EPA Wraps Up Historic Recycling Innovation Fair
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), hosted the first-ever America Recycles Innovation Fair featuring entrepreneurs from across the recycling system showcasing their innovative products, services, outreach, and technologies. At the fair, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, the National Waste and Recycling Association (NWRA) President Darrell Smith and NWRA Board Chair Ben Harvey presented challenge coins to veterans recognizing their service and commitment to environmental protection.
“I am proud to help launch the first America Recycles Innovation Fair that brought together entrepreneurs from across the recycling system to showcase their innovative products, services, outreach and technologies,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Under the Trump Administration, EPA is working diligently to identify market-based strategies and innovative ideas to create a more sustainable recycling system in America and across the globe. I look forward to continuing our work with our partners to improve infrastructure, develop secondary markets, and more effectively communicate with the public about addressing the entire lifecycle of recycled materials.”
During the Innovation Fair, youth leaders from One More Generation spoke about their campaign to reduce plastic straws.
The innovation fair was hosted by EPA in partnership with the Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries, Keep America Beautiful, the Solid Waste Association of North America, and The Recycling Partnership.
EPA is collaborating with stakeholders from across the recycling system to identify specific actions to address the challenges and opportunities facing the U.S. recycling system. These organizations are committed to leveraging their collective expertise, strengths, and resources to address these challenges and opportunities.
Tomorrow, EPA will convene the second America Recycles Day Summit bringing together organizations from across the recycling system and all levels of government to build on their success over the last year and commit to continuing to work together.Participants will include the original forty-five organizations that signed the America Recycles Pledge on America Recycles Day 2018, along with the over 120 additional organizations that signed the pledge in 2019. Pledge signers represent all aspects of the U.S. recycling system, including representatives from government, the recycling industry, non-profits, corporations and brands, and industry trade associations. Participants will hear from America Recycles workgroup members on progress made to date, have an opportunity to provide input on future actions, and join the America Recycles effort moving forward.
Learn more about EPA’s ongoing America Recycles work at www.epa.gov/AmericaRecycles.
