The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority (OHSWA) recently honored the Little Falls, NY, operations of Twin Rivers Paper with their annual Recycling Champion Award for 2022. OHSWA recognizes one certified RecycleOne Business each year that has taken the initiative to reduce its solid waste stream through reduction, recycling and proper disposal.

"This recognition means a lot to team members at our New York mills," said Twin Rivers Paper Environmental Supervisor Rick Petrie. "Environmental stewardship is extremely important to us at Twin Rivers Paper. With the great support of the OHSWA program and the dedication of our team, we have taken recycling and waste reduction at our New York operations to a new level and will continue that commitment."

In May 2022, Twin Rivers' Mill Street and Mohawk Valley operations earned OHSWA's RecycleOne Business Certification. Partnering with OHSWA, team members at the mills developed and implemented a comprehensive solid waste reduction, recycling and energy conservation program. The ongoing work includes identifying outlets for traditionally hard to recycle materials and prioritizing materials reuse.

Twin Rivers was selected for the Recycling Champion Award based on recycling and waste reduction efforts, including:

• Switching from fluorescent to LED lightbulbs, reducing light bulb waste by over 85%
• Reprocessing wastepaper generated through the manufacturing process and also accepting and reprocessing wastepaper from buyers
• Reusing manufacturing materials or sending them back to the distributor
• Recycling office papers, bale wires, and cardboard cores from rolls of paper
• DEC Beneficial Use Determination of nutrient rich sediment in water tanks

"We applaud the crews at our Mill Street and Mohawk Valley mills for their dedication and ongoing efforts that have resulted in this phenomenal recognition," said John Bates, Director of New York Operations. "The Recycling Champion Award reflects our steadfast commitment and daily focus on recycling and reducing waste - efforts that benefit not only our business, but our customers, our local community, and the environment."