WASHINGTON – The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) presented the City of Guntersville, AL with its 2013 Community Recycling Award. The award was presented at the Earth Day Concert at Guntersville Elementary.
The program stood out from the other applications for its variety of successful outreach efforts, including close collaboration between city agencies that increased public awareness and participation, as well as partnerships with local civic groups, churches and state and federal government agencies.
“AF&PA is proud to present the City of Guntersville with this year’s AF&PA Community Recycling Award. Guntersville’s recycling program is particularly intriguing thanks to the breadth and depth of the paper recovery efforts currently in place,” said Steve Klarman, RockTenn Recycling director of sales, who presented the award on behalf of AF&PA.
The award-winning City of Guntersville Recycling Program began in 1994 as an initiative to control the growth of its municipal landfill, reduce solid waste expenditures, and preserve its natural beauty. Continual improvements have helped achieve the current program, which provides curbside collection to residents and 275 commercial participants. Additional drop-off receptacles are located throughout the community at the recycling center, City Hall, city parks, and numerous churches. Thanks to their success within city limits, Guntersville has now extended recycling opportunities by collaborating with the Marshall County Commission to establish drop-off centers.
“The City Council and I are grateful that the American Forest & Paper Association has recognized our town for its commitment to preserve our environment through our outstanding Recycling Program,” said Mayor Leigh Dollar.
“Our program is an alliance of many individuals, organizations, and businesses,” added City of Guntersville Recycling Coordinator Nicole LeCroy Reyes. “Their collective efforts make our program a success.”
AF&PA recently announced that 65.1 percent of all paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling in 2012. Recycling programs such as Guntersville’s, combined with the recycling efforts of millions of Americans each day, will help drive the industry toward its goal to exceed 70 percent paper recovery for recycling by 2020.
For more information about all the 2013 AF&PA Recycling Award winners, case studies on winners’ programs, background information, free classroom resources, statistics and more, visit www.paperrecycles.org.
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The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) serves to advance a sustainable U.S. pulp, paper, packaging, and wood products manufacturing industry through fact-based public policy and marketplace advocacy. AF&PA member companies make products essential for everyday life from renewable and recyclable resources and are committed to continuous improvement through the industry’s sustainability initiative - Better Practices, Better Planet 2020. The forest products industry accounts for approximately 4.5 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP, manufactures approximately $190 billion in products annually, and employs nearly 900,000 men and women. The industry meets a payroll of approximately $50 billion annually and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 47 states. Visit AF&PA online at www.afandpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ForestandPaper.