PRESS RELEASE
October 30, 2008

  Cecil County Solid Waste Division
Wins 2008 Silver Recycling Systems Award

             On October 23, 2008 the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) named the Cecil County Department of Public Works' Solid Waste Management Division the winner of the 2008 Silver Recycling Systems Award at SWANA's annual awards luncheon held in conjunction with SWANA's annual conference in Tampa, Florida.  

             SWANA's "Excellence Awards Program" recognizes outstanding solid waste programs and facilities that advance the practice of environmentally and economically sound solid waste management.  SWANA names Gold, Silver, and Bronze award winners in 13 categories.  Solid Waste Management Division Chief Pete Bieniek and Recycling Coordinator Tanya Adams accepted the award on behalf of the County. 

             Winners of the Recycling Systems Excellence Awards are selected by members of SWANA's Waste Reduction, Recycling, and Composting Technical Division.  Evaluation criteria included such things as regulatory compliance, innovation, performance, cost effectiveness, safety, public acceptance, and the quality of the application itself. The Durham Region Material Recovery Facility in Durham, Ontario, Canada was the winner of the 2008 Gold Recycling Systems Award while the University of Virginia's Recycling Program, Charlottesville, Virginia took home the Bronze award.

 As described in the County's nomination packet, Cecil County has been very aggressive in expanding its recycling and waste reduction programs.  Key elements include:

• Implementation and promotion of Single Stream Recycling.
• Expansion of the County's recycling program to include electronics, printer cartridges, textiles, batteries, fluorescent lamps, yard waste, motor oil, antifreeze and other materials.
• Implementation of twice-yearly Household Hazardous Waste Day (HHW Day) collection events.
• Initiation of the collection of unwanted, unneeded, and expired medications as part of HHW Day collection events.
• Expansion of Solid Waste Management Division's educational outreach program to inform citizens of the County's various recycling programs, with a particular emphasis on outreach to the County's school children.

             "The Board of County Commissioners are proud of the exemplary work being performed in the Solid Waste Division and congratulate them and the people of Cecil County on the success of the recycling program"., said Board President William Manlove.  Pete Bieniek, Tanya Adams, and the rest of the Solid Waste Management Division staff have done a fantastic job in energizing the County's recycling program.  Through their efforts, and with fantastic support from residents, the County's recycling rate has tripled from 17%, lowest in the state, in 2005 to 51% in 2007, enough to move us up to fourth place," said Scott Flanigan, County Director of Public Works.  "To win a SWANA Award of Excellence is quite an accomplishment and something of which Solid Waste Management Division can be very proud."

            Headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland and comprised of over 8000 solid waste management professionals from throughout the world, SWANA is dedicated to advancing the "practice of environmentally and economically sound management of municipal solid waste".  It seeks to accomplish this mission through technical conferences, professional certifications, publications, and a wide variety of technical training courses. 

 Direct questions regarding this press release to:

Ms. Vicky Rinkerman
Executive Office Administrator
County Administration Building
200 Chesapeake Boulevard
Elkton, MD 21921
(410) 996-8310
Fax (410) 996-1014
E-mail: vrinkerman@ccgov.org