Athens-Clarke County Recycling Division in Georgia demonstrates incredible innovation and dedication to meet waste diversion goals.

This summer, Recycle Away, a recycling container supplier in Brattleboro, Vermont, will provide hundreds of new recycling containers to parks throughout the United States through a new grant program lead by Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Keep America Beautiful.

Michael Alexander, president of Recycle Away, has collaborated with the Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA) on a zero-waste resolution proposal which the alliance hopes to have accepted by the United Nations during the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development, which begins June 20 in Rio de Janeiro.

The City of Albany, New York, worked closely with Recycle Away to design custom recycling stations suitable for recycling in public spaces in some the city's most visited areas, including the sprawling Washington Park with its annual Tulip Festival, many pedestrian paths and historic monuments. The city Recycling and Public Works staff were seeking a recycling station that was durable enough to be placed year-round in an outdoor environment yet also be attractive.

Expanding recycling opportunities in athletic facilities enhances fan loyalty, saves money on disposal and reduces the burden on custodial staff because there is less trash to manage. Based on Recycle Away's experience, high participation and successful recycling always starts with the right recycling containers and systems.

Here are some key best practices that campuses we work with have used to expand recycling in campus and school athletic facilities and fields:

In March of 2012, the City of Las Vegas opened a brand new City Hall, a glassy, futuristic, solar-powered structure that celebrates the city's noted sunshine by day and illuminates its neon heritage by night. Recycle Away worked closely with the City to design recycling containers to reflect the interior décor and the beautiful architecture of the new structure. When the seven-story, $185 million building opened, Recycle Away’s Metro Recycling Containers were featured throughout the facility. Incorporating the City’s recycling program logo, and featuring custom powder coated bodies and collars that match the interior color of the new City Hall, these attractive recycling containers showcase the City’s commitment to the environment.