WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderNew partnership helps Rockford Park District "Go Green"

New partnership helps Rockford Park District "Go Green"

PRESS RELEASE

ROCKFORD, IL – The Rockford Park District's latest effort to be environmentally friendly includes a partnership with Veolia Environmental Systems.

Veolia Environmental Systems will help the Rockford Park District inform patrons of efforts to recycle pop bottles at the Indoor Sports Center and Sportscore Complexes. "Our partnership with the Rockford Park District is a perfect fit," said Cris Manley, General Manager for Veolia's Rockford Hauling division. "Our business is environmental services and our passion is the environment, so we encourage companies and organizations to minimize waste and promote resource recovery and recycling. The Rockford Park District is an organization at the forefront of developing innovative ways to incorporate environmental considerations into the way it conducts business."

Rockford Park District's recycling efforts started in 2000, when the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity gave the Rockford Park District a $145,000 grant to establish and maintain a recycling program at office buildings, Sportscore Complexes, major recreation facilities, parks, and special events. Over the years, pop bottle recycling containers were added at all five golf courses, which reduced the waste stream by at least 25%, for a total of 22.5 tons annually.

From 2007 to 2010, the Rockford Park District diverted 7,111 cubic yards of materials from Veolia Environmental Systems' trash containers; these materials would have otherwise ended up in area landfills. The Rockford Park District recycles items including: paper, aluminum, plastic, batteries, light bulbs, ink cartridges, paint, and tires.