City of Guntersville, Ala., Receives National Paper Recycling Award

The City of Guntersville, Ala., USA, has received the AF&PA (Washington, D.C., USA) 2013 Community Recycling Award. The award was presented at the Earth Day Concert at Guntersville Elementary School. 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.

AF&PA recently announced that 65.1% 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% paper recovery for recycling by 2020.

TAPPI
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