City of Urbana Recognized by the U.S. E.P.A.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the 2018 winners of the national WasteWise awards in the Great Lakes Region.

The City of Urbana was awarded the 2018 U.S. EPA's WasteWise local government partner of the year! In 2017, the Urbana Public Works Department recycled more than 9,600 tons of materials, including construction and demolition debris, achieving a 90% diversion rate.

“As zero waste is the ultimate goal, City of Urbana staff have exceeded expectations to attain that objective. Recycling and environmental sustainability habits are instilled in the work culture at the City of Urbana and I am proud of the accomplishments that city staff have achieved for their reuse and recycling efforts.” - Courtney Kwong, Recycling Coordinator

“EPA’s WasteWise program helps encourage organizations and businesses to divert waste from landfills, which not only conserves resources and protects the environment but also saves money,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said. “Our 2018 winners demonstrate that keeping valuable materials out of the trash is a win-win for the environment and their bottom lines.”

EPA’s WasteWise program encourages organizations and businesses to achieve sustainability in their practices and to reduce select industrial wastes. Participants in the program work to prevent and divert waste that would otherwise be disposed of in landfills or incinerated. Every year EPA recognizes WasteWise partners in various categories who report the best overall improvement in waste prevention and recycling activities when compared to the previous year.

The national award winners in the Great Lakes Region for work conducted in 2018 are:

• Large Business Category - Partner of the Year: Commonwealth Edison–Oakbrook Terrace
• Illinois Local Government Category - Partner of the Year: City of Urbana–Urbana
• Illinois Very Large Business Category - Partner of the Year: L Brands, Inc.–Columbus, Ohio
• Honorable Mention: Kohl’s Department Stores–Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

The regional award winners in the Great Lakes Region are:

• The Kroger Company--Columbus, Ohio
• Evergreen Credit Union--Neenah, Wisconsin

“I can promise you that we are not letting our foot off the accelerator. We have big plans for this year and, together, there is nothing we can’t do,” said Jessica Adelman, Group Vice President for Corporate Affairs, The Kroger Company.

“Reducing our overall waste is a daily goal at Evergreen. Our ‘green’ team is intent on finding alternatives to keep things out of the landfill, including our food waste. We are committed to think before we toss,” said Kathy Jankowski, President/CEO, Evergreen Credit Union.

More information about each winner’s efforts and results, is available here.

Background: The WasteWise program is part of EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management efforts that promote the use and reuse of materials more productively over their entire life cycles. All U.S. businesses, governments and non-profit organizations can join WasteWise as a partner, an endorser, or both. Partners demonstrate how they reduce waste, practice environmental stewardship and incorporate sustainable materials management into their waste-handling processes. Endorsers promote enrollment in WasteWise as part of a comprehensive approach to help their stakeholders realize the economic benefits to reducing waste. For more information, go here.