AF&PA takes note of outstanding paper recycling programs

Washington— The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) announced the winners of its 2005 AF&PA Recycling Awards. The AF&PA Recycling Awards recognizes outstanding individual, business and community paper recycling efforts. AF&PA established its recycling awards to support the paper industry’s efforts to increase the recovery of high-quality paper for recycling and achieve its goal to recover 55 percent of all paper consumed in the U.S. by 2012.

AF&PA’s Ed Hurley Memorial Paper Recycling Award recognizes an individual who has had significant influence in advocating paper recycling. Through his work at Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation, Ed Hurley was involved in the industry for 35 years.

The AF&PA Business Leadership Paper Recycling Awards recognize outstanding business recycling programs. The 2005 Business Leadership Recycling Award recipients are Quad/Graphics of Sussex, Wisconsin, and Eureka Recycling of Saint Paul, Minnesota. As a result of Quad/Graphics’ internal paper recovery programs, the company avoided $15 million in landfill costs in 2004. Eureka Recycling was recognized for delivering a cost-effective recycling program to more than 100,000 single and multi-family residences in Saint Paul and reinvesting every dollar in profit back into the community in the form of education and services.

The AF&PA Community Paper Recycling Awards also recognize communities that have successfully implemented programs. The City of Clearwater Solid Waste and Recycling Department, Clearwater, Florida, and Oconee County Solid Waste, Seneca, South Carolina, are the award recipients.

In 2006 AF&PA will recognize outstanding individual, business, community and school recycling programs. For detailed information about 2006 award criteria and applications, visit www.paperrecycles.org.