CalRecycle hails waste reduction winners

United States – In the USA, the Californian Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) has announced the recipients of waste reduction awards for last year.

Interest in the 2011 programme was high, with 280 winners recognised through the Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) for their environmentally friendly business strategies.

‘This year’s WRAP winners are evidence that businesses and organisations of all sizes are achieving significant waste reduction and recycling goals,’ says CalRecycle’s Director Caroll Mortensen. ‘In 2011, we have 46 first-time winners, and many organisations that have come back year after year with new and stronger waste prevention programmes.’ In total, the winning entries reported diverting more than 2.3 million tons of material from landfills and recorded more than US$ 200 million in cost savings.

CalRecycle is currently developing commercial recycling regulations to promote businesses’ implementation of on-site recycling programmes. And because many businesses will now be mandated to adopt recycling schemes, CalRecycle has plans this year to re-evaluate its approach to recognising exemplary waste reduction and recycled product procurement efforts. Additionally, the department is working to develop strategies and recommendations to help meet the state’s new goal of diverting 75% of solid waste from landfills by 2020.