Abitibi Retrieves Award

Abitibi-Consolidated Inc., Houston, has been named one of 10 recipients of the Texas Environmental Excellence Award. The paper manufacturer and recycler has received the award from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for its PaperRetriever recycling program.

Representatives of Abitibi-Consolidated will receive the award on May 10 at the Texas Environmental Excellence Awards banquet in Austin. Award winners are chosen by Texas Governor Rick Perry and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Abitibi-Consolidated earned the award in the Large Business/Nontechnical category for its statewide PaperRetriever program, which provides free on-site recycling bins and collection services to schools, churches, and other non-profit organizations and then pays the organizations for the paper they collect.

Initiated in Houston in 1995, PaperRetriever now reaches more than 3,500 organizations in Texas and has expanded throughout North America and the United Kingdom. In Texas alone, participants recycled 278,000 tons of paper in 2004—enough to cover more than 9,000 football fields—and earned more than $1 million.

Participating organizations benefit directly by being paid for the recyclable paper they collect. Funds raised help refurbish playgrounds, enhance libraries and underwrite scholarships, among other projects. The program complements existing community recycling efforts by providing recycling services in locations that traditionally are underserved. In addition, it encourages student stewardship and involvement in recycling through bilingual educational materials, which are distributed to partners free of charge.

The TCEQ presents its awards annually to environmental projects across the state that demonstrate “the highest achievements in resource conservation, waste reduction and pollution prevention.” More information on the program and applications for next year’s awards can be found at www.teea.org.