Keep Nebraska Beautiful’s (knb.org) Materials Exchange Program was recently named the Waste Diversion Project of the Year at the Nebraska Recycling Council’s annual Fall Conference on Tuesday, September 17. This prestigious recognition highlights the program’s critical role in reducing landfill waste across Nebraska.
Since its inception in 1994, the Materials Exchange Program has diverted over 181,000 tons of materials from landfills, helping businesses and industries across 284 Nebraska communities save $6.9 million in dumping/hazardous waste disposal fees and repurpose or recycle by-products such as plastics, rubber, metals and more.
In the last five years alone, the program also successfully helped 232 schools and nonprofits receive over 10,000 donated items like printers, chairs, file folders and other supplies, saving nonprofit or school participants significant purchasing costs and diverting 290,000 lbs of items from Nebraska landfills!
The Materials Exchange Program is a free service that connects businesses looking to either source or discard reusable materials. Through this initiative, Keep Nebraska Beautiful helps facilitate sustainable partnerships that promote waste reduction, ensuring materials are either repurposed in production or recycled for other uses.
The program’s impact is not only a testament to Keep Nebraska Beautiful’s commitment to sustainability but also a reflection of how collaborative efforts can lead to significant environmental and economic benefits. Watch their acceptance video here, nrcne.org/2024-nrc-conference or visit knb.org for more information.