New Playground in Trumbull Made from 50,000 Plastic Laundry Containers. Thanks Sun Products!

I mentioned this playground in a recent newsletter and now it's up and running! News release below (told you I was lazy!):

The Sun Products Corporation Donates Sustainable Playground and Brings Recycling Full Circle

(Trumbull, CT, October 23, 2009): Children in Trumbull (CT) have one more reason to go outside, play and get dirty - a sustainable playground - thanks to Wilton-based Sun Products Corporation, makers of fabric care products including all®, Wisk® and Snuggle®. Sun Products’ FULL CIRCLE playground initiative utilizes “plastic for playgrounds” representing the equivalent of 50,000 Sun Products plastic (HDPE#2) laundry containers recycled and saved from landfills. Sun Products associates and local citizens volunteered to join in the one-day community build installing the playground, assembling benches and picnic tables and spreading 16 tons of engineered wood mulch for safety surfacing. Volunteers have delivered nearly 2,000 in-kind service hours to the Town.

“True sustainability aligns environmental stewardship and good citizenship resulting in sustained good for the greater community,” commented Craig Slavtcheff, Senior Vice President, Research and Development, The Sun Products Corporation. “The FULL CIRCLE Playground initiative demonstrates Sun Products’ commitment to give back to the communities where our associates live and work. Trumbull is the home of our soon-to-open North American Technology Center and is an important strategic partner in our company’s long-range vision for growth and business excellence. By providing enhanced recreation resources to Trumbull we are demonstrating our shared commitment to community and sustainability.”

United States Representative Jim Himes (D-CT-4) said in a letter, “Connecticut has a long history of grassroots citizen leadership and a proven record of environmental accomplishment from clean air and water to sustainable practices. I am proud to see Connecticut citizens building on their long legacy of volunteerism as witnessed today during this one day community service event building the FULL CIRCLE Playground.”

Speaking at the FULL CIRCLE Playground opening at the Trumbull Nature and Arts Center, Trumbull’s First Selectman Raymond G. Baldwin commented, “The FULL CIRCLE Playground represents Trumbull’s proven record of accomplishment to be environmentally responsible and to provide resources for a thriving, healthy community. Clearly, we bolster our position with Sun Products as our respected and valued partner. Trumbull works hard every day to ensure a high quality of life for our citizens and it’s clear our citizens work hard with us. I am proud of the results I see today.”

“This exciting new playground combines environmental recycling with citizen volunteering - both great goals,” said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. “I am pleased that Connecticut’s citizens continue to build on a long legacy of grassroots action for environmental causes that leads the nation by example.”

As a part of the FULL CIRCLE Playground initiative, 3,400 Trumbull elementary school children are engaging in non-traditional learning activities through an in-school recycling program. The recycling program invites children to bring laundry and household “HDPE#2” plastic containers to school during the fall semester. The plastic collected will be transported to Chicago-based Tangent Technologies and extruded into sustainable lumber for additional site amenities at the Trumbull Nature and Arts Center and for future FULL CIRCLE Playgrounds

Sun Products has received national recognition from Take Pride in America®, the nationwide partnership program authorized by Congress to promote the appreciation and stewardship of our nation’s public lands for its FULL CIRCLE Playground initiative. Take Pride in America’s Executive Director, Lisa Young commented, “Take Pride in America® is proud to support The Sun Products Corporation in the FULL CIRCLE Playground initiative and shares their commitment to engage citizen stewards in environmental sustainability while encouraging children and families to spend more time outdoors.”

The playground is located at the Trumbull Nature and Arts Center at 7115 Main Street (Highway 25)