Green Team Recognized with National Award

On Thursday, October 19, 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will present The Mahoning County Commissioners’ Reuse and Recycling Division with a Community Involvement Gold Achievement Award.

The Mahoning County Commissioners’ Reuse and Recycling Division’s Green Team understands that a successful waste reduction program involves the entire community. Through public education and by working directly with government, business, industry, and residents, the Green Team promotes four concepts—reduce, reuse, recycle, and don’t litter. In 2005, the Green Team piloted its Business Recycling Program in which 160 businesses have committed to implementing recycling programs. The Green Team gave more than 750 waste reduction presentations to Mahoning County schools and civic groups. The team then helped the community put what it learned into action by conducting backyard composting workshops, resulting in more than 40 tons of organic material composted. The expansion in residential and business recycling efforts resulted in the diversion of an additional 4,000 tons of material from the municipal waste stream, and another 30,000 tons from the industrial sector.

EPA is proud to honor The Mahoning County Commissioners’ Reuse and Recycling Division for these extraordinary achievements at the 2006 WasteWise and NPEP Annual Conference: Partnering for Success in Sustainability. The Mahoning County Commissioners’ Reuse and Recycling Division is one of only 11 organizations to receive a Gold Achievement Award at this event.

WasteWise is a free and voluntary partnership program launched by EPA in 1994. The program provides guidance and recognition to nearly 1,900 participating organizations that are working to find practical methods to reduce municipal solid waste and improve financial performance. EPA is pleased to recognize The Mahoning County Commissioners’ Reuse and Recycling Division and other members that have made the program a success through their sustained commitment to waste reduction.

For more information about EPA’s WasteWise program and details about the 2006 WasteWise and NPEP Annual Conference, please visit the WasteWise Web site at http://www.epa.gov/wastewise or contact the WasteWise Helpline at (800) EPA-WISE (372-9473).

 

Board of Mahoning County Commissioners:
David Ludt, John McNally, Anthony Traficanti,Chairman