Trex works with California group to divert plastic film

Winchester, Virginia-based recycled-content building products maker Trex Co. has worked with Plastic Beach to divert more than 60 tons of plastic film from landfill through the NexTrex Grassroots Movement program.

Plastic Beach founder and Executive Director Matthew Clough established the San Diego-based nonprofit organization after having noticed a steady amount of plastic being thrown away at the shipping and receiving warehouse where he worked.

“Clough was inspired to take action by committing to collecting and recycling flexible plastic wrap in Southern California’s commercial and community supply chains," Trex says.

“Every week, we’d open and throw out about 10 pounds of plastic film from wrapped parts, clothing, protective bubble wrap and pillows before the goods would hit the shelves for consumers,” Clough adds. “After doing some research, I discovered that only 9 percent of plastic bags are currently recycled globally and knew it was imperative to get business plastic film into the recycling pipeline and keep it out of landfills and oceans.”

Since starting Plastic Beach in 2019, Clough has built what Trex calls a scalable, community-driven model to collect and redirect plastic film scrap away from landfills.

In 2023, Plastic Beach started partnering with Trex Co. and its NexTrex Grassroots Movement, a nationwide initiative designed to help local organizations become collection hubs for polyethylene (PE) plastic film.

Trex, which calls itself the world’s largest manufacturer of composite decking, uses recycled PE as a key raw material in its production stream.

Last year alone, the company used more than 188,000 tons of recycled plastic film in the making of its decking and has diverted more than 2.5 million tons of plastic film from landfills over the past three decades, making it one of the largest recyclers of PE plastic film in North America, according to the firm.

Trex says its NexTrex Grassroots Movement helps partners like Plastic Beach become equipped to serve as plastic collection sites in their communities. Trex provides signage, collection guidelines, baling support, logistics coordination and compensation for collected material through “an easy and economically viable program.”

“We work closely with our partners to create custom collection and pickup plans, collaborating with Trex to recycle the materials into composite decking products,” Clough says of the initiative.

Plastic Beach works with more than 40 entities, ranging from waste management companies and legislative bodies to stadiums, retailers, distributors and businesses of all sizes.

The organization also has established five community collection sites in San Diego; Orange County, California; and Los Angeles designed to allow area residents to recycle household plastics such as grocery and bread bags, newspaper sleeves, bubble wrap, cereal liners and ice bags.

According to Trex, the collected plastics are aggregated, baled and transported to its manufacturing facilities in Virginia and Nevada, where they are used to make what the company calls durable, low-maintenance, ecofriendly composite decking.

“By working with Trex, we’ve been able to show businesses and residents across Southern California that soft plastic recycling is not only possible but impactful,” Clough says.

“Plastic Beach is a perfect example of how one person’s passion can spark measurable, lasting change,” adds Stephanie Hicks, materials and recycling programs manager at Trex. “The model that Matthew and his team have created doesn’t just keep plastic out of landfills, it transforms it into something beautiful and sustainable that people can enjoy for decades. That’s the power of the NexTrex Grassroots Movement, and Plastic Beach is helping to lead the way.”