CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - October 25, 2017) - Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS), the Midwest's leading independent recycling and waste diversion provider was awarded the Illinois Governor's Sustainability Award at a luncheon held on October 24. This prestigious award recognizes LRS as a leader in implementing cutting-edge and sustainable business operations, technologies, programs, products and company culture. The Governor's Sustainability Award is the longest running environmental award in the nation.
Since the award's inception in 1987, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ITSC), a division of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, partners with the Office of the Governor to honor a select number of Illinois companies for their significant efforts in waste reduction, energy efficiency, environmental programming and pollution prevention. This highly sought-after honor is awarded to Illinois organizations that have demonstrated a dedication to environmental excellence through unique and sustainable practices. This year, a total of 22 companies were recognized, and of those, 13 companies were first-time recipients.
"Our commitment to environmental responsibility is not only shown in all of our operations and practices as a company, but also in our pledge to never own a landfill. In the waste industry, companies make most of their revenue in taking waste to landfills but LRS takes pride in creating an efficient business model with sustainability as our top priority," said Alan T. Handley, Lakeshore Recycling Systems' CEO.
In March 2016, LRS opened its first single-stream recycling center, which efficiently sorts, separates and allocates recyclable material from waste. This facility handles more than 110,000 tons of high-grade residential and commercial single stream recyclables, and allocates over 20 tons of waste per hour. Since the implementation of this single-stream recycling center, recycling participation across the Chicagoland area has substantially increased. Additionally, LRS created the first ever compost program in Illinois, and offers customers the option of curbside collection for their food scrap and landscape waste.
LRS was the first privately-held waste and recycling company in the nation to implement Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in August 2016. RFID technology allows LRS to track and bill customers based on when their waste is collected using a tag that is embedded into their waste containers. Customers are only billed when their waste is collected.
This year, LRS introduced the first aerobic digester in the United States used to convert food scraps and landscape waste into high-grade fertilizer. The aerobic digester produces zero methane gas, water pollution and odor, and LRS was the first to utilize the technology in waste diversion. LRS also offers organic waste collection to our customers and strives to divert as much waste from landfills as possible.
As the largest privately-held waste and recycling company in Illinois, LRS controls over 32% of the Chicagoland footprint, which is over a million tons of outbound commercial and residential waste. With a 40% diversion rate of municipal solid waste, LRS annually keeps over 800,000 tons of solid waste out of landfills.
"Sustainability is in our core mission and everything we do revolves around it. We work relentlessly as a company to serve Illinois as the top sustainable waste hauler and we want to thank the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center and the Office of the Governor for this amazing recognition as it reinforces our commitment to preserving the environment," said Handley.
About Lakeshore Recycling Systems Serving Chicagoland for nearly 20 years, Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) is the largest private waste company in Illinois, specializing in recycling and waste diversion programs, affordable roll-off container services, portable restroom rentals, mulch distribution, street sweeping, on-site storage options and comprehensive waste removal to Chicagoland businesses and residential homeowners. LRS owns and operates seven Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), a fleet of fuel-efficient natural gas-powered trucks and is run by over 720 committed full-time employees. LRS is a recipient of Chicago Public Schools' coveted Best Partnership Award, is ranked #35 on Waste360's 2016 Top 100 Waste and Recycling Companies in North America and is a 2016 multi-Stevie award winning company with honors including Company of the Year, Most Innovative Company of the Year and Fastest Growing Company of the Year. Controlling over 2.3 million tons-per-year, LRS does not own a landfill and is committed to raising awareness for a more environmentally sustainable and scalable business model that fuels the circular economy. To learn more, visit www.LRSrecycles.com.
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Contact Information:
Company Contact:
Meaghan Johnson
Director of Marketing
Lakeshore Recycling Systems
847.779.7507
