FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 27 , 2001
It Pays To Be Green In Florida
--State’s
recycling and reuse facilities generate $4.4 billion in annual
revenue--
TALLAHASSEE
-- Recycling in
Florida is not just about environmental protection. It’s about
sound economics. More specifically, it’s about the far-reaching
financial benefits Florida garners from its thriving recycling and
reuse industry. According to the recently published Florida
Recycling Economic Information (REI) Study, the state’s
3,700 recycling and reuse facilities employ 32,000 workers and
generate annual revenues of $4.4 billion.
“This
ground-breaking report quantifies the size and impact of Florida’s
recycling and reuse industry, addressing a long-standing need for
economic data,” said David B. Struhs, Secretary of the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection. “Any Floridians still
searching for a reason to support recycling need look no further
than the results of this report.”
The data
is impressive. Recycling and reuse establishments maintain an
average payroll of $765 million, which is 10-times higher than
that of Florida’s convenience store industry. In addition, even
though Florida’s recycling and reuse industry employs only
one-fifth the number of people employed by the fast food industry,
its total payroll is more than half that of fast food restaurants.
The recycling/reuse business also generates $62.7 million in state
government revenues each year. The REI study results are already
gaining notice and providing critical information to government
decision makers, lawmakers, economic development agencies,
entrepreneurs, and financiers.
“Good
decision making requires quality data. In many ways, understanding
the contribution of recycling to Florida’s economy will lead to
smarter programs that strengthen the entire industry here,” said
John Ruddell, director of the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection’s Division of Waste Management.
For many,
the economic results of Florida’s REI study merely corroborate a
long list of well established benefits of recycling and reuse. By
converting waste into valuable raw materials, recycling builds
more competitive manufacturing industries, cuts pollution,
conserves natural resources, saves energy, and reduces greenhouse
gas emissions.
“The
utilization of recycled materials -- used drywall, glass, and
paper for example -- in our production process has far exceeded
anyone’s expectations,” said Clayton H. Sembler, President CDS
Manufacturing, Inc. “At current projections, we anticipate up to
a 58% reduction in cost-of-goods-sold. In addition to these
internal cost savings, our ability to now promote our products as
‘green/sustainable’ has opened numerous markets/customers
opportunities that were previously closed to us or unknown.”
The
Florida REI study was completed as part of the U.S. Recycling
Economic Information Project, a national study of the economic
impact of recycling and reuse commissioned by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency through a cooperative agreement
with the National Recycling Coalition.
Primary
study results document information such as the number of recycling
and reuse business establishments currently operating; total value
of goods and services provided; total employment; total wages; and
amount of materials collected and processed annually.
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