SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. July 20, 2023 – San Juan County, in partnership with SC Johnson, a manufacturer of household consumer brands, is kicking off a pilot program to recycle plastic film. This is the fourth program of its kind to launch in Washington and is an expansion of the successful plastic film collection program in the Town of Friday Harbor.

Through this pilot program, San Juan County residents outside of Friday Harbor can recycle clean and dry plastic bags, plastic storage bags such as Ziploc® brand bags, plastic grocery and produce bags, plastic shipping envelopes, and other flexible plastic film by dropping off collected material in a “Plastic Film Only” bin at Marketplace at 515 Market Street.

“The average American produces over 200 pounds of plastic waste every year, and much of that comes from packaging. Recycling plastic film will help with our community’s overall effort to reduce our landfill waste and the amount of plastic that ends up in the marine environment,” said Katie Fleming, San Juan County’s Solid Waste Coordinator in the Department of Environmental Stewardship.

Residents can pick-up a “Plastic Film Only” recycling bag at Marketplace from 11am to 5 pm on Friday, July 28 and Saturday, August 5. The bags will also be available at the San Juan County Fair, August 16-19.

Prior to this expanded, county-wide effort, Friday Harbor, Point Roberts, and Shelton and Mason County partnered with SC Johnson on plastic film recycling programs. They are part of a larger effort by SC Johnson to reduce plastic waste. Collectively, the programs have stopped an estimated 40 thousand pounds of plastic film from potentially ending up in landfills.

SC Johnson praised the new program and said it’s part of the company’s vision for a better future with increased recycling and reduced plastic waste.

For more information about San Juan County’s program – including more specific instructions on how to participate as well as accepted vs. not accepted materials – please visit: https://www.sanjuanco.com/342/Solid-Waste. You may also contact Katie Fleming  [email protected] and 360-762-5821.