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Colorado Recycles has named Intel Corp.’s Colorado Springs facility as Recycler of the Year in the Outstanding Business or Commercial Program category. The award recognizes innovation and community involvement in promoting recycling.

Itel’s BETTR program (Better Environment Through Technology Recycling) is a computer and mobile phone recycling collection program that collects thousands of pieces of electronic gear annually. Representatives from local non-profit organizations are invited to select equipment from the donations and all other equipment is donated to schools or turned in to recyclers. Operational cell phones are distributed through the national Donate-A-Phone program, while unusable phones are recycled to recover their metal content.

Intel’s Colorado Springs facility reuses or recycles as much as 85 percent by weight of its ethylene glycol waste for reprocessing and as engine coolant or lubricant. Calcium fluoride from wastewater is collected and reused to make cement.

"Intel is clearly committed to recycling electronic products as well as recycling waste created by its operations," Colorado Recycles Executive Director Dick Brown says. "They set a good example and hopefully will inspire more Colorado businesses to look at ways they can reduce their impacts on the environment and Colorado landfills."

At some of San Francisco’s finest restaurants, the environment is artful, the meals are delicious and the kitchen scraps are put to good use through recycling and composting.

The Commercial Recycler of the Year Awards, "the CORYs," recognizes such companies.

As the first place winner in the large restaurants category, Scoma’s on Fisherman’s Wharf diverts 92 percent of its waste from landfill through reuse, recycling and compost programs.

Jardiniere, Farallon (tied for second place) and Boulevard (third place), also separate food scraps for compost material. The restaurants also provide compostable take-out containers instead of Styrofoam or plastic.

Recycline Inc., Waltham, Mass., has introduced the Preserve Razor Recyclable, what it calls "the first environment-friendly alternative to the disposable razor."

The Preserve Razor Recyclable is the latest addition to the Preserve brand, which includes the number-one selling toothbrush line in the natural product marketplace, according to Recycline.

The razors’ handles are made from 100-percent recycled plastics, at least 65 percent of which are recycled Stonyfield Farm yogurt cups. The handles are completely recyclable through community programs that accept #5 plastics or by using Recycline’s postage-paid mailer. Recycline’s patent-pending design uses only one type of material in the handle, and its unique attachment mechanism enables the user to easily pop off the blade when finished.

Recycline President and founder Eric Hudson says disposable razors contribute nearly 2 million pounds of virgin plastics to U.S. landfills yearly, making it "important to look at the life-cycle of the product and design it so that it can be recycled again."

The razor, which will be available to natural product retailers and distributors nationwide in September, features an ergonomic handle, twin blades that flex and pivot to prevent nicks and cuts and a premium blade coating to ensure smooth strokes.

The suggested retail price for a four-pack of the Preserve Razor Recyclable is $6.99. Recycline will also offer $4.99 blade replacement five-packs that also fit Gillette Sensor razors.