Juno Pier Gets New Recycling Bins

(Press Release)_"The Juno Beach Pier recently received new recycling bins thanks to a grant made possible by Dr Pepper Snapple Group in collaboration with Keep America Beautiful. The Dr Pepper Snapple Group/Keep America Beautiful Park Recycling Bin Grant Program provides funding for over 900 new recycling bins in public parks across the country in 2016, making recycling more accessible for Americans enjoying the outdoors.

The new bins are located at the Juno Beach Pier – managed by Loggerhead Marinelife Center – in a continued effort to promote pollution prevention and engage pier visitors in marine conservation measures.
 
Now in its fourth year, the public park recycling grant program has awarded more than 3,400 recycling bins to Keep America Beautiful affiliates, local governments and other community organizations across 28 states to expand the availability of recycling. This investment in recycling infrastructure has improved recycling accessibility and convenience in a variety of park settings, including neighborhood and larger regional parks, beaches and piers, athletic fields and walking trails.
 
“We are truly honored and grateful to the Dr Pepper Snapple Group/Keep America Beautiful Park Recycling Bin Grant Program,” said Tommy Cutt, LMC’s chief conservation officer. “Marine debris and plastic pollution continues to be a significant threat to sea turtles. The installation of these bins will help reduce the threat of ocean debris by providing anglers and pier-goers a practical recycling solution.”
 
“We’re taking aim at two challenges that communities face nationwide – cleaning up parks and other shared spaces and reducing the strain on landfills,” said Vicki Draughn, vice president of corporate affairs for Dr Pepper Snapple Group. “Our partnership with Keep America Beautiful puts more recycling bins in more cities within reach of more consumers who are on-the-go, helping tackle both of those challenges.”
 
The lack of away-from-home recycling opportunities is reflected in a recent national survey by Keep America Beautiful to understand where people normally recycle. While 92 percent said they recycled at home, only 19 percent indicated that they typically recycle in public parks. Additional research conducted by Keep America Beautiful indicated only 12 percent of surveyed public locations had recycling infrastructure in place to recover the containers. The Dr. Pepper Snapple Group/Keep America Beautiful Park Recycling Bin Grant Program is designed to address the obstacle of overcoming a lack of recycling convenience.
 
“With the help of Dr Pepper Snapple Group, we’re transforming public spaces into beautiful places by making sure more recyclables are being placed in proper receptacles in our parks and natural areas,” said Brenda Pulley, senior vice president/recycling, Keep America Beautiful. “Our partnership is helping to make recycling more accessible and convenient, which is one of primary factors in making recycling a daily habit.”
 
In addition to improving recycling opportunities, the grant program will make additional funds available to Keep America Beautiful community-based affiliates or other grant recipients who commit to conducting a Litter Index in conjunction with the grant to help study the effects of the recycling bins on reducing litter in the immediate areas of the bins.

For LMC, the grant will allow the center to continue educating locals and out-of-county visitors about the importance of conservation through simple actions and better track the amount of recycling that goes into the bins at the Juno Beach Pier.