Hundreds of thousands of plastic bags collected by schools in Manitoba have been transformed into benches as part of an annual program promoting recycling.

The benches were created as part of Bag Up Manitoba, a program run by Take Pride Winnipeg! and Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba.

This year, 154 schools took part across Manitoba, collecting over 866,000 plastic bags for recycling.

On Tuesday, one of those benches had its debut at General Byng School in Winnipeg before a crowd of excited students.

One of the benches was unveiled to students at General Byng School on Tuesday, one of 154 schools that participated in the program. (Radio-Canada)

General Byng is one of 14 of the schools that participated in the bag collection program that will be receiving the benches.

Tom Ethans, executive director of Take Pride Winnipeg!, said the program shows students how they can make a difference in a tangible way.

"The reaction of the students of the schools we've been to has been incredible," he said.

Take Pride Winnipeg!’s executive director Tom Ethans said the program shows kids how recycling can make a difference in a tangible way. (Radio-Canada)

"They are so wowed by the bench and by the fact that they've taken something that they know is a plastic bag and now it's something tangible like a bench like that. They are in awe."

The hope is that students will take that enthusiasm home and encourage their parents to be environmentally conscious as well, Ethans said.

The benches were made by local company ReGen Composites out of recycled plastic bags and other materials including end-of-life plastic bins, pool plastic, lawn furniture and wood chips.