Grant Program Provides Containers for Recycling
Colleges, K-12 schools, nonprofits and local governments will advance their recycling efforts this summer thanks to a grant made possible by The Coca-Cola Foundation. The winning communities, schools, universities and organizations will receive between 5,000 and 5,200 recycling bins. Over 70 percent of the bins are designed specifically for permanent, ongoing use in heavily-trafficked public spaces and events, with the remaining 30 percent to be used by students in college residence halls.
In its 8th year, the Coca-Cola/Keep America Beautiful Recycling Bin Grant Program continues to recognize the significant need for public space recycling bins with over 1,200 applications received, a 22 percent increase in applications from 2012. Overall, 479 applications were from local governments, 143 from colleges, 312 from K-12 schools and 193 from nonprofits.
As public space recycling becomes more common, communities are asking for recycling bins to be made available at athletic fields and local libraries, while walking down the street or at their hometown art or music festival. All of these venues are eligible to receive bins through the Coca-Cola/+ Recycling Bin Grant Program. While some grant recipients are seeking to expand established recycling programs, others such as Muskegon Community College in western Michigan will use the 40 indoor recycling bins it received to make recycling available for the first time in its student union and many of its academic buildings. Timpanogos High School in Orem, Utah, will receive bins to expand its school recycling program to include cans, bottles and plastic, while the City of Dayton, Ohio, chose a different style of bin for use at its community athletic fields where large numbers of beverage containers are generated.
Recipients were chosen by Keep America Beautiful based on criteria including level of need, recycling experience and the ability of applicants to sustain their program. Special outreach was made to colleges and universities through a partnership with the College and University Recycling Coalition (CURC), a membership organization serving campus recycling managers.
The Coca-Cola/KAB Bin Grant Program awards recycling bins directly to recipients and leverages volume buying discounts.
*For more information go to www.americanrecycler.com