It's in the bag: Winnipeg recycling program provides food, helps environment
Winnipeg Harvest and Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba have created a new recycling program
A new program launched by Winnipeg Harvest and Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba aims to take the plastic bags tucked away in kitchen cupboards and use them in food hampers and emergency kits.
The two organizations created the plastic bag recycling program 'Bag it Forward,' and will be installing 350 recycling bins across the city. People can drop off their bags at Winnipeg Harvest, or at affiliated partner's locations.
Winnipeg Harvest says the bags are essential to food distribution, and this program makes a difference to the people they serve and the environment.
"We understand how important it is to reclaim what often gets overlooked, left behind, or discarded. We reclaim food and people," said David Northcott, Winnipeg Harvest executive director in a release.
Northcott says they use more than a million plastic bags a year to pack food kits.
Karen MeInychuck, executive director at Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba, said her organization has been working to reduce the number of plastic bags distributed. She says this new program will give Manitobans a convenient and environmentally friendly way to dispose of plastic bags.
Winnipeg Harvest distributes food to more than 60,000 Manitobans monthly.