MERS Goodwill is enhancing its green footprint and discontinuing its use of plastic bags starting January 1, 2019. Goodwill will have a receptacle to collect old plastic bags for reuse, and shoppers can opt to bring their own reusable bags to shop with as well. The initiative will also offer shoppers the chance to purchase a new, reusable Goodwill tote bag for just one dollar. With its new bagless initiative, MERS Goodwill plans to keep more than 3 million bags out of the landfill annually.
“We are proud to join the growing number of businesses that are eliminating single-use plastic bags from their stores,” said President and CEO of MERS Goodwill, David Kutchback. “It feels good to know that we are doing our part in helping the environment. Goodwill is known as the original recycler, so the decision to go bagless and reusing items in the store continues to support our dedication to environmentally sound practices and our overall mission.”
Plastic bags take 1,000 years to decompose, and according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), more than 380 billion plastic bags are used in the U.S. every year. This plastic can highly pollute sources of water and harm marine life. More and more grocery and retail stores have made the decision to discontinue the use of plastic bags in order to divert the amount of plastic waste going into the landfill.
For more information about MERS Goodwill or to find a Goodwill donation center near you, call 314-241-3464 or please visit online at www.mersgoodwill.org