By Susan Jarvis
February 11, 2008

U.S. Conference of Mayors, Novelis Inc. and Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (KAB) announced the winners in the fourth annual Cans for Cash: City Recycling Challenge January 24 at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 76th Winter Meeting in Washington (DC). To encourage recycling, the program challenges like'sized cities to compete against each other in aluminum can collection for monetary awards. During October 2007, more than 50 cities collected over 191 million used beverage cans.

The winners of the $5,000 awards for the most aluminum cans recycled are:

• Division One (population 250,000-) Milwaukee (WI)* — 1,385,328 pounds, Mayor Tom Barrett

• Division Two (population 100,000-249,999) Fontana (CA)* — 774,614 pounds, Mayor Mark Nuami

• Division Three (population 50,000-99,999) Des Plaines (IL) — 1,120,660 pounds, Mayor Anthony Arredia

• Division Four (population below 50,000) Richmond (IN)* — 43,381 pounds, Mayor Sally Hutton

* Note: 2006 Winners in Division Category

To help mayors engage their communities in recycling and raise awareness about its importance over the long term, cities submitted innovative education and marketing ideas for an additional $5,000 award. The cities being recognized for the most innovative campaigns are as follows:

• Division One: Austin (TX) Mayor Will Wynn

• Division Two: Irvine (CA) Mayor Beth Krom

• Division Three: Fargo (ND) Mayor Dennis Walaker

• Division Four: Poland (OH) Mayor Christine Yash

The following winning cities will be awarded $5,000 and their local Keep America Beautiful, Inc. affiliate will be awarded $2,500:

• Division One: Louisville (KY)* Mayor Jerry E. Abramson

• Division Two: Irving (TX) Mayor, Herbert Gears

• Division Three: Evanston (IL) Mayor Lorraine H. Morton

• Division Four: LaGrange (GA) Mayor Jeff Lukken

For a complete list of cities that participated in the 2007 Cans for Cash program, visit the website: usmayors.org/mwma.