PRESS RELEASE: May 20, 2015
DEP RECOGNIZES JM FAMILY ENTERPRISES FOR OUTSTANDING RECYCLING EFFORT
~DEP honors company for its 64 percent recycling rate~
 From left to right: Rep. Kristin Jacobs (D –
Coconut Creek); Jennifer Smith, Florida Department of Environmental
Protection southeast assistant district director; Colin Brown, JM Family
Enterprises, Inc., president and Chief
Executive Officer; and Cristina Abboud Hicks, JM Family Enterprises,
Inc., environmental sustainability manager.
Deerfield Beach, Fla.
– The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Southeast District
recognized JM Family Enterprises today for its superior recycling efforts. In
2014, the automotive company achieved a recycling rate of 64 percent at their Florida
facilities.
“JM Family Enterprises has done a great job recycling waste,
which reduces their environmental footprint,” said DEP Southeast Assistant
Director Jennifer Smith. “The department is pleased to recognize JM
Family Enterprises for their efforts to promote environmentally responsible
practices.”
In addition to recycling traditional consumer commodities
such as aluminum, glass, paper and plastic, JM Family Enterprises also recycles
automotive-industry material including used oil, anti-freeze, construction and
demolition debris, tires and much more. In total, the company recycled more
than 4.48 million pounds. Diverting those materials from landfills has prevented
6,198 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
“Giving back is a cornerstone of our company, and we
understand the importance of aligning business goals with the needs of
communities where our associates live and work,” said Colin Brown, president
and CEO of JM Family. “A natural
progression of this philosophy includes accountability for the company’s impact
on the environment. Therefore, we concentrate our efforts on preserving
natural resources and becoming a more sustainable organization.”
To help businesses increase recycling efficiency, the
department has an easy tool to track recycling efforts – the Florida DEP Business
Recycling Tracking Tool. Through the
website, which includes free registration, companies can track different types
of recycling efforts and produce reports on how those efforts are helping to
shrink their carbon footprint. The tracking tool helps the department identify
companies that are doing more to go green.
Approximately 55 percent of the total municipal solid
waste stream in Florida is commercial. In order for Florida to reach a 75
percent recycling rate by 2020, a goal established by the Florida Legislature
in 2008, the department is urging all sectors, especially the commercial
sector, to increase recycling efforts. According to the 2013 data, only 51
percent of commercial waste is being recycled. To meet the statewide recycling
goal, it is crucial that businesses, schools and other commercial entities
increase their recycling efforts. Recycling provides a direct cost savings to
most businesses because the more that is recycled, the less waste and thus, lower
waste-management operating costs. Reuse of materials can also represent a cost
savings.
For more information about the Recycling Recognition Program click here.
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