Sea-Tac Airport Named "Best Workplace for Recycling" for Third Consecutive Year

Awarded by King County Solid Waste Division

King County's Solid Waste Division has, for the third year in a row, named Port of Seattle - Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to the third-annual Best Workplaces for Recycling & Waste Reduction, one of 65 organizations to make the list this year. Sea-Tac Airport is being recognized for strong internal recycling programs and for a commitment to reducing the amount of waste produced.

"The Port of Seattle is committed to exhibiting environmental stewardship by implementing waste reduction and recycling practices that reduce environmental impacts of airport operations," said Jeremy Webb, Sea-Tac Airport Environmental Management Specialist. "We work hard to demonstrate our commitment to our environment."

To qualify as a Best Workplace for Recycling & Waste Reduction, organizations met at least 10 criteria out of a list of 33 good business recycling practices-choices that range from placing recycling bins by every desk, to collecting food scraps for on or off-site composting, to having internal 'green teams.'

"King County is pleased to see the list of Best Workplaces for Recycling and Waste Reduction continue to grow from year to year," said Sharon Aller, King County program manager for the campaign. "Businesses like Sea-Tac Airport demonstrate the value of creative approaches to recycling and reducing waste in the workplace - from desks, kitchens and break rooms, to warehouses, fleets and anywhere else where employees generate recyclable materials or can reduce waste."

As past winners of this award, in 2007 and 2008, the airport continually seeks to improve, and in 2009 implemented an organics recycling program to help airport concessions and administrative offices divert food waste, food-soiled paper, and other compostable material from landfills. Pre-consumer food waste is collected from concessions, kitchens and office pantries which are then sent offsite where it's composted. The airport also donates pre-packaged unsold food to a food bank.

The organics recycling program diverts fifteen tons of compostable airport waste each month from regional landfills, and saves thousands of dollars each year in avoided disposal fees.

King County releases the Best Workplaces for Recycling & Waste Reduction list annually. The goal of the list is to recognize the top recyclers and waste reducers, and help motivate others in the local business community to improve recycling and waste practices. To learn more about what these businesses are doing to improve recycling programs, click here.

To learn more about recycling at Sea-Tac Airport, click here.