FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 20, 2021

~ DEP Deputy Secretary John Truitt presents awards during Florida Recycles Week ~

Deputy Secretary John Truitt awards Charlotte, Lee and Pinellas Counties with Recycling Recognition Awards.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – This week, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection joined the Florida Recycling Partnership and other stakeholders to celebrate this year's Florida Recycles Week, Nov. 15 to 19, 2021. During this week of daily events and educational webinars on where and what to recycle, Floridians are asked to take the recycling pledge to “Learn, Act and Share.”

"This week recognizes the importance of recycling and celebrates organizations like the Florida Recycling Partnership and counties that help Florida work toward our recycling goal," said DEP Deputy Secretary John Truitt. "We’re honored to recognize these organizations with Recycling Recognition Awards for their commitment to protecting Florida’s environment."

Truitt presented a Recycling Recognition Award to Northrop Grumman St. Augustine, recognizing the company’s 77.4 percent recycling rate and its outstanding reuse efforts. The facility reuses shipping crates, cardboard boxes, bubble wrap and foam. A portion of the recycled foam is turned into safety pads for their employees or donated to schools for aerospace design engineering projects. 

“Northrup Grumman remains committed to environmental stewardship and is focused on implementing incremental changes to reduce overall site waste,” said Randy Bradley, St. Augustine Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence Site Lead with Northrop Grumman. “We will continue to ensure operational sites such as our St. Augustine facility are conducted in an environmentally responsible manner by improving our capacity to reduce, reuse and repurpose waste to advance environmental sustainability.”

Truitt also awarded three counties with Recycle Recognition Awards for reaching the state's 75% recycling rate. Three counties exceeded the 75% goal for overall recycling rates in 2020: Charlotte (78%), Lee (76%) and Pinellas (78%). Several other counties were within striking distance of this impressive feat, and continued efforts in the coming years will no doubt further their progress.

“Florida Recycles Week brings together great partners like Waste Management, Coca-Cola Beverages of Florida, Wawa and Publix Super Markets,” said Keyna Cory, executive director for the Florida Recycling Partnership. "With these partnerships we have been able to continue our mission to educate policymakers, business leaders and the public about the benefits of recycling.”

DEP's Recycling Program encourages residents and industry to protect Florida's environment by promoting sustainability and waste reduction, providing public outreach and education to avoid contamination, and encouraging proper disposal practices. DEP forms partnerships with community groups and stakeholders, and it recognizes top recyclers for their environmental stewardship and innovative efforts through the DEP Recycling Recognition Program.

Deputy Secretary John Truitt awards Northrop Grumman with a Recycling Recognition Award.