Tennessee’s State Employee Recycling Program Wins EPA Award

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized 71 universities, government agencies, and private companies for their environmental commitments to reduce waste under the agency’s WasteWise and National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) partnership programs. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) and the State Employee Recycling Program received a State Government Partner of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on March 22, 2009 in Washington, D.C.

The State Employee Recycling Program, coordinated by TDEC’s Office of Environmental Assistance, has received a WasteWise Partner of the Year Award from EPA the past seven years and continues to expand its waste prevention and recycling efforts. With 22,955 state employees participating, nineteen new locations were added in 2006 and 2007 to the more than 117 buildings already taking part in the program. In 2008, the program saved $19,255.00 in disposal costs and received $16,581.04 in recycling revenue. Tennessee’s State Employee Recycling Program is one of only 9 programs and organizations that received an EPA Partner of the Year Award at EPA’s 2009 WasteWise Annual Conference.

Why recycle office paper?

The SERP program is recycling at a rate of 69.58 tons of office paper per month. It is saving the state over $2,082.00 monthly in landfill costs plus the cost of extra dumpsters and compactors. From January 1, 1990 to December 31, 2008 state employees recycled 15,887.3 tons of mixed office paper. This produced revenue of $153,747.27 for the state, while avoiding $474,827.00 in landfill costs. These revenues are deposited in the Solid Waste Management Fund. If you have any questions, please call 615-532-0079.

Fun Facts

Wire Hangers
About 3.5 billion wire hangers go into U.S. landfills every year. That’s 195 million pounds of steel or the equivalent of 60,000 cars. Signature Cleaners provides us with a box to collect hangers that can be returned and reused. You can bring your hangers to office for reuse. Or even simpler, just use your wire hangers to hang the clothes that are heading to the cleaners. Each new hanger costs the dry cleaner approximately $.08 so you can help the environment and support the economy.

Batteries and Cell Phones
Consumers use an average of six wireless products in their day-to-day lives and most cell phones are replaced every 18 to 24 months. That's a lot of rechargeable batteries and cell phones. When it's time to retire your old cell phones or replace your rechargeable batteries, don't forget to recycle them. You'll help preserve natural resources and keep discarded products out of landfills. Just put the phone or battery in the RBRC bag and drop in the Call to Recycle Box.

The following items may also be recycled at TDEC's Green Cubicle located on the 8^th Floor of the L&C Tower:

» Plastic Bottles – Soda, water, juice & milk (Please rinse and crush plastic bottles)

» Ream Wrappers – For gift wrapping, a book cover, or a coloring sheet

» Ink Jet Cartridges – Just place in provided zip lock bag

» Plastic Can & Bottle Ring Holders – No need to cut rings!

» Batteries – Ni-Cd, silver button batteries, etc. (no wet cell batteries)

» Fluorescent Bulbs – All varieties (this includes CFLs)

» Cell phones

» Eye glasses

» Coat hangers – All varieties

» Holiday/greeting cards

Everyone can participate in the "3R's" of solid waste reduction:

REDUCE by making two-sided copies, purchasing products with limited packaging, and buying in bulk.

REUSE by using scrap paper for notes, reusing rubber bands, and paper clips, and showing your style with a ceramic cup rather than disposable ones.

RECYCLE at the source, using the proper collection container for recyclables, attending training updates, and requiring recycled content when printing or purchasing.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!

What items can you recycle?