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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: May 5, 2009 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 3 - Q <br />SUBJECT• Award to Orange County for Best Community Paper Recycling Program <br />DEPARTMENT: Solid Waste Management PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />AFPA Press Release <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Blair Pollock, 968-2788 <br />Rob Taylor, 968-2788 <br />PURPOSE: To accept the 2009 award given to Orange County by the American Forest and <br />Paper Association (AF&PA) for best community paper recycling program, along with a $2,000 <br />check from AF&PA. <br />BACKGROUND: Orange County has received a competitive award from the American Forest & <br />Paper Association for best community paper recycling program in the United States for 2009. <br />Orange County will be presented with an award plaque and a $2,000 check from AF&PA by Ms. <br />Susan Albritton, Manager of Recycling Field Procurement for Sonoco. Sonoco is the company <br />to whom Orange County has historically sold most of its paper and cardboard at its paper <br />packing plant in Durham.) <br />Several aspects of the County's program were highlighted in the award application prepared by <br />the Solid Waste Management Department staff. Those highlights include: <br />- the comprehensive nature of the public program covering all sectors of the <br />County including residential, multifamily and commercial, <br />- public collection points like park and ride lots, downtown bins and buses, <br />- the broad classes of fiber collected -all types including newspaper, mixed paper, <br />cardboard, office paper, etc., <br />- consistently high quality of paper collected as a result of ongoing education and high <br />levels of diligent program participation, <br />- strong partnerships with the UNC recycling program and with the buyer Sonoco <br />resulting in town/gown continuity and optimum pricing due to consistent quality. <br />This year the AF&PA received over 120 applications for the four awards it gives-the highest <br />number of applications ever according to AF&PA staff member Gretchen Spear who is in charge <br />of the awards program. Other awards were given for best schools recycling program (Wake <br />County, NC), best corporate program (Giant Eagle Foods, Pittsburgh, PA) and best University <br />