#RecycleRightNY Campaign Materials

Please note- acceptable materials lists for recycling programs vary across the state based on your location. Please be sure to tailor these materials to fit your particular local program as needed.

July is dedicated to plastic bags and film plastics with a focus on proper recycling, disposal, and tips for reduction . Please use the resources below (Facebook posts, Twitter tweets, social media polls, newsletter article) through the month of July via your social media platforms, newsletters, etc. to spread the message. The post order is a suggested format to follow but please modify the order for the month as necessary to fit your needs.

High resolution images formatted for Facebook, Twitter, and newsletters can be downloaded by going to NYDEC's Recycle Right NY Flickr album. For instructions, scroll down to the heading "Free images" below. To download any images from the body of this email, right click the image and then choose "Save As".

Week 1 Campaign Materials

Facebook Post: What is film plastic? Stretchy film plastic such as bubble wrap, air pillows, produce bags, plastic shipping envelopes, dry cleaner bags, grocery bags, and zip-top bags are recyclable but require special drop-off programs to be recycled. Film plastics cannot go in with your regular plastic, metal, glass and plastic in your household recycling bin. To learn more and find a drop location visit: https://on.ny.gov/2xpgpVO #RecycleRightNY

Twitter Tweet: What is film plastic? Stretchy film plastic such as bubble wrap and grocery bags are recyclable but require special drop-off programs. Film plastics cannot go in your household recycling bin. Learn more and find a drop location here: https://on.ny.gov/2xpgpVO

Social Media Poll

Facebook Poll: Can film plastic (bubble wrap, air pillows, produce bags, all-plastic shipping envelopes/ mailers, zip-top bags, bread bags, grocery bags, newspaper bags and dry cleaner bags) go in your household recycling bin with your bottles, jars and jugs? #RecycleRightNY

Answer Facebook Poll: False. Film plastic like bubble wrap, air pillows, produce bags, all-plastic shipping envelopes/ mailers, zip-top bags, grocery bags, bread bags, newspaper bags and dry cleaner bags are recyclable but NOT in household recycling bins. Film plastics require special drop-off programs to be recycled and cause dangerous jams if they end up with your bottles, jars, and jugs in your household recycling bin. To learn more and find drop locations visit: https://on.ny.gov/2xpgpVO #RecycleRightNY

Twitter Poll: Can film plastic (bubble wrap, air pillows, produce bags, all-plastic shipping envelopes/ mailers, zip-top bags, bread bags, grocery bags, newspaper bags and dry cleaner bags) go in your household recycling bin with your bottles, jars and jugs? #RecycleRightNY

Answer Twitter Poll: False. Film plastic like bubble wrap, zip-top bags, grocery bags, bread bags, newspaper bags and dry cleaner bags are recyclable but not in household recycling bins. Film plastics require special drop-off programs to be recycled https://on.ny.gov/2xpgpVO

Week 2 Campaign Materials

Facebook Post: Give your household recyclables a chance! Did you know that, unless your area has specific instructions for putting recycling in a clear liner at the curb, bagging recyclables can prevent the items from being recycled? Set your recyclables free! Help your bottles, cans, jars and paper have a second life by emptying them into your recycling containers loose. Use a washable tote, waste bin, or empty the contents of plastic bags into the recycling containers.  #RecycleRightNY

Twitter Tweet: Set your recyclables free! Unless your area has specific instructions for putting recycling in a clear liner at the curb, bagging recyclables can prevent items from being recycled. Use a washable tote, bin or empty contents of bags into recycling containers loose. #RecycleRightNY

Facebook Post: Hey New York! Here’s a #RecyclingTip: Whether you have a curbside bin, drop off at the transfer station, or bring recycling to the waste area in your apartment building, always keep your recyclables loose and unbagged. Use a tall waste bin or washable tote to carry your recycling to its end destination. If you collect your recycling in plastic bags- empty recyclables out of the bags and into recycling container loose #RecycleRightNY

Twitter Tweet: #RecyclingTip: Whether you have a curbside bin, drop-off at the transfer station, or bring recycling to the waste area in your apartment building, always keep your recyclables loose and unbagged! #RecycleRightNY

Twitter Tweet: #RecyclingTip: Use a tall waste bin or washable tote to carry your recycling to its end destination. If you collect your recycling in plastic bags- empty recyclables out of the bags and into recycling container loose #RecycleRightNY

Week 3 Campaign Materials

Facebook Post: Are the remains of your online shopping piling up? Clean, dry bubble wrap, air pillows, product wrap, and all-plastic envelopes/ mailers (without paper) can be recycled at store drop-off locations, but NOT in your household recycling bin. There are many film plastic recycling locations, some of which may be right at your local grocery store. Easy! Find locations near you here: https://on.ny.gov/2RNRHYG

Twitter Tweet: Online shopping piling up? Clean, dry bubble wrap, air pillows, product wrap, and all-plastic envelopes/ mailers (without paper) can be recycled at store drop-off locations, but NOT in your household recycling bin. Find locations here: https://on.ny.gov/2RNRHYG

Facebook Post: How do you recycle bubble wrap? Bubble wrap can be recycled but should not be put in your household recycling bin. You can #recycle clean and dry bubble wrap through return to retail programs. A searchable directory of recycling locations can be found at https://on.ny.gov/2RNRHYG. Reuse is also a great option. Try thinking of friends or family that might be able to use it, or any shipping services or small businesses nearby that might find it handy. #RecycleRightNY

Twitter Post: #DidYouKnow bubble wrap can be recycled but should not be put in your regular household recycling bin? You can #recycle clean and dry bubble wrap through return to retail programs. A searchable directory of recycling locations can be found at https://on.ny.gov/2RNRHYG

Week 4 Campaign Materials

Facebook Post: Quick tip: if a plastic film or wrap stretches but doesn’t tear like paper, it should probably be recycled at a store drop-off location- not in your household recycling bin. Take it to a drop off location near you. Find one at https://on.ny.gov/2NmFAmP

Video to include in post:
https://www.facebook.com/WRAPrecycling/videos/1933638463623097/

Twitter Tweet: Quick tip: if a plastic film or wrap stretches but doesn’t tear like paper, it should probably be recycled at a store drop-off location- not in your household recycling bin. Take it to a drop off location near you. Find one at https://on.ny.gov/2NmFAmP

Facebook Post: Film plastics- keep it clean and keep it dry! When you recycle film plastic like plastic grocery bags, bubble wrap, all-plastic envelopes/ mailers, newspaper bags, and product overwrap at return-to-retail locations, it’s very important that it’s clean and dry. Wet and soiled film plastic should go in the trash. And no film plastic should EVER go in your household recycling bin. #RecycleRightNY

Twitter Tweet: When you recycle film plastic like plastic grocery bags and product overwrap at return-to-retail locations, it’s very important that it’s clean and dry. Trash wet and soiled film plastic and never put film plastic in your household recycling bin. #RecycleRightNY

Week 5 Campaign Materials

Facebook Post: Did you know that putting film plastics in your curbside or household recycling bin does not give them a second life? Give your film plastics a second life with the store drop-off location option! This allows film plastic to become composite lumber, benches, playground sets, piping, containers and more! #RecycleRightNY

Twitter Tweet: #DidYouKnow that putting film plastics in your household recycling bin doesn’t give them a second life? Give film plastics a second life with the store drop-off option! This allows film plastic to become benches, playground sets, piping, containers and more! #RecycleRightNY

Extra Posts

Facebook Post: Have you heard about the #RecycleRightNY campaign? Are you looking to improve recycling in your community? Recycle Right NY is a 12-month public outreach campaign launched in January 2019 in coordination with recycling professionals in the public, private and not for profit sectors of the state to reduce contamination in household recycling across NYS. The Recycle Right NY campaign provides free downloadable social media posts, images, and short paragraphs for articles and newsletters that organizations and individuals can use to promote good recycling habits. Learn more and access the free downloadable resources at https://on.ny.gov/2XJUurb

Twitter Tweet: Looking to improve #recycling in your community? The #RecycleRightNY campaign provides free downloadable resources that organizations and individuals can use to promote good recycling habits. Learn more at https://on.ny.gov/2XJUurb

Facebook Post: Help us #recycleright. Show us your #selfieswithstretchfilm and how you’re #recycling your film plastics at store drop-off locations! #RecycleRightNY

Twitter Tweet: Show us your #selfieswithstretchfilm and how you’re #recycling your film plastics at store drop-off locations this! #RecycleRightNY

Facebook Post: Hey NY! It’s Plastic-free July! It’s easy to do your part by choosing reusable options when we you can whether at home or on the go. For more information visit https://on.ny.gov/2EGsHgC

Twitter Tweet: Hey NY! It’s Plastic-free July! It’s easy to do your part by choosing reusable options when we you can whether at home or on the go. For more information visit https://on.ny.gov/2EGsHgC

Facebook Post: Do you appreciate having opportunities to #recycle film plastics? Next time you see the store drop-off collection bin being emptied, don’t forget to say thank you. Although stores that meet certain requirements in New York State are required to have these bins, let your local retailer know you appreciate what they do.

Twitter Tweet: #Recycle plastic bags & other film plastics? Next time you see the store drop-off collection bin being emptied, say thank you. Although stores that meet certain requirements in New York State are required to have these bins, let your local retailer know you appreciate what they do!

July Newsletter/Newspaper Article

From Bubble Wrap to Bags- The Right Way to Recycle Your Film Plastics

We’ve all been there- you have a plastic item in your hand and you wonder if it can be recycled. Maybe you put it in your household  recycling bin and hope it gets figured out for you. The truth is- what we decide to do with these plastics when they’re in our hands influences recycling programs on a global scale! Now that’s powerful! NY residents are a very important first step in the recycling process.

Film Plastics

Let’s talk about film plastics- what are film plastics? Examples of film plastics include:

• Bubble wrap, air pillows, and all-plastic envelopes/ mailers that protect items during shipping
• Produce bags, bread bags, grocery bags, and zip top food storage bags
• Product overwrap (think paper towels, bathroom tissue and bulk cases of bottled water)
  Dry cleaning bags
• Newspaper bags

The Proper Way to Recycle Your Film Plastics

Now that you know some examples of film plastic- what’s the proper way to recycle these items? Although recyclable, film plastics cannot go in your household recycling bin with bottles, cans, jars, and jugs. The flexible lightweight films cause dangerous machinery jams at sorting facilities that are designs to sort containers. Film plastics require their own special recycling programs.

In NY, stores that meet certain criteria are required by law to provide film plastic recycling under the Plastic Bag Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling Act. Recycling your film plastics in many cases is as easy as bringing them back to the grocery store to special drop-off bins for recycling. Find a drop location here!

What happens after I drop my film plastics in a return to retail bin?

When you properly recycle your film plastics at a return to retail drop-off location, they can end up as composite lumber for making decks, benches, and playground sets. Plastic film can also be reprocessed into small pellets, which can be made into new bags, pallets, containers, crates, and pipe! You’re also helping to conserve natural resources, keeping our streets and waterways clean, and protecting wildlife by ensuring film plastics are properly handled and recycled and do not end up in the environment or the landfill. Way to go!

When bringing film plastics to retail drop-off locations be sure they are:

• Clean and dry
• Free of any food, residue or debris
• Meeting the criteria for acceptable materials to avoid contaminating the recycling stream

What about bagging household recyclables in trash bags?

Unless your area has specific instructions for putting recycling in a clear liner at the curb, bagging recyclables can actually prevent the items from being recycled. It’s most common for recycling facilities to prefer household recyclables loose and not bagged to avoid dangerous and costly jams and to allow workers to see what's inside. When recycling is loose and unbagged, it helps in the recovery of valuable materials and also keeps workers safe. Set your recyclables free! Help your bottles, cans, jars and paper have a second life by emptying them into your recycling containers loose.

Whether you have a curbside bin, drop off at the transfer station, or bring recycling to the waste area in your apartment building, always keep your recyclables loose and unbagged.

• Use a tall waste bin or washable tote to carry your recycling to its end destination
• If you collect your recycling in plastic bags at home- empty recyclables out of the bags and into the recycling container loose
• It’s very important to contact your local recycling coordinator or hauler to be sure you know the specific recycling instructions for your area and program

Other Resources

• The Recycling Partnership Anti- Contamination Toolkit. Free Don’t Bag Recycling graphics available
• Plastic Film Recycling and WRAP Recycling Action Program. Free graphics and educational resources.
  • Free Film Plastic Recycling Communication Tools
• Plastic Free July Challenge. Free resources to encourage reduction of single-use plastics
• NYS Plastic Bag and Film Plastic Reduction Act
• Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Plastic Bag video. Plastic bags don't belong in your household recycling bin and here's why.

Free Images

*Please note that some customized images for July are not included below but can be found in the coming weeks by going to NYDEC's Recycle Right NY Flickr album. Please check the Recycle Right NY Flickr album throughout the month for additional images!

Free high resolution images formatted for Facebook, Twitter, and newsletters can be downloaded by going to NYDEC's Recycle Right NY Flickr album. *

Images may not be available right away. If you do not see images for the item of the month we recommend waiting a day or two and then checking the Flickr album again for updates.  

Directions to download from Flickr: Click the link to open the Flickr album. Scroll to the image you want and left click on it. The image will now be brought up on the screen by itself. In the far right bottom corner there will be a downward facing arrow with a line under it. Left click on it and choose, Original (1024x512) as the option. It will automatically download.  If you need assistance please e-mail us at recycling@dec.ny.gov.

* If you are experiencing technical difficulties downloading the images from Flickr, please open the Flickr link in a different web browser such as Chrome or Firefox.