City recognized with Blue Planet Recycling Award

Published 11:59 am Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Republic Services, a contractor for garbage and recyclables collection,  is celebrating the achievement of its highest performing clients in King County. Mercer Island made the 2014 list, tied for first place for the County’s landfill diversion champion, as measured in total of yard waste, organics and recycling.

“They say that since King County leads the State in these measures, Mercer Island therefore ranks very highly at the state level too,” said Ross Freeman, city sustainability and communications manager.

The County averages were a 55 percent rate for recycling and organics, a 32 percent rate for recycling only and 25 pounds disposed per household, per week.

Mercer Island tied with Bellevue, Kirkland and Lake Forest Park for the highest rate of recycling and organics disposal: 65 percent.

A representative from Republic spoke to this achievement at the May 4 Council meeting.