1/13/2010
Stores participating in rollout of statewide promotion to increase plastic bag recycling
WEST DES MOINES, IA – Hy-Vee stores and Hy-Vee Drugstores in Iowa are participating in a statewide initiative to highlight the benefits of recycling plastic shopping bags.
Build with Bags is a cooperative program sponsored by the Iowa Grocery Industry Association in partnership with Keep Iowa Beautiful, Metro Waste Authority in Des Moines, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and The Des Moines Register. The program has four main goals: 1.) Double the amount of plastic bags recycled over a 24-month period; 2.) Reduce consumption of plastic bags; 3.) Increase use of reusable bags; and 4.) Encourage purchases of furniture and equipment made from recycled plastic through a grant program for parks and schools.
During the January 11-24 rollout, Hy-Vee customers will be introduced to the Build with Bags message through posters, specially-marked recycling barrels and recycling messages on plastic grocery bags. Stores also will receive information regarding a grant program that provides financial assistance to schools and local governments for the purchase of outdoor furniture or equipment made from recycled plastic.
Ken Waller, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for Hy-Vee and current Chairman of the Iowa Grocery Industry Association, said Hy-Vee is proud to help lead this cooperative effort to bring the issues of recycling and waste reduction to the forefront in Iowa.
“Hy-Vee’s commitment to sustainability is part of our mission to make lives easier, healthier and happier,” he said. “We recognize that grocers have a responsibility to address the environmental impact of plastic bags and provide incentives to help consumers reduce, reuse and recycle.”
For more information on the Build with Bags program, visit www.itseasytorecycle.org or www.iowagrocers.com.
Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating 228 retail stores in eight Midwestern states. For 2009 the company recorded total sales of $6.4 billion, ranking it among the top 30 supermarket chains and the top 50 private companies in the United States. Visit the company’s website at www.hy-vee.com
