Alpine Waste & Recycling Resumes Yard Sign Campaign

Media Contact: Steve Caulk ProConnect Public Relations 303-410-4971 [email protected]

Election season prompts effort to divert material from landfill

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Oct. 20, 2014) – Alpine Waste & Recycling has again arranged to recycle thousands of political yard signs this election season. Alpine Waste, through its Altogether Recycling division, became the first Denver- area recycler to accept yard signs during campaign season, launching its initiative in 2007. To management’s knowledge, Alpine remains the only yard-sign recycler in the Denver area. “At Alpine, we constantly look for innovative ways to increase the materials that we recycle and divert volume away from landfills,” said Brent Hildebrand, vice president-recycling, at Alpine Waste. “Despite the challenge of finding a market every year for these yard signs, the project is always particularly rewarding. We want to clean up the yard signs as much as everybody else does.” Hildebrand emphasized that the only signs that the market will reasonably handle right now are the signs made of rigid, corrugated plastic. The flimsy plastic (LDPE) signs, similar shower-curtain material, is not recyclable at this time, under current conditions. After the 2012 presidential election, Alpine Waste calculated that it recycled 2.5 tons of yard signs, plus metal wickets that anchor the signs to the ground. This year’s non-presidential load is likely to be about half that amount, Hildebrand said. Alpine has set up a container near the main office door at the Altogether Recycling plant, 645 W. 53rd Place, Denver, where campaign workers can drop off their unwanted corrugated plastic signs. Alpine asks that campaign workers separate the plastic from the metal, and drop the metal wickets in a nearby container, clearly marked for that purpose. Alpine welcomes drop-offs between the hours of 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, until Nov. 18. In order to reduce traffic, Alpine asks that campaign workers try to consolidate loads as much as possible. “Eventually, the signs will be converted into plastic pellets,” Hildebrand said, “and the pellets will be used for the manufacture of common consumer goods, such as lawn chairs, trash cans, toys and other heavy-plastic items.”

About Alpine Waste & Recycling Alpine Waste & Recycling is the largest privately held commercial waste, recycling and compost collection company in Colorado. Founded in 1999 as a single-truck operation, the company has parlayed a customer-service and sustainability focus into a compound annual revenue growth rate of greater than 35 percent over 13 years. With more than 80 trucks and more than 200 employees, Alpine handles more than 300,000 tons of waste and recycle products per year. In 2009, the Colorado Association for Recycling named Alpine as the state’s most outstanding business for its recycling/diversion program (Altogether Recycling™). In 2008 and 2012, ColoradoBiz Magazine named Alpine as the state’s Top Company (Service Category) and Top Company Finalist, respectively; and in 2010 named Alpine as a “Colorado Company to Watch.” Commerce City named Alpine as its 2010 Small Business of the Year; and the Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce named Alpine in 2011 as a Finalist for Green Company of the Year Award. Last year, Alpine was named as the recipient of the ACG’s 2012 Emerging Growth Award. Information: 303-744-9881, or go to www.alpinewaste.com.