How Cool – EP Zoo to Receive Park Bench Made of Plastic Bags

The El Paso Zoo was selected as the first recipient for the Bags to Benches program. The zoo will receive a bench made from 226 pounds of plastic bags. 

During the past 7 months, the zoo collected a total of 226 lbs. of plastic bags. ESD placed 10 collection bins in various city departments, ranging from recreation centers to libraries. A total of 610 lbs. of plastic bags were collected at the sites from late September 2013 through early March of this year.

The second round of the “Bags to Benches” challenge is set to begin in late March 2014.

Types of Plastic Accepted

• Shopping bags
• Ice bags
• Bread bags
• Food storage bags
• Dry-Cleaning bags
• Produce bags
• Newspaper sleeves
• Bubble wrap

Drop-off Locations
LOWER VALLEY
7968 San Paulo
9311 Alameda WEST
7400 High Ridge

DOWNTOWN
300 N. Campbell (City Hall)
620 E. 7th Street EAST
11620 Vista del Sol
1034 Pendale
SOUTH
4451 Delta
4001 E. Paisano (El Paso Zoo) NORTHEAST
4435 Maxwell

It takes approximately 70,000 bags to create one bench.