Recycling pilot project launched at four Louisiana State Parks
MANDEVILLE, La. - Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of State Parks today announced the launch of the Let Louisiana Shine Park Recycling Program, a new recycling pilot project for aluminum cans and #1 PET plastic bottles at four state parks – Bogue Chitto, Fairview-Riverside, Fontainebleau, and Tickfaw State Parks. This recycling pilot project is made possible through a grant from the Louisiana Beverage Association in coordination with the Pontchartrain Conservancy and the Osprey Initiative.
“Litter impacts Louisiana in so many ways hurting the environment, quality of life, and economic development,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “By providing park visitors with recycling bins where they are using cans and plastic-drink bottles, we hope to not only prevent these items from entering waterways and roadways but also reduce the amount of recyclable material going to landfills.”
“Pontchartrain Conservancy is happy to assist our partners with recycling. Aside from keeping litter out of our waterways, recycling conserves natural resources, strengthens our economy, and creates jobs. It’s a great way to minimize our environmental impacts while enjoying our state parks,” said Pontchartrain Conservancy Executive Director Kristi Trail.
Materials will be collected, sorted, trash contamination removed, and collection totals recorded on a bi-weekly basis. Data collected over the course of the pilot project will be used to develop best practices and determine how to scale up the program in order to expand into other state parks.
Beverage bottles and cans are designed to be 100% recyclable. All recycled bottles and cans will be processed at a local materials recovery facility (MRF). MRF partners with facilities that provide a circular solution recover more plastic bottles and help reduce the amount of new plastic being used in the market.
To learn more about the pilot program, go to the Let Louisiana Shine Park Recycling Program webpage.
About Pontchartrain Conservancy
Pontchartrain Conservancy’s (PC) mission is to drive environmental sustainability and stewardship through scientific research, education and advocacy. The Lake Pontchartrain Basin is a 10,000 square mile watershed encompassing 16 Louisiana parishes. It is one of the largest estuarine systems in the Gulf of Mexico containing over 22 essential habitats. The Basin's topography ranges from rolling woodlands in the north to coastal marshes in the south, with the 630 square mile Lake Pontchartrain as its centerpiece. PC has a vested interest to minimize waste and encourage recycling to reduce litter and micro plastics from reaching the estuarine waters. PC will share data about what material was collected, recycled and the end point site for the collected materials.
About Osprey Initiative, LLC
Osprey Initiative is a specialty environmental contractor bringing tailored solutions to specific environmental needs for its clients. Their mission is to bridge the gap between intent and action in the sustainability world.
About the Louisiana Beverage Association
Louisiana Beverage Association’s members represent companies that produce and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in Louisiana. There are 16 beverage production plants and distribution facilities located throughout Louisiana providing direct employment to more than 4,000 workers. The Louisiana beverage industry has a direct economic impact of $2.9 billion. Our companies carefully design their bottles and cans to be 100% recyclable.