Cities recycle over 115 million cans during national challenge

The U.S. Conference of Mayors, Novelis, Inc. and Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (KAB) announced the winners in the fifth annual Cans for Cash: City Recycling Challenge at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, DC.

To encourage recycling, the program challenges like-sized cities to compete against each other in aluminum can collection for monetary awards. During October 2008, more than 40 cities collected over 115 million used beverage cans.

The winners of the $5,000 awards for the most aluminum cans recycled are:

• Division One (population 250,000+) Milwaukee, Wisconsin – 1,750,595 pounds, Mayor Tom Barrett.
• Division Two (population 100,000-249,999) Fontana, California – 266,271 pounds, Mayor Mark Nuami.
• Division Three (population 50,000-99,999) Hesperia, California – 1,120,660 pounds, Mayor Mike Leonard.
• Division Four (population below 50,000) University City, Missouri –56,211 pounds, Mayor Joseph L. Adams.

To help mayors engage their communities in recycling and raise awareness about its importance over the long term, cities submitted innovative education and marketing ideas for an additional $5,000 award. The cities being recognized for the most innovative campaigns are as follows:

• Division One: Lexington, Kentucky, Mayor Jim Newberry.
• Division Two: Irvine, California, Mayor Sukhee Kong.
• Division Three: North Miami, Florida, Mayor Kevin Burns.
• Division Four: Troy, Ohio, Mayor Mike Beamish.

The following winning cities will be awarded $5,000 and their local Keep America Beautiful, Inc. affiliate will be awarded $2,500:

• Division One: Louisville, Kentucky, Mayor Jerry E. Abramson.
• Division Two: Newport News, Virginia, Mayor Joseph Frank.
• Division Three: Gastonia, North Carolina, Mayor Jennie Stultz.
• Division Four: LaGrange, Georgia, Mayor Jeff Lukken.