Ideas For Recycling Plastic Could Land You In France

So you think you’re clever. You reuse plastic grocery bags as a liner for the Kitty Litter box. You actually have turned empty plastic soda bottles into bird feeders.

Now it’s time to push your creativity - and maybe get a payoff.

The American Plastics Council, an informational arm of the plastics industry, is sponsoring a contest: Think up (no more than) 10 creative ideas for reusing a single plastic item, and you could win a trip to France to stay in a former chateau, now reused as an inn.

Focus your ideas on one plastic product. For example, give 10 ideas for reusing a plastic bag or 10 ideas for reusing the plastic peanuts that come inside packages.

“The point is to gather information and creative ideas and encourage other people to reuse,” says Sarah Friedell, the council’s director of communication.

Entries will be judged on creativity and practicality. Five regional finalists and one grand prize winner will be chosen. Pictures of reuse ideas will be required from those six entrants.

Receive an entry form for the National Plastics Reuse It Contest by calling (800) 777-9500 or by visiting the American Plastics Council web site at http:/ /www.plasticsresource.com.

Deadline for entries is Feb. 14.