2003 Awards
2003 Thomas A. Martin Utah Recycler of the Year Award Recipients
David R. Little
Business
Recycler of the Year
Award Recipient
Dave Little was born in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania on September 6, 1937. Shortly after birth, his family moved to San Diego, California where he was raised. His career started as an apprentice to a carpenter. Eventually, because of his experience in the construction industry, he worked for Paslode to redesign their pneumatic nail gun.
This blossomed into Dave starting ORCO Equipment & Supply, a construction supply company based in San Diego in 1961. He sold ORCO in 1974 and purchased a cattle ranch in Drummond, Montana. He moved to Cache Valley in the late 80's and started Rotational Molding of Utah in 1992.
One of Rotational Molding's base products is the curbside garbage cart. Because of the cold weather here in Utah, a special material is used. That material, cross-linked polyethylene, was deemed 'unrecyclable' in the plastic industry. Nothing motivates Dave more than telling him something can't be done. In working to find a solution, Dave assembled a team to design and develop a process to successfully recycle cross-linked polyethylene. This new process was used to manufacture the wheels for the curbside carts, but was soon discovered that this process could recycle any kind of plastic with almost any kind of contamination.
ReSyk, Inc. was formed in May of 1999 to build the machinery for this new process and to license the technology. Three other Utah companies (two of which were entrepreneurial ventures) purchased machines and started utilizing the technology. It is estimated that 5 million pounds of plastic will be diverted from landfills in Utah annually because of this technology. Dr. Brent Strong from BYU's School of Technology has been a great supporter. He stated in a letter, "I believe that the process you have developed can become a worldwide phenomenon." Last year, it was awarded the prestigious R & D 100 Award, which is an international recognition.
Dave's technology truly is on the path to become that phenomenon.
Mae Roberts
Individual Recycler of the Year Award Recipient
Mae was born in January 28,1932 in Merriol, Wisconsin on a day that few of us would wish for. It was 35 degrees below zero with a 45 mile an hour wind blowing. Life in Wisconsin was for the most part very good, but as she grew, she realized that she was allergic to the soap that was used, and her job required that she use this particular soap. She became ill several times, but with help from above she was able to recover.
Finally someone suggested she leave her job and come out to Salt Lake City. She took that advice, and in 1976 she headed West. Salt Lake was to be but a temporary stop, for she met and married her husband, Dan Roberts, on May 31, 1977 and moved to Provo there after. She still resides there in her cozy little home, on a quiet Provo street.
When she came to Provo, she made a promise that if the Lord would help her get out of debt that year she would give the Primary Children's Hospital, the sum of $100 a year. For many years she collected pennies to reach that goal. For the past seventeen years she has collected aluminum cans. Dan started bringing home aluminum cans from the State Hospital and let her have them.
Mae has continued to collect cans, on her own and with the assistance of loving friends and neighbors who know of her efforts. Last year she donated over $725 to the Primary Children's Hospital and she hopes the time never comes when she shall have to give up. Mae will not give Western States Metals a dirty can or piece of metal. She has been known to empty dirty aluminum cans and clean pieces of metal before she turns them in. As a result, Western States gives Mae $.05 more per pound, not only because she is a great customer but because Mae is providing a noble service to Primary Children's hospital.
Local Newspapers and Television Stations have run their own versions of her story, and in response many people now drop their cans off at her home to continue a noble cause.
We thank you for all of your years of dedication and for the love you have for others. We're sure your life has been blessed as a result of the kindness you have given to others.
Provo City
Green-waste Recycling
Program of the Year
Provo City has been collecting green waste from the curb for the past nine years.
They currently have 2,300 automated green waste collection cans in service. (This is 300-400 containers more than last year.) It is expected, Provo will have over 2,500 by the end of this season.
Provo has approximately 18,000 permanent residential homes. Based on the numbers, almost 13% of their residents voluntarily subscribe for this service. (Most fee-based voluntary programs are usually around 10%).
Provo city collects an average of 10.5 tons of green waste per day, or over 1,800 tons for the season (approximately 35,000 cubic yards of yard waste annually.
The program runs from April through November, residents are charged $5 per month during those months. In the off-months, residents can store them, or the city will pick it up and they can request it again in the spring.
Provo has truly been the pioneer in Utah for green-waste recycling.
The compost facility is under the direction of Alan Leftwich. Provo and Allen have received a number of accolades for the great products it produces.