Recycling to Keep America Beautiful

Keep America Beautiful (KAB) established as one of its 2013 Vibrant Communities Goals to place 5,000 recycling bins in public spaces to increase on-the-go recycling.

KAB is pleased to have already exceeded its 2013 goal through a number of Public Space Recycling partner programs.

On Earth Day, The Coca-Cola Company and its philanthropic arm, The Coca-Cola Foundation, announced that it is providing KAB a more than $2.5 million grant to increase citywide recycling throughout Chicago. Through this grant, The Coca-Cola Foundation will provide Chicago neighborhoods with 25,000 new recycling carts this year and will continue to provide another 25,000 carts over the next five years. Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s goal is to reach all Chicago households with recycling carts by the end of 2013.

In addition, the Coco-Cola/Keep America Beautiful Recycling Bin Grant Program provides colleges, K-12 schools, nonprofits and local governments to advance their recycling efforts thanks to a significant grant. The winning communities, schools, universities and organizations are receiving between 5,000 and 5,200 recycling bins.

Alcoa Foundation partnered with KAB and the College & University Recycling Coalition (CURC) to provide more than 11,500 recycling bins to 35 colleges and universities throughout the U.S. These recycling bins will help to expand on-campus recycling programs and raise awareness about the environmental impact of recycling.

KAB and Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) recently announced a partnership focusing on increasing recycling in city, regional and state public parks across the country. As part of this collaboration, DPS is donating $300,000 to KAB to fund recycling bins that will provide citizens visiting public parks greater access to recycling.

Through these partnerships and bin grant programs, on-the-go recycling will become more convenient and accessible to the public, thereby reducing litter and waste throughout these locations.