The Mercer Island School District has been named the Youth Education Recycler for the Year by the Washington State Recycling Association.The Mercer Island School District has incorporated environmental stewardship into the school board’s 2020 Vision, and each of the five schools in the district has made outstanding progress in promoting youth involvement in recycling and waste prevention.

The district has participated in the King County Green Schools Program for several years, with all five schools recognized as Level One Green Schools for their effective waste reduction and recycling practices, particularly in reducing lunchroom waste. Three schools have completed Level Two (energy conservation) and one has completed Level Three (water conservation).

Recyclers of the Year are selected by a panel of WSRA members representing a variety of aspects of the recycling industry, including collectors and processors, government agencies, businesses and non-profit organizations.

Other top recyclers include: The 2013 WSRA Recyclers of the Year include these outstanding honorees: • Individual Recycler of the Year: Jeanette Brizendine, City of Federal Way Recycling Project Manager, • Nonprofit Recycler of the Year: Sustainable NE Seattle Tool Library• Public Agency Recycler of the Year: City of Shoreline• Public Education Recycler of the Year: Waste Management• Innovative Recycler of the Year: City of Issaquah• Higher Education Recycler of the Year: Western Washington University, Office of Sustainability• Nucor Steel Recycling Solutions: General Biodiesel• Business Generator Recycler of the Year: Port of Seattle/Sea-Tac Airport• Reuse Recycler of the Year: The RE Store REvision Division

The Washington State Recycling Association (WSRA) will highlight organizations, businesses and individuals for outstanding recycling achievements at their Recyclers of the Year Awards Banquet on Tuesday, May 14, 2013, part of the WSRA annual conference at Skamania Lodge. For more information about the WSRA conference and awards presentation, visit www.wsra.net or call206-244–0311. Award applications are available each November at www.wsra.net.

The Washington State Recycling Association (WSRA), formed in 1976, provides leadership, networking, advocacy and education to foster the expansion, diversity and economic vitality of recycling in support of sustainable resource management. Its 280 member organizations and over 700 individual members include private, community and government recycling agencies, generators of recyclables, collectors, processors, transporters, broker, commodity markets, recycled content product manufacturers, and others.

Contact Washington State Recycling Association, 206-244-0311, www.wsra.net.