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Keep Texas Recycling

TEEA 2020 Winner: Civic/Community

For the past 25 years, Keep Texas Recycling (formerly known as Cooperative Teamwork & Recycling Assistance) has been the only nonprofit cooperative marketing organization in Texas, and one of just a few in the nation. KTR’s mission is to preserve the environment by promoting recycling through cooperative marketing, the provision of guaranteed end-market contracts, reuse of recyclable materials, coordination of recycling efforts, and promoting public education in rural areas that typically do not have access to recycling services.

KTR currently consists of 52 recycling cooperatives who serve more than 500 entities, more than 500,000 Texas citizens, and covers a service area of over 43,000 square miles, including many rural communities that would not have recycling services otherwise. Since 1995, when the first load of material was sent to market, KTR’s members have recycled 142,703 tons of material. This has generated over $10.3 million in revenue for these communities, as well as saved over 434,000 yards of landfill space and $4.9 million in landfill fees.

The executive director also conducts between 5 and 15 presentations throughout the year to community civic groups and at various workshops and conferences. Site visits and individual support to the cooperative’s members is crucial to understanding the needs of the community and the best way to educate and disseminate information.