The National Waste & Recycling Association (NW&RA) said it has reached a record high in membership, with a nearly 20-percent increase the past two years.

The Washington-based waste and recycling association now totals 813 members, the NW&RA said in a news release.

“This record growth reflects the association’s focus on providing programs that serve members’ needs, builds the image of the industry and anticipates opportunities,” said Sharon Kneiss, president and CEO of NW&RA. “We are confident that the valuable benefits we provide our members will encourage more waste and recycling companies to join the association, to get involved and to stay active in our evolving industry.”

Recently implemented member programs also have benefited the association, said Jonathan Sper, NW&RA’s director of membership marketing and business development. Those programs include the Member Buy from Member program, which connects NW&RA members to do business with each other, and the Safe Driver Certification program, which promotes best practices and fills in training gaps.

Companies that join NW&RA now will be considered part of the 2015 membership year, giving them two months of membership free and access to all the benefits of membership through December 2015.