For Immediate Release:

November 22, 2005

SLC wins Cans For Cash National Recycling Challenge for the second consecutive year

SALT LAKE CITY—Salt Lake City has won the national Cans For Cash: City Recycling Challenge for the second consecutive year.  Salt Lake City developed the most innovative idea in its division to promote aluminum beverage can recycling in the community.  

This year Salt Lake City challenged school aged children to submit written scripts for a commercial advertisement promoting recycling of aluminum beverage cans.  A panel of judges selected an entry submitted by three Girl Scouts from Beacon Heights Elementary School in Salt Lake City. The script was commercially produced by KUTV Channel 2 and is expected to air beginning January of next year.

Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson says, “I am so proud of the creativity displayed by these girls. Salt Lake City will use the $5,000 cash prize to further recycling efforts in Salt Lake City’s schools.”

The United States Conference of Mayors partnered with the Novelis Corporation to create the Cans for Cash. This national contest demonstrates that recycling aluminum beverage cans (the most valuable material in household recycling bins) has environmental and economic benefits.

The 2005 campaign also included a competition for the most cans recycled.  According to the US Conference of Mayors, there was a 73 percent increase in aluminum can recycling — an additional 45 million cans were recycled during the 2004 national campaign which collected a total of 62 million cans.

For a complete list of cities that participated in the 2005 Cans for Cash program, please visit: http://www.usmayors.org/uscm/mwma/novelis/who.asp

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Contact: Sheila Yorkin or Nikki Bown

Communication Managers

Public Services

801.535.7135 or 801.535.7126