Waste Management named Recycler of the Year in Washington for its use of social media

Houston-based Waste Management has been named Recycler of the Year in the Innovation category by the Washington State Recycling Association (WSRA).

Each year, WSRA presents Recycler of the Year awards to individuals, businesses, government agencies and community organizations that are strengthening and expanding recycling and waste prevention practices across the state. The Innovation award recognizes Waste Management’s work to engage communities across the state to recycle via its network of 11 company-run social media channels.

According to Waste Management, it has been able to strengthen the company’s traditional outreach and education programming through its social media engagement with area communities.

“The new digital landscape has revolutionized how people get information, learn and engage,” Mary Evans, director of Public Sector Solutions for Waste Management–Pacific Northwest, says. “Conversations are shorter, faster and [going on] 24/7. To this, add a global recycling crisis that upended the economics of recycling and created new pressures to reduce recycling contamination. It’s a huge challenge. Waste Management responded by using social media to activate behavior change to reduce waste and clean up recycling.”

Waste Management noted in a release that it works to develop social media content to “educate communities in compelling, bite-size pieces and activate positive behavior change around recycling habits.”