Kennydale students in Renton collect plastic to help save the environment

For one month the 625 students at Kennydale Elementary School collected plastic bags.

Lots of them. 43,114 bags weighing 644 pounds, to be exact. About 61,000 tons (122,000 pounds) of recyclable plastic bags and film end up in the county's landfill every year.

The students were participating in a recycling competition to promote the Bag your Bags, Bring 'em Back campaign, a partnership of the King County Solid Waste Division and several grocery stores.

Renton residents are no strangers to taking the recycling challenge from King County. They've collected everything from baby diapers to Thanksgiving turkey carcasses to divert garbage away from landfills.

The competition was about more than winning, their principal, Bill Tarter, told the Kennydale students. It's about making a commitment to the environment.

"We want to make sure we are taking care of the Earth," he told the Kennydale third, fourth and fifth graders attending a special assembly Tuesday.

It was mentioned that the stomach of a gray whale that washed up dead along the shores of West Seattle was full of garbage.

Still a cheer went up from third graders when they realized they had won a "green" pizza party to help celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. They collected 12,830 bags.

The first grade came in second with 8,509 bags, followed by fourth grade, 6,734, fifth grade, 5,996, kindergarten, 5,662, and second grade, 3,383

Mayor Denis Law attended the event to congratulate the students and encouraged them to recycle.

He received a loud, "Good morning, Mr. Mayor."

It's important to separate plastic bags from other recyclables in Renton and elsewhere because they tend to get stuck in sorting machinery. That's why the message Tuesday was clear: Stuff your plastic bags into another plastic bag and take them back to the grocery store.

The stores partnering with King County are Fred Meyer, QFC, Safeway, Top Food and Drug, Town & Country Markets, Metropolitan Market and the Duvall Red Apple.

Principal Tarter asked whether his students would promise the Earth to recycle.

He got a loud "yes" in response.

What's accepted

• Plastic grocery bags

• Bread bags

• Produce bags

• Frozen food bags

• Plastic wrap from paper products such as paper towels and toilet paper

• Dry cleaning bags

Contact Renton Reporter Editor Dean Radford at editor@rentonreporter.com or 425-255-3484, ext. 5050.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read.