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University City Wins Can Collection Contest:

The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Keep America Beautiful sponsored a national recycling contest, Cans for Cash, and University City was a big winner.

More than 40 cities across the country participated and were entered into a division based on their population.

The participating cities collected over 115 million used beverage cans. Aluminum cans are the most valuable recycled material today helping to pay for total recycling efforts.The winning cities were each awarded $5000 for collecting the most cans in their division or having the most innovative marketing and awareness campaign.

Can Collection Winners:

1. Division 1 (population 250,000+) – Milwaukee, WI – 1,750,595 pounds

2. Division 2 (population 100,000 – 249,999) – Fontana, CA – 266,271 pounds

3. Division 3 (population 50,000 – 99,999) – Hesperia, CA – 1,120,660 pounds

4. Division 4 (population below 50,000) – Univercity City, MO – 56,211

Innovative Campaign Winners:

1. Division 1 – Lexington, KY

2. Division 2 -Irvine, CA

3. Division 3 -North Miami, FL

4. Division 4 – Troy, OH

ucity-recycling.jpgKudos for University City for entering the contest and winning!

As a resident of University City, I was thrilled when the city replaced the old bins that you had to drag to the street with the new single stream rolling carts. It seems that just about everyone on my street is now recycling…with the big blue trash cart joining the regular trash cart at the curb each Wednesday.

UPDATE: University City sent out a mailing with the March trash bill announcing that 62% of UCity residents participate in the city’s recycling program, 32% of 2008 trash was recycled and 40% of January 2009 trash was recycled. Way to go UCity!

Recycling Around St. Louis:

For those of you that don’t live in a city like University City which will recycle just about anything simply by dropping it off at the recycling center located in Heman Park, here are some resources you can use to recycle in the St. Louis metro area:

Live outside of the St. Louis area?

Earth911 can help you find a recycling center near you.