Speech and Testimony
County Executive Leggett’s Remarks at the 18th Annual Recycling Achievement Recognition Ceremony
620 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg
As prepared
Good afternoon. It is a pleasure to be here today to celebrate your hard work. You are all proven leaders in reducing waste and recycling.
This afternoon, we recognize:
- Six individuals who shared their enthusiasm and energy to make a positive difference in their workplace, home or community to keep our land, air and water clean by increasing recycling and reducing waste;
- 11 multifamily properties that reached incredible levels of recycling or provided creative and engaging education about waste reduction and recycling to their staff and residents to increase the amount of materials recycled in their communities; and
- 15 businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government facilities that - through their robust on-site recycling programs - achieved the highest levels of recycling across the County, or expanded their recycling to include innovative waste reduction techniques and recycling of other voluntary materials, or reinvigorated their waste reduction and recycling programs.
You will hear how these honorees set themselves apart as recycling champions through their passion and ingenuity.
Due to the efforts of our County’s Environmental Protection Office and the people and groups we are honoring today, Montgomery County has a longstanding reputation as a leader in protecting our environment by improving the quality of our land, air and streams, and by reducing waste and increasing recycling.
Your commitment and efforts are essential to the overall success of our integrated waste-management strategy and improving the overall health of our environment – for ourselves and for future generations.
Our waste management goal is to reduce waste as close to “zero” as possible.
Helping to make this happen are our Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station that are one-stop resources to receive materials for recycling.
The recently opened, mixed-paper sorting facility and our outreach, education, and volunteer programs are also integral to the success of our waste-reduction and recycling efforts.
But even with all of that, there remains room to do better. We MUST do better!
Key to improving our efforts is to continue working with residents, multifamily properties, and businesses to further promote awareness of the environmental and economic benefits of recycling.
We must continue to explore innovative methods to achieve our goals.
There are many initiatives we can employ to use less, recycle more, and achieve our goal of bringing our waste-diversion rate up to, at least, 70% by the end of 2020.
Together, with more people, like all those we honor today, we can do it!
So again I say congratulations to everyone who is being recognized today for their commitment and extraordinary efforts to reduce waste and increase recycling in Montgomery County.
Thank you!
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Release ID: 17-066
Wednesday, May 24; Noon