    Teams: Public Relations Team

    Elaine Pollak 1
  • Get In Touch

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    • Just need information?

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