Public Sector Links up with Private Groups to Boost OMG Recycling

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle joined Quad/Graphics Chairman and CEO Tom Quadracci at the company's Sussex plant to launch a campaign with national business and non-profit partners aimed at increasing recycling of magazines and catalogs in metropolitan Milwaukee, with a focus on the Milwaukee and Waukesha County. The partnership was created by a diverse group, including the National Recycling Coalition, Time Inc., International Paper, and recyclers FCR and Recycle America Alliance. Locally, the partnership will include Quad/Graphics as well as the City of Milwaukee and Waukesha County.

The ReMix -- Recycling Magazines is Excellent -- campaign, is designed to inform residents that they can include magazines and catalogs with their other paper recycling.

For the national ReMix partners, the environmental benefit was a key factor in the decision to sponsor the public awareness program.

The national partnership members, along with recycling processors FCR and Recycling Alliance America, developed public service advertisements to encourage curbside recycling of magazines and catalogs.

The partners will measure the recovery of magazines and catalogs in Milwaukee and in Waukesha County. Currently, paper represents about 63 percent of the residential tonnage that is recycled by the City of Milwaukee and Waukesha County. However, with about 30 percent of magazines and catalogs recycled, the ReMix partners see a clear opportunity to create an exemplary program that other cities will want to emulate.