National Recycling Coalition's Outstanding School Program Award

In September 2002, Stanford University's Recycling Program was awarded the National Recycling Coalition's Outstanding School Program Award.

NRC Honors Excellence with Annual Awards

September 9, 2002 (Austin, TX) – Margretta “Meg” Morris, president of the National Recycling Coalition (NRC), will announce the winners of the 2002 NRC Annual Awards during a ceremony on Monday, September 9, 2002 during the 21st Annual Congress & Exposition in Austin, Texas.

Morris and NRC Awards Chairwoman Lori Gummow will present awards to eight national winners. The awards honor businesses, citizens, communities and schools for their outstanding waste reduction and recycling achievements. “The NRC Awards program recognizes the best of the best and demonstrates that recycling is alive and well,” said Morris. “Being an NRC Award winner brings to light the tremendous achievements of individuals and organizations. The personal satisfaction of being so highly recognized by one's peers is something to which we all aspire,” she said.

The NRC Awards Program heightens the awareness of recycling programs with city councils, boards of directors, citizens, businesses and state agencies. “Our winners represent diverse and dynamic recycling programs and practices that deserve attention and praise from across the nation,” said Gummow.

The following awards will be presented. A description of each winner’s accomplishments and contact information can be found in the Congress Press Kit. Please contact the individual awards winners for additional information about their specific programs.

Recycler of the Year - Lifetime Achievement Council Member Ruth Galanter (Los Angeles, California)

Outstanding Community or Government Program Baltimore County Bureau of Solid Waste Management (Baltimore, Maryland)

NRC Outstanding Recycling Innovation - Product or Process University of Oregon Campus Recycling (Eugene, Oregon)

Tim McClure Award for Outstanding Environmental & Community Leadership Eastern Illinois University (Charleston, Illinois)

Fred Schmitt Award - Outstanding Corporation Leadership Target Corporation (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

NRC Outstanding School Program Stanford University (Stanford, California)

NRC Outstanding Market Development Texas Landfill Management, LLC -- Organic Conversion (San Antonio, Texas)

Beth Brown Boettner Awards for Outstanding Public Education Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority (Hartford, Connecticut)

The National Recycling Coalition is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and improvement of recycling, and also source reduction, composting and reuse by providing technical information, education, training, outreach and advocacy services to its members in order to conserve resources and benefit the environment.

Stanford University's Recycling Program Summary

Stanford University’s recycling program began in the late 1970’s. Stanford formed a unique partnership with its waste hauler, Peninsula Sanitary Service, Inc. (PSSI), to develop a comprehensive recycling program that involves the entire campus community. PSSI provides services to all areas of campus, including collecting, processing, and marketing recyclables, operating a community recycling center, and educating the campus on the 5 Rs.

Stanford University’s 5R program recycles bottles and cans and paper, scrap metal, plastic bags and electronic scrap. The construction and demolition program recycles wood, concrete, dirt, asphalt, metal and drywall. The organics program includes yard waste and manure composting, grinding logs into wood chips, chipping brush into mulch, and grasscycling. During student move-out, charitable organizations collect reusable goods. Finally, PSSI’s education program provides information on source reduction, reuse, recycling, buying recycled, and composting to the campus community. In 2001, the campus community diverted 53% of its waste from the landfill. Update, in 2005, the campus diverted 58% of its waste from the landfill.

Contact: Julie Muir, Community Relations Manager, (650) 321-4236 or juliem@pssi.stanford.edu

Find out more about the other 2002 award winners on the NRC Webpage.