By Jubi Headley
March 5, 2012

The United States Conference of Mayors and Novelis Inc., the world leader in rolled aluminum products, have partnered once again to sponsor the 2012 Cans for Cash City Recycling Challenge. Enrollment is now open for this program which since 2004 has promoted aluminum beverage can recycling in cities. Since its inception, participating cities have recycled nearly 800 million aluminum beverage cans as part of the Cans for Cash City Recycling Challenge, and organizers are hoping in 2012 to top the one billion mark.

After taking a year-long hiatus to revamp the program, the Conference of Mayors and Novelis have made a number of significant changes to the Challenge for 2012. This year there will be two competition categories – Most Cans Collected, and Most Innovative Ideas. In the “Most Cans Collected” Category, awards will be presented to the top three cities that collect the most recyclable aluminum beverage cans over a continuous four-week period between March 1 and April 30. Winning cities are determined by the ratio of the city population to the total number of cans recycled.

In the past, cities with single stream recycling (where recyclable materials are collected mixed together with no sorting required by individual residents) have found it difficult to participate in Cans for Cash. In single stream recycling cities, these materials are typically separated at a third-party materials recovery facility, and cities are often provided with an audit that documents specific commodities as a percentage of the total waste stream, rather than exact quantities. After conducting an extensive survey with past Cans for Cash participants and other cities, the Conference of Mayors and Novelis have modified the rules for documentation to allow cities to submit these audits as verification by using a simple mathematical equation to convert these percentages into pounds, cities can calculate their collections for the Challenge collection period. In addition to audits from third party recyclers, actual receipts from third party scrap resellers/recyclers will continue to be accepted as documentation, as in previous years.

In the “Most Innovative Ideas” categories, awards will be presented to the top three cities with the most innovative ideas for promoting aluminum beverage can recycling, as determined by an external panel of judges. Prior to 2012, this category was split into two, with a separate category for cities who partnered with their local Keep America Beautiful affiliates to promote aluminum beverage can recycling. For 2012 all cities, whether they partner with Keep America Beautiful affiliates or other groups, may all compete in the one category.

To compete in the “Most Innovative Ideas” category cities must submit an application form detailing their efforts to promote aluminum beverage can recycling, and are encouraged to include sample materials created such as posters, e-mails, web pages, door hangers, photographs from events, press releases, social media activities, etc.

For 2012, the top prize in each category has been increased to $25,000 – more than five times the top award amount in previous years. Second place winners in each category will receive $15,000, and third place winners will receive $5,000.

Also, to make it easier for cities to participate, for the first time in 2012, cities will be able to submit their Cans for Cash applications and supporting documentation online. All applications and supporting documentation/materials must be submitted by May 11. Winners will be announced at the 80th Annual Conference of Mayors in Orlando this coming June.

Cities can enroll in the 2012 Cans for Cash City Recycling Challenge online at www.cans4cash.com. For more information on the 2012 Cans for Cash City Recycling Challenge, contact Jubi Headley by telephone (202) 861-6798, or send e-mail to jheadley@usmayors.org.