CME

Creating a world without waste with Country Meadow

We’ve teamed up with Country Meadow Elementary in Ashley, Indiana, to develop a first-of-its-kind recycling program—educating students about recycling while diverting plastic waste from landfills and the environment.

Young girl wearing a Brightmark safety vest and carrying a recycling bin.

Program benefits

EDUCATIONAL & EXPERIENTIAL

Students and teachers get the unique opportunity to learn about the benefits of advanced recycling and participate first-hand in a burgeoning industry.

Environmental stewardship

Students learn the benefits of being an environmental steward while participating in an impactful program, creating a world without waste.

REAL RECYCLING, RIGHT NOW

Plastic waste is sent to our circularity center in Ashley, Indiana, to be recycled—diverting it from landfills.

SIMPLE & FUN

Our recycling program is simple and fun for students—encouraging them to become excited about recycling and prioritize it within their daily actions.

INSTILL A BRIGHTER FUTURE

Through education and action, we aim to instill environmental optimism that drives the next generation of environmental changemakers.

Recycling at school is as easy as A, B, C:
How the program works

Assign an ambassador

Brightmark branded recycling bins are provided to Country Meadow’s classrooms. Students from each grade are assigned as a “Recycling Ambassador” with the special task of ensuring recycling rules are followed, bins are properly maintained, and tallying the pounds of plastic waste being recycled.

Bring it to Brightmark

The Recycling Ambassador(s) will empty the plastic waste into a collection bin for pickup. It will then be sent to Brightmark for proper recycling at the Ashley Circularity Center.

Celebrate circularity

Brightmark will transform the plastic waste collected from Country Meadow Elementary into new, circular products—promoting circularity and diverting waste from landfills and the environment.

Great happens here

“I am thrilled to collaborate with Brightmark on our plastics recycling program. This program is educating our students on sustainability and innovation, and empowering our community to make a tangible difference in the world. Together, we are not only addressing environmental challenges but also fostering a culture of responsible stewardship for future generations.”

– Dr. Jane Bitting
Country Meadow Elementary Principal

Learn more

Group of students and CEO Bob Powell jumping up in celebration.

What we can recycle

PLASTIC CUTLERY

Clean spoons, forks, and knives

PLASTIC ZIPLOC BAGS

Clean Ziploc bags used for sandwiches and snacks

PLASTIC BOTTLES

Empty and clean plastic juice, water, and soda bottles

WRAPPERS

Clean granola and candy wrappers

CUPS

Clean plastic cups and containers

Clean, plastic to-go containers

ART SUPPLIES

Markers and Sharpies

Little by little, a little becomes a lot

recycling

6000

pounds

of plastic waste YTD

supporting

320

student

changemakers

Kids in Halloween Costumes Holding Hands in Line

Making waste less frightful
thanks to Country Meadow

Brightmark is teaming up with Country Meadow Elementary to make Halloween waste less spooky for the planet. Brightmark’s Plastics Renewal® technology can recycle all plastic types, including difficult-to-recycle plastics like candy wrappers, and with the help of the Country Meadow Elementary family, we will convert plastic waste from Halloween into new, circular products.

SEE HOW IT WORKS

What we can recycle

Candy and snack wrappers
Plastic trick-or-treat bags and containers
Plastic Halloween decorations
Plastic Halloween costumes
Plastic outer bags from Halloween costumes
Plastic bags that candy comes in
Party supplies (plastic cups, silverware, straws)

Plastic recycling bins holding plastic waste

“Providing experiences to our students is important to our school. It’s great to have a community partner like Brightmark who can help us recycle plastic waste so our students can enjoy things like Halloween and learn about the importance of responsible stewardship of the planet.”

– Rosemarie Brandt, Principal

Building a bright(er) future

Country Meadow Elementary’s mission to develop students as critical thinkers, communicators, and collaborators who can adapt and persevere with empathy and integrity in an ever-changing world is partially carried out by one of the most integral parts of development—play. Play improves cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being, making a playground the perfect place to foster those skills.

We collaborated with JICI Construction, Shambaugh & Son, and community members from Ashley, Indiana, to complete the construction of a new playground for Country Meadow Elementary—creating a safe, collaborative space for their students with all abilities.

Creating a brighter tomorrow today

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of Country Meadow Elementary and the Ashley community, we’re creating a world without waste in real-time. The future of recycling looks bright!

Two kids holding up a graph that tracks how much plastic waste their school has recycled.

Kids explain the benefits of advanced recycling

We get it; plastic can be confusing. That’s why we welcome Jude, a seven-year-old boy from Ashley, Indiana, wanting to see (and create) a better future. Watch our film to get a better understanding of how our Plastics Renewal® process works—from Jude’s perspective.

Watch the film