Pots to PlanksDr. Steven Cline
Kemper Center for Home Gardening P.O. Box 299 St. Louis, MO 63166 Phone: (314) 577-9561 Project Start: May, 2007
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Over 350 million pounds of plastic is disposed into landfills each year in the U.S. by the gardening public. The Pots to Planks Program was initiated to divert a portion of this plastic back into a useful product. The program started in 1998 when about 10,000 pounds of pots and trays were heaped in a pile on the parking lot of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Since that time, each year a larger collection is made. To date, over a half million pounds of horticultural plastic has been collected. This materials is granulated on site at the Monsanto Center (4500 Shaw Blvd, St. Louis, MO) and recycled into plastic railroad ties that are used for building retaining walls. With the assistence of many Master Gardener Volunteers, this program continues to grow as more and more gardeners are enthusiastically moved to recycle their horticultural plastic. The lumber is sold to contractors and all income is reinvested into the collection program. For lumber sales, call (314) 577-9441.
