Mark Parkinson receives the Recycling Officer of the Year award

High flying recycling officer scoops a top industry award

A high flying recycling officer at Staffordshire County Council is celebrating his success after scooping a top industry award.

Mark Parkinson was crowned Recycling Officer of the Year at the prestigious National Recycling Awards which were held at the International Centre in Telford.

The Recycling and Marketing Manager went head to head against hundreds of colleagues from across the country and was given first prize over three other short-listed candidates.

Mark said he was delighted to have scooped the award.

"It is a great honour to have been given such a prestigious award. My team and I are dedicated to helping residents to recycle whatever they can and it is nice that our work has been recognised. We are all very committed to drastically reducing the amount of waste that is sent to landfill and hope that the community will continue to support us in doing that."

Mark, who has worked at the County Council for two and a half years, has been instrumental in introducing an innovative range of recycling methods across Staffordshire.

People can now drop off plastic bottles to be recycled at all but one of the authority's waste centres as well as being able to dispose of batteries in an environmentally friendly way.

Mark and his team have also supported Staffordshire Furniture Reuse Network which consists of not-for-profit and charity organisations. It specialises in selling hugely discounted, second-hand furniture to people in need such as low income families and those setting up home for the first time.

The 32-year-old's success follows hot on the heels of Staffordshire County Council being ranked as number one in a national study for dealing with waste.

The Price Waterhouse Cooper report compared councils' performances across the full range of services and put the authority top in the environment category - against 33 other councils in the UK.

The report looked at the drive to raise rates of recycling and composting, the reduction in waste going to landfill, the efficiency of operations at the household waste recycling centres and the effectiveness of waste to energy operations.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council also shone at the National Recycling Awards when its revamped kerbside collection scheme beat competition from 50 rivals to win in the category of Best Local Authority Initiative.

Page Last Modified: 19/11/2008 17:18:14

Back to top