Monroe Township Collaborates with Local Manufacturers to Upcycle Household Plastics into Sustainable Decking
MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. – July 18, 2024 – Monroe Township announced today that its Department of Public Works has joined forces with Monroe-based GEODIS and Trex Company to help preserve the planet by turning household plastics into sustainable decking.
Pictured from Left to Right: GEODIS Safety Supervisor Noel Allison, GEODIS Maintenance Manager Walter Mcintyre, Monroe Township Green Team/Environmental Commission Member Sudha Radhakishnan, Monroe Township DPW Secretary Carolyn Barna, Monroe Township DPW Director Gregory Slavicek, GEODIS Safety Coordinator Janet Wells
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with one of our environmentally conscious corporate neighbors right here in Monroe Township through the NexTrex® initiative to help reuse common household plastics that otherwise may have landed in the trash,” said Mayor Stephen Dalina. “I would like to commend our DPW staff who work extremely hard throughout the year to find unique ways to keep our community clean while enhancing our Clean Communities and Sustainable Jersey initiatives.”
Through this new partnership, Monroe residents can now upcycle their discarded household plastics into beautiful, durable and sustainable Trex® outdoor living products. Common items that can be recycled include grocery and retail bags, bread bags, case overwraps, dry cleaning bags, newspaper sleeves, ice bags, Ziplock and other reclose-able bags, produce bags, bubble wrap, salt bags, cereal and cracker box liners, and wood pellet bags.
The Township has added public collection sites at the following locations where residents may drop their discarded materials:
- Monroe Township Library - 4 Municipal Plaza
- Monroe Township Senior Center - 12 Halsey Reed Road
- Monroe Township Community Center – 120 Monmouth Road
- Monroe Township Recycling Center - 76 Gravel Hill Spotswood Road
Collected materials are sent to GEODIS, a third-party logistics company, where they are baled and shipped to Trex’s manufacturing facilities in Virginia and Nevada to be upcycled into durable, beautiful, and eco-friendly composite decking and outdoor living products.
Residents interested in participating in the program are asked to look for the #2 or #4 recycling symbols to indicate polyethylene films and make sure materials are clean, dry and free from contamination. A complete list of qualifying items can be found on the NexTrex® website.
Because plastic film cannot be recycled in curbside bins with other recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard, and glass, the NexTrex program offers a simple way for consumers and organizations to responsibly dispose of plastic film waste.
The NexTrex Grassroots Movement provides partnership opportunities for municipalities, non-profit organizations, and small businesses to establish their own collection sites. Trex works with partners across the country to recycle post-consumer, commercial and industrial plastic film via public collection and warehouse collection programs.
To learn more about the Nex-Trex program, go to NexTrex.com. For more information about Trex, visit Trex.com.
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About Trex Company, Inc.
For more than 30 years, Trex Company [NYSE: TREX] has invented, reinvented and defined the composite decking category. Today, the company is the world’s #1 brand of sustainably made, wood-alternative decking and deck railing, and a leader in high performance, low-maintenance outdoor living products. The undisputed global leader, Trex boasts the industry’s strongest distribution network with products sold through more than 6,700 retail outlets across six continents. Through strategic licensing agreements, the company offers a comprehensive outdoor living portfolio that includes deck drainage, flashing tapes, LED lighting, outdoor kitchen components, pergolas, spiral stairs, fencing, lattice, cornhole and outdoor furniture – all marketed under the Trex® brand. Based in Winchester, Va., Trex is proud to have been named America’s Most Trusted® Outdoor Decking* 4 Years in a Row (2021-2024). The company was also recently included on Barron’s list of the 100 Most Sustainable U.S. Companies 2024, named one of America’s Most Responsible Companies 2024 by Newsweek and ranked as one of the 100 Best ESG Companies for 2023 by Investor’s Business Daily. For more information, visit Trex.com. You may also follow Trex on Facebook (trexcompany), Instagram (trexcompany), X (Trex_Company), LinkedIn (trex-company), TikTok (trexcompany), Pinterest (trexcompany) and Houzz (trex-company-inc), or view product and demonstration videos on the brand’s YouTube channel (TheTrexCo).
All media inquiries may be directed to the Monroe Township’s Public Information Officer Stacey Kennedy at 732-521-4400 or