NRCS Receives Recycling Partnership Award

“Recycling Partnership Award” from the Washington State Recycling Association (NRCS image -- click to enlarge)

For its part in providing assistance that led to more than 132 tons of agricultural plastics being recycled during the past two years, NRCS has received the Recycling Partnership Award from the Washington State Recycling Association (WSRA).

Each year WSRA awards outstanding recycling professionals, innovative government administrators, and citizens making a measurable difference in improving recycling vitality and environmental well being statewide.

In 2006, NRCS provided a $34,000 Conservation Innovation Grant to RE Sources for Sustainable Communities to develop an infrastructure for recycling farm plastics in a seven-county area of northwest Washington.  The partnership promoted the concept of agricultural plastics recycling with 28, one-day recycling collection events at different locations in the seven counties over the two-year life of the project.

Nearly 1,000 members of the northwest farming community as well as the nursery industry and hobby gardeners were contacted through the project. Private recycling companies documented the 132 tons of plastic collected for recycling with help from RE Sources for Sustainable Communities, which oversaw the project’s coordination.

“Hats off to NRCS for its willingness to fund the two-year agricultural plastics recycling pilot program in an effort to preserve air quality,” said Lisa Friend, outreach recycling coordinator for RE Sources for Sustainable Communities.  “This project serves as a model of cooperation between government, farmers and recyclers and has created a strong new recycling stream for Washington State,” she said.

“It’s remarkable to see what an organization like RE Sources for Sustainable Communities can accomplish though their cooperative community outreach efforts,“ NRCS State Conservationist Gus Hughbanks said.  “The real heroes are the workers, the volunteers, the agricultural cooperators and the community organizations that made this project a reality.  Still, I’m certainly delighted that the NRCS innovation grant helped provide the financial foundation for this outstanding program and we’re honored by the recognition.”
Your contact is Washington NRCS Assistant State Conservationist Dave Brown at 509/323-2971