Recycling at Work Can Make "Eco"nomic Sense

Free Workshop Will Focus on Waste Reduction, Reuse and Recycling in the Workplace

MIDLOTHIAN, Va., April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Virginia Recycling Association (VRA) will hold a free workshop to teach all types of businesses including retail, manufacturing, front offices, warehouses and restaurants how they can minimize their carbon footprint by implementing recycling programs. The workshop that is made possible through a grant from International Paper will be held on May 9 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

As more businesses are seeing the advantages of "going green" the VRA would like to be a resource for businesses that want to find out more about how and what they can recycle. "A large part of the workshop will be to offer free exhibit space to recycling businesses so that attendees of the workshops would be able to interact one-on-one with recyclers about their recycling needs and possibilities," said Erica Trout, VRA's Association Manager.

Speakers include experts from various perspectives including: property management, janitorial, waste pick-up, recycling pick-up and even an organics recycler.

An under-served market in the recycling industry in Virginia includes small to medium-sized businesses. This workshop will give businesses interested in recycling an opportunity to let recyclers know their unique hurdles to starting recycling programs and where recyclers let businesses know what programs already exist.

The main goals of this grant project are to encourage more businesses to start recycling and to encourage recycling businesses to adapt or create special programs to serve the business community. "We hope this program will have a positive impact on the community by reducing waste and costs to businesses," says Trout.

For more information about the Business Recycling Initiative, contact Erica Trout at [email protected] or 804.302.4231. Attendees can register on the website at vrarecycles.org.

The VRA was formed in 1990 by a group of individuals who are committed to expanding state recycling opportunities. Since its inception, the VRA has become the leading resource of recycling information for our members, the general public, the Virginia General Assembly, local government, business, and industry.

SOURCE Virginia Recycling Association