Food Lifeline and Shoreline CC Honored by King County for Waste Prevention

Shoreline-based Food Lifeline and Shoreline Community College were among organizations named as ‘Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling’ by King County Executive Dow Constantine.

Constantine applauded 92 local companies for reducing waste and increasing recycling, naming them as the county’s “Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling for 2012.”

“From recycling Styrofoam and cell phones to creating new programs for composting, the innovation these organizations have shown proves that sound environmental practices can go hand-in-hand with a successful business,” said Executive Constantine.

The sixth-annual list spans a wide array of businesses in King County, including hospitality, medical services, professional services, retail, finance, government, arts and entertainment and others. The list includes an honor roll for companies that have made the list at least five years in a row.

The businesses honored use a wide range of recycling and waste reduction strategies, including:

• Eastside Community Aid Thrift Shop’s program that donates customer cell phones to domestic violence shelters;
• Safeway’s Styrofoam recycling program; and
• Lake Washington School District’s new composting efforts, which have helped reduce their garbage pick-ups by 50 percent.

“Many times, what businesses consider waste is something other entities can use and actually purchase,” said Andrew Koeppen, managing director at Hot Off the Press, a local family-owned printer based in Redmond, and a first-time Best Workplace for Waste Prevention and Recycling. “Finding out where our waste can be used helps our society become a community.”

Hot Off the Press holds green print design seminars to teach others how to design printed documents and business materials in an environmentally conscious way. They donate the paper they don’t use to local schools and non-profits.

Last year, businesses in King County sent more than 180,000 tons of recyclable materials to the landfill. King County’s Solid Waste Division compiles the “Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling” list annually to recognize the top recyclers and waste reducers, and help motivate others in the local business community.

All businesses operating in King County outside the City of Seattle are eligible for the list. To secure their spot, businesses are required to meet the same five basic criteria, as well as 10 additional waste reduction and recycling criteria, such as using reusable or compostable dishware in kitchens, collecting batteries for recycling or sending electronic invoices.

To see the complete list of 2012 Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling and to learn more about what these businesses are doing to improve recycling programs, visit www.kingcounty.gov/recyclemore, and click on the link.

To learn more about the program, contact Karen May at 206-296-4353, or karen.may@kingcounty.gov.

Source: King County.