Southern Waste Systems honored with recycling award from Florida organization

Recycle Florida Today recently honored Southern Waste Systems with its 2011 Recycling and Waste Reduction Award in the category for Outstanding Institution/Business. Southern Waste Systems received the special recognition during the organization’s statewide conference held this summer in Sarasota, Florida. Recycle Florida Today gives out approximately 12 awards each year to those that have demonstrated a true commitment to recycling and waste reduction.

Southern Waste Systems, through its affiliate Sun Recycling, is the largest privately owned recycler of construction and demolition material in Florida. Currently, they are diverting more than 3 million cubic yards of material from landfills each year and recycling at an 86 percent rate throughout their 5 material recovery facilities located in South Florida.

Through modifications to processes and ongoing research and development, the West Palm Beach facility is experiencing a 93 percent recycling rate. With the materials it recycles representing up to 30 percent of Florida’s entire waste stream, Southern Waste Systems plays a key role in reaching the state’s goal of 75 percent recycling by the year 2020.

“As stated by the Department of Environmental Protection, the recycling of this material at 75 percent alone would put the state’s percentages over 40 percent immediately,” said Southern Waste Systems CEO Charles Gusmano. “As we reach over the 90 percent mark, we know that we have a large and important impact on the overall goal and the numbers speak for themselves.”