News Releases from Headquarters › Land and Emergency Management (OLEM)

EPA Celebrates America Recycles Week

Contact Information: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)

WASHINGTON (Nov. 13, 2019) — In honor of America Recycles Week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be hosting a myriad of events and activities throughout the week. The week culminates in America Recycles Day on Friday, November 15 with the second EPA Recycling Summit. This year's summit will bring together leaders from all points on the recycling value chain and all levels of government to build on successes from the historic summit last year and commit to continuing to work together further to address global recycling challenges.

“Under the Trump Administration, EPA is working diligently to identify market-based strategies and innovative ideas to create a more sustainable recycling system in America,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “By spurring market development and adoption of new technologies and practices, we can create an appetite for more recycled materials. I look forward to continuing our work with our partners to improve infrastructure, develop secondary markets, and more effectively communicate with the public about addressing the entire lifecycle of recycled materials.”

Washington, DC Recycling Events

Thursday, November 14:

WHAT: America Recycles Innovation Fair

WHERE: Ronald Reagan Building

2nd Floor Pavilion Room

1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, DC 20004

WHEN: 1:00 – 6:00 PM ET

Credentialed press: please RSVP to press@epa.gov for additional information. RSVPs must be sent at least three hours prior to the start of the event.

The Innovation Fair is open to the public. If you plan to attend, please register at https://americarecyclesinnovationfair.eventbrite.com.

To learn more about the Innovation Fair visit: https://www.epa.gov/americarecycles/2019-america-recycles-innovation-fair.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friday, November 15:

WHAT: America Recycles Summit

WHERE: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency East Building

1201 Constitution Ave NW

Washington, DC 20004

WHEN: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET

Credential press: please RSVP to press@epa.gov for additional information. RSVPs must be sent at least three hours prior to the start of the event.

To find other America Recycles Day events and opportunities to volunteer, see Keep America Beautiful’s website: https://americarecyclesday.org/events.

To learn EPA’s America Recycles efforts: www.epa.gov/AmericaRecycles.

Background

On November 15, 2018, Administrator Wheeler convened the first-ever summit which brought a wide array of industry, government, and non-profit leaders to the table to advance ideas and solutions to enhance the nation’s recycling infrastructure, create new markets for recycled materials, and improve public education regarding recycling. The Recycling Summit focused on four action areas to improve and develop over the next year to advance a national approach to recycling: (1) education and outreach, (2) enhancing materials management infrastructure, (3) strengthening secondary materials markets, and (4) enhancing measurement.

During the Recycling Summit, EPA and participants signed a unified pledge to commit to work together to improve the state of the recycling system in the United States.