Mercer Island Schools Wins Honor for Recycling Efforts

The Mercer Island School District will be among the honorees at the Washington State Recycling Association's Recyclers of the Year Awards Banquet on Tuesday, May 14.

The district was honored as the Youth Education Recycler of the Year for incorporating environmental stewardship into the school board’s 2020 Vision, and each of the five schools in the district has made outstanding progress in promoting youth involvement in recycling and waste prevention, according to the association's press release.

The district has participated in the King County Green Schools Program for several years, with all five schools recognized as Level One Green Schools for their effective waste reduction and recycling practices, particularly in reducing lunchroom waste.  Three schools have completed Level Two (energy conservation) and one has completed Level Three (water conservation). 

The honorees are:

Individual Recycler of the Year: Jeanette Brizendine, City of Federal Way 

Nonprofit Recycler of the Year: Sustainable NE Seattle Tool Library

Public Agency Recycler of the Year: City of Shoreline 

Institutional Recycler of the Year: Franciscan Health System 

Public Education Recycler of the Year: Waste Management 

Innovative Recycler of the Year: City of Issaquah 

Higher Education Recycler of the Year: Western Washington University, Office of Sustainability 

Nucor Steel Recycling Solutions: General Biodiesel

Youth Education Recycler of the Year: Mercer Island School District

Business Generator Recycler of the Year: Port of Seattle/Sea-Tac Airport

Reuse Recycler of the Year: The RE Store REvision Division 

Three outstanding long-time Washington State recyclers will be inducted into the WSRA Recycling Hall of Fame:

• Frances Ambrose, retired waste reduction/recycling educator, Skagit County
• Don Frey, retired municipal relations manager, Republic Services
• Carl Woestwin, waste prevention planner, Seattle Public Utilities

For more information about the WSRA conference and awards presentation, visit www.wsra.net or call 206-244–0311. Award applications are available each November at www.wsra.net.