From Earth Day to Recycling in Action: Connecting Residents to Recycling—and Introducing ReClaim™ Plastic Lumber

April and May provided First Star Recycling with exciting opportunities to connect with residents and showcase what happens after recyclables leave the curb.

During April, First Star participated in Earth Day celebrations in Omaha, Lincoln, and Bellevue, engaging with approximately 11,000 residents. Our team distributed Hefty® ReNew™ orange bags, shared recycling education materials, answered questions about local recycling access, and highlighted how hard-to-recycle plastics are transformed into ReClaim™ plastic lumber through our Solutions Plastic Lumber operation. The garden planter give-a-way, made from ReClaim™ plastic lumber, was a big hit at each event!

Those conversations continued in May through our participation in the international “Recycling in Action” initiative organized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR).

According to the APR, many people do not fully understand what happens after they place a plastic container in a recycling bin. To help bridge that knowledge gap, material recovery facilities (MRFs) and plastic reclaimers across the country opened their doors to the public throughout May. First Star Recycling was proud to be one of 36 facilities in 20 states + Canada selected to participate.

First Star hosted four Recycling in Action tours, welcoming more than 50 visitors. Guests included representatives from 3NewsNow.com, Keep Omaha Beautiful, the City of Omaha, students from a local high school woods class, community organizations, and residents interested in learning more about the recycling process.

Visitors received a behind-the-scenes look at how recyclables are sorted and prepared for market, how contamination impacts recycling operations, and how hard-to-recycle plastics collected through programs such as Hefty® ReNew™ are transformed on-site into ReClaim™ plastic lumber. To help illustrate the possibilities of recycled plastics, each visitor received a cell phone stand made from ReClaim™ lumber to take home.

For many participants, seeing the recycling process firsthand helped answer questions that are difficult to address through brochures or social media alone. The tours demonstrated that recycling is more than collection—it is a complex system that depends on proper sorting, strong end markets, and community participation.

Whether meeting residents at Earth Day celebrations or welcoming visitors to our facility, First Star remains committed to educating the public and helping our community recycle right. We thank everyone who joined us this spring and look forward to continuing these important conversations throughout the year.

As Solutions Plastic Lumber continues to grow, we are actively seeking retailers, distributors, and wholesalers interested in offering ReClaim™ products for landscaping, turf installation, transportation, and other outdoor applications. By expanding access to products made from hard-to-recycle plastics, we can continue turning more local materials into durable, useful products manufactured right here in Omaha.

Know a retailer, distributor, contractor, turf installer, or organization that may be interested in selling ReClaim™ lumber? We'd love to connect. Contact our Solutions Plastic team to discuss partnership opportunities.