King County announces 2011 Best Workplaces for Recycling and Waste Reduction

“We’re elated to see such a wide variety of businesses on the list, each with their own custom programs for dealing with the types of waste they generate,” said Karen May, who administers the program for King County SWD. “From food scraps to packaging, to printer cartridges, medical supplies and light bulbs, the companies on our list are employing innovative strategies and creating company cultures that encourage the prevention and recycling of waste.”

King County created a business Honor Roll this year to give recognition to companies who have been consistent champions for recycling and reducing waste in the workplace since the Best Workplaces recognition program was created in 2007.

Honor Roll companies include American Classic Homes Real Estate, CH2M Hill, ECO Cartridge Store, Emerald Heights life care community, HDR Engineering, Kennedy/Jenks Consultants Inc., Outsource Marketing, PCC Natural Markets, Port of Seattle- Sea-Tac Airport, and Yoga Centers.

“It’s an honor to be an inaugural member of the Honor Roll,” said Larry Cutting, owner of American Classic Homes Real Estate. “We found that making recycling convenient for our employees was the key to our success, taking small steps can a big impact and we’d love to see more businesses do the same.

“The best way for a business to be successful is to make it easy on the employees,” Cutting said. “They want to do the right thing but often times have only a garbage can under their desk and have to get up to go to the recycling bin. The better way is to offer recycling bins both under the desk and in common areas.”

Last year, businesses in King County sent more than 200,000 tons of recyclable materials to the landfill. At 27 percent, the largest percentage of material heading to the landfill from businesses is food scraps and food-soiled paper.

Recycling has been a big focus for list newcomer Salish Lodge and Spa over the last two years. They outfitted their hotel with recycling bins in every room and began composting food scraps in their restaurant kitchen. Salish Lodge & Spa’s director of rooms Ben Olin advises other in his industry on the importance of keeping recycling and waste reduction top of mind.

“You must provide the resources for your team to successfully sustain the recycling program and make awareness the number one priority,” said Olin. “We send out a daily email with a green topic of the day; this is meant to educate and keep recycling at the forefront of our team members minds. It works!”

All businesses operating in King County outside the City of Seattle are eligible for the list. To secure their spot, businesses were 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.

King County releases the Best Workplaces for Recycling and Waste Reduction list annually. The County’s goal in establishing the list is to recognize the top recyclers and waste reducers, and help motivate others in the local business community to improve recycling and waste reduction practices.

To see the complete list of 2011 Best Workplaces for Recycling and Waste Reduction and to learn more about what these businesses are doing to improve recycling programs, visit www.kingcounty.gov/recyclemore. The 2011 King County Best Workplaces for Recycling and Waste Reduction are listed below. To learn more about this program, contact Karen May at 206-296-4353, or karen.may@kingcounty.gov.

The 2011 King County Best Workplaces for Recycling are: