AFMInc Publishes Recycling Guidelines for Mass Participant
Sporting Events
A broad review of best recycling
practices at special events includes recommendations for recycling Heatsheetså¨
finishers’ blankets as well as other recyclable materials

PETALUMA, Calif. – (January 30, 2009) – Stephanie Deigan,
President and COO of AFMInc has announced the online publication of an
updated set of guidelines for recycling at mass participant sporting events. The
14-page reference and resource guide is available for download, at no
charge, from the company’s website at: Heatsheets.com/green.asp

“Last fall, in collaboration with green events consultant
Eco-Logistics and Jon Stein of Consolidated Container Company, we embarked on a
six-event pilot program to assess the potential for recycling Heatsheets
finishers’ blankets,” said Deigan. “We soon learned that any recycling effort
should take into account the event’s overall waste recovery objectives,
opportunities and plans. So, we decided to develop a broad set of recycling
guidelines for the mass participant sporting event industry, rather than
focusing solely on Heatsheets.”

The resulting PDF booklet offers a step-by-step approach to
pre-event waste recovery planning and event setup, tips for building awareness
and participation during the event, post-event details that shouldn’t be
overlooked, as well as specific recommendations for recycling Heatsheets and
other recoverable and compostable materials. In keeping with its straightforward
approach, the booklet begins with a word of caution:

This guide was prepared during a time of extreme turmoil in
the recycling marketplace. The worldwide economic downturn and the U.S. credit
crisis have had a profound impact on recycling. Commodities that U.S. mills were
outbidding each other for last summer are now languishing in warehouses and
vendors are looking for any market at any price. With more supply than demand,
clean recyclables will always have a market advantage over materials that are
contaminated. As a result, ensuring that your recovery efforts result in clean,
marketable material is now more important than ever.

Looking ahead to the upcoming spring marathon season, Deigan
encourages events to plan ahead. “It may take a little digging to find a
plastics recycler who is willing to accept recovered Heatsheets and some extra
effort to discover what general recycling resources are available in your area,”
she said. “But, it should be worth the effort, knowing that you’ve kept a
recyclable product from becoming just another single-use throwaway.”