The Allen County Solid Waste Management District believes one way to encourage waste reduction and recycling is to acknowledge, support and honor those businesses and organizations that set a good example for others.  Each year, the District hosts the Excellence in Recycling Awards Luncheon to recognize the organizations in Allen County that make an effort to reduce, recycle, and reuse in their workplace.

Businesses Recognized for Recycling Efforts at 2012 Excellence in Recycling Awards

Businesses Recognized for Recycling Efforts at

2012 Excellence in Recycling Awards 

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The Allen County Solid Waste Management District honored businesses and organizations for their recycling efforts during its annual 20th annual Excellence in Recycling Awards Luncheon held August 9 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

The district's 3R Award recognizes organizations' efforts to develop and implement programs to divert waste from landfills through Reducing, Reusing & Recycling.

Not-for-Profit Category: University of Saint Francis

• 217 pounds of recyclables were collected at one home football game.

• Sustainable “bio-dredging of Mirror Lake introduced “muck-eating” bacteria, eliminating 6,000 tons of muck going to the landfill.

• Ceased printing of semester schedules, saving 250,000 sheets of 11”x17” paper.

• Reduction of 3,000 student handbooks by publishing online.

• 5th year for Community Recycling Day with increased participation to 100 households.

Institution Category: Ivy Tech Community College

• Added 525 yellow recycling bins in classrooms, resulting in 100% of the classrooms now having recycling bins.

• Added 400 single stream recycling bins to the staff and faculty offices, resulting in 100% of offices having recycling bins.

• 80% of the dining items used are being recycled or made from recyclable material.

• Food service area notes 700 tumblers and 300 mugs are being used by faculty, staff, and students.

• These additions to their recycling program has resulted in 1,117 cubic yards of material being recycled, not headed to the landfill – an increase of 141% from the previous year.

Industrial/Manufacturing Firm Category (tie):

Press-Seal Gasket

100% of scrap rubber is now being turned into an alternative fuel for use at an Indiana cement plant.  That prevents 30,000 pounds of scrap rubber from ending up in the landfill per month.  Press-Seal Gasket has also been able to reduce its waste stream by 20%, which is an improvement from last year.

Nestle Dreyer’s Ice Cream

95% of waste previously sent to the landfill has been diverted by contracting with a company in Indiana to divert waste for an alternative use.  That is an average of 660 tons per month being diverted from the landfill and being used in the production of animal feed and electrical generation.  This in addition to recycling cardboard, plastics, pallets, and drums.

Receiving Partnership Awards for supporting the District’s special recycling programs were: OmniSource Corp; Batteries Plus; Navistar; Citilink; City of New Haven; Sears; Hire’s Automotive; Connolly’s Do It Best; Sam’s Club; Kroger/Scott’s; Umber’s Hardware; Grabill Hardware Store; Town of Leo-Cedarville; City of Monroeville.

Chosen as Honor Roll Award winners for providing recycling services to Allen County and serving as leaders in the waste industry were: National Serv-All; Waste Management of Fort Wayne; Serv-All Recycling; Safety-Kleen Corp.; Liberty Tire Recycling; Quincy Recycle; Earth First; Recycle Logic.