About Us
Minnesota Waste Wise is a member-supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization affiliated with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. Minnesota Waste Wise helps businesses save money through waste reduction, resource conservation and energy efficiency. Our mission is to help businesses and organizations implement environmentally sustainable business practices while saving money and protecting the environment. Click here to become a member.
It’s In the Bag is a recycling program that helps Minnesota Waste Wise advance our mission while building community partnerships. The program creates a recycling opportunity for plastic bags, stretch wrap and other plastic film material while providing employment opportunities for adults with disabilities, who collect and sort the plastic material in their respective communities. The material is then sold to Trex Company, who recycles it into composite lumber products in the United States.
From October 2003 to December 2009, the It’s in the Bag program recycled more than 5.5 million pounds of plastic bags and film just in the Twin Cities metro area. This amount equates to approximately 850,000 square feet of Trex Company, Inc. decking or 1,695 decks that are 500 square feet in size. These numbers rise daily, and with the continued participation of residents and businesses throughout the state, the It’s in the Bag program hopes to keep recycling more than ONE MILLION pounds of plastic bags and film annually.
