SCHNUCKS RECYLCING PROGRAM BENEFITS EDUCATION

Schnucks is implementing the EarthWise Sack Recycling Program, which will benefit education and environment by providing schools an opportunity to earn funds by recycling plastic grocery sacks.

"This program will provide an added benefit," said Scott Schnuck, president and chief operating officer. "Not only does it provide an opportunity to recycle, but it `closes the loop' recycling the return plastic bags into new plastic trash bags."

This recycling system is designed to support itself, with program costs covered by sales of the trash bags. Schnucks provides the fund-raising opportunity for local elementary schools, which will collect and box the used grocery sacks.

The schools will ship the boxed sacks, free of charge, to Phoenix Recycling Inc. of Hartsville, S.C., where they will be weighed and graded.

Schnucks will pay the schools $1 a pound for clean, dry Schnucks bags returned to Phoenix, which will then be recycled into the EarthWise trash bags that will be sold exclusively at Schnucks.

"Everybody wins," said Joan Taylor, manager of consumer affairs for Schnucks. "Because of the closed-loop system, consumers have a rare opportunity to see the results of their recycling efforts and, best of all, students earn money for their schools while they learn about recycling."

Schnucks, headquartered in St. Louis, operates a chain of supermarkets, including one in Cape Girardeau.