Danielle Jackson

Alexandria, Va. -- The National Recycling Coalition (NRC) will give its Recycling Works Recognition Award to McDonald's Corp., Oak Brook, Ill.; Aveda, Minneapolis; and Collins & Aikman Floorcoverings Inc., Troy, Mich., for their waste prevention and recycling initiatives.

In 1990, McDonald's partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund to reduce waste. As a result, the company has introduced brown, unbleached, recycled carryout bags; eliminated polystrene sandwich containers; reduced the size of its napkins and the thickness of its cups; and switched from cardboard to paper wraps for its hash browns. During the 1990s, McDonald's eliminated 150,000 tons of packaging, recycled 1 million tons of corrugated cardboard and purchased more than $3 billion in recycled products.

Over the years, Aveda has worked with its suppliers to develop and use environmentally friendly packaging materials for its flower- and plant-based hair, skin, body and makeup products. The company was the first in its industry to use 50 percent post-consumer high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in its hair care bottles, and is increasing it to nearly 60 percent. Aveda also recycles more than 90 percent of its manufacturing waste and has created a line of 100-percent reuseable compacts made from 80 percent post-consumer recycled aluminum.

Collins & Aikman Floorcoverings has developed a technology to "closed loop" recycle its own products back into themselves and has diverted 100 percent of its manufacturing waste from disposal, sending zero manufacturing waste to landfills and incinerators since 1974, according to the NRC. The company supplies six-foot roll goods and modular tile products.