Springfield meets the challenge, gets a new bench Rotary's townwide recycling efforts celebrate its 95th year

As a reward for Springfield residents collecting 1,000 pounds of thin film plastics,  the Trex Co. based in Virginia provided the Springfield Rotary Club with its ninth outdoor bench, which has been placed at the Green on Main at 77 Main St.

The Rotary Club entered the Trex Thin Film Plastics Challenge in February of 2023 on behalf of the Springfield community, placing a Trex Bin in the Springfield Town Library and several businesses around town, including Bibens Ace Hardware, McGee Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Springfield GMC, Springfield Hospital, and the Springfield Food Co-op.   Since then, Springfield residents have been pitching in to recycle their share of thin film plastics, diverting over 7,200 pounds of thin film plastics from the waste stream.

Trex, which builds composite decking, created the challenge as part of its recycling program, aimed at encouraging the public to recycle grocery, bread, produce, cereal, ice, dry cleaning and resealable refrigerator bags as well as bubble wrap. That plastic is being upcycled into Trex decking. The benches are part of the Trex branded furniture line through Polywood, which uses milk jugs and water bottles to manufacture their furniture.

The other eight benches can be found at the Common, which has two, Park Street School overlooking the Kingsbury House, the North Springfield Bog Trailhead, two at the bus stop on Main Street, and two at the Springfield Town Library.

The Trex Bin will remain at the Springfield Town Library as the Rotary works with the Elm Hill School to earn another outdoor bench for the Springfield community. Partners with the Rotary in this effort are: Friends of Springfield Town Library, the Union Park Neighborhood Association,  Black River Action Group, Springfield on the Move and Green on Main.

The benches are dedicated to the 95^th anniversary of the Springfield Rotary.