Contacts: Sarah Grimm, Waste Reduction Specialist, Lane County Public Works 541-682-4339

Lane County is seeking nominations for individuals, businesses, agencies and/or programs going above and beyond the basics to conserve resources. Nominations for the annual TrashBuster Awards are due September 10^th.  Forms can be found at  www.lanecounty.org/recycle.

Since 1993, the Lane County Board of County Commissioners has presented annual TrashBuster Awards recognizing the great ideas and efforts of our community to protect our environment, our economy, and our future.  Thanks in part to a community rich in innovative approaches to waste prevention, materials management, recycling, composting, and reuse, Lane County’s 57% recovery rate is the second highest in Oregon.

The TrashBuster Award program promotes real-life examples of how preservation of our environment is a better business model.  “I love describing what winners did to qualify for this award,“ said Sarah Grimm, Waste Reduction Specialist for Lane County. “Seeing the successes of others can help break us free of old unproductive thought patterns. In today’s world, it’s not too expensive or too hard to make these changes, it’s where we need to go.”

In 2011, six year old Courtney Tiernen was among the  TrashBuster Award winners.  She collects sippy-pouches from her school and sports events, then recycles/sells them to Terrecycle.com. Market of Choice was recognized for their early adoption of composting produce and bakery wastes and the United Unitarian Church of Eugene was honored for their effective reuse and recycling of the old Scottish Rite Temple into their new home.

Winners will be selected in each of nine different categories:  individual, local government, restaurant/food service, K-12 School, special event, non-profit, private business, construction/demolition project, and product manufacturer.  Winners will be announced in November in recognition of America Recycles Day November 15th.

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