30th Annual CRA Awards
Each year, the Carolina Recycling Association honors top performers that advance waste reduction and recycling in the Carolinas. Continuing this year, the award categories were consolidated into a general pool and a panel of judges selected outstanding people, projects, and/or programs to recognize. There were nine nominees that rose to the top with creative and new ways to approach recycling and help improve the way recycling and waste reduction happens in the Carolinas!
Beaufort County Public Works (SC)
Go Green, Keep it Clean is the mantra for Beaufort County! Beaufort County strategized a cleanup with three neighboring counties to help ‘Protect Our Species’ by developing the first Regional Earth Day Cleanup on April 22, 2019. With assistance and guidance from Palmetto Pride – the counties of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper joined forces in picking-up litter from the roadways and waterways. Their Regional Earth Day Cleanup event totaled to 503 volunteers, 2,375 bags, equaling to 47,500 pounds of litter picked up from the roadways and waterways!! (press release)
Catawba County Local Government
As with all single stream programs, contamination (inclusion of non-accepted materials) is a top issue. They set out to educate the public about how to lessen contamination of their own recycling efforts through a social media campaign featuring videos and messaging designed to be not only informative and educational, but also fun, positive and memorable. They created and disseminated six short educational videos on Facebook putting a fun spin on how to re-use/properly dispose of contaminants in order to keep the recycling stream clean. (press release)
Metrolina Greenhouses
Metrolina Greenhouses continue to divert more than 450 tons of plastics per year to a North Carolina Recycling facility. Plus, they are also reusing approximately two million trays every year! This entire program is done with a zero carbon footprint as Metrolina trucks are already returning to the facility from these stores after delivering plants, but instead of being empty, they now have empty trays from the stores for re-use or recycling. (press release)
NC DEACS – North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Recycling and Materials Management Section (RMMS) launched a ten-week anti-contamination campaign in the fall of 2019. The ‘Recycle Right NC’ campaign consisted of direct mail outreach materials, press releases, and social media posts used by 225 local governments and colleges. Their 10-week social media campaign to reduce contamination in recycling reached over 1 million people!! Learn more about how to #RecycleRightNC and help prevent contamination in recycling: www.recyclemorenc.org (press release)
NC State University – Waste Reduction & Recycling, Organics Division
Beginning in January 2019, the Zero Waste Wolves student organization began hosting paper towel education events across campus in order to reduce paper towels in the landfill bins of residence halls at NC State. During each educational interaction, students learned that paper towels could easily be composted at their hall’s pizza box composting dumpster. The Zero Waste Wolves were able to create an easy way for students to be introduced to the concept of composting by highlighting a single item that is used by students every day.(press release)
Parker Hannifin
Parker Hannifin practices a continuous improvement sustainability strategy focusing on environmental responsibility in manufacturing. As part of this strategy, CLR tracks the amount of absorbent waste that is reused. As of December 2019, Parker Hannifin reused 7,830 pounds of absorbents and 69.6 gallons of non-hazardous fluids, for a total of almost 9,000 pounds of potential absorbent waste diverted for reuse or recycling! (press release)
Town of Cary (NC) – Cary Collects App
The Town of Cary got a little greener last fall by providing solid waste collection schedules and a searchable “Waste Wizard” via Cary Collects, its new web and mobile app (a ReCollect product). Using the app, residents can enter their address to access collection schedules, receive custom notifications related to curbside services and search for any item to identify proper disposal options using the Waste Wizard feature. (press release)
Traude Sander – Lexington County(SC)
Lexington County’s recycling coordinator, Traude Sander’s goal is to empower residents to recycle right! Her educational outreach last year included: An updated website, Instructional handouts, Radio spots, Facebook videos, Billboards, New colorful a-frame signage at convenience centers, Face to face instruction of over 900 people, and Tours of their construction and demolition landfill, transfer station, and wood grinding facility. (press release)
UNC Asheville Dining Services
UNC Asheville’s Dining Services incorporates the importance of waste reduction into everyday operations. Trayless dining and small plates are utilized to minimize over portioning. They also hosted the university’s first ever two-day Sustainable Dining Summit, a conference which brought 53 individuals representing 21 institutions together to collaborate and share ideas. (press release)