The 3rd annual Recycle Palooza is here! There are two components to Federal Way Recycle Palooza:

• Recycle Palooza Contest: Sign up to have your home’s recycling efforts compared head-to-head with other area residents for a chance to win $1,000, courtesy of Waste Management.

• Family Green Fest: If selected as a contestant for the Recycle Palooza Contest, your recycling will be judged at the Family Green Fest which is a fun and educational environmental fair with recycling opportunities, games, door prizes and more.

Recycle Palooza Contest:
You MUST sign up by April 10, 2013 to be eligible. No purchase is necessary; however, only City of Federal Way residents with current Waste Management residential garbage/recycle accounts are eligible to participate. Sign up online or call 253.835.2771.

• After the April 10 deadline, a pool of eligible residents who have signed up to participate will be randomly chosen as contestants in the recycling sort at the Recycle Palooza Event & Family Green Fest on April 27. These names will not be announced until after cart removal.
• These randomly-chosen residents will have their recycling carts sealed, labeled and removed on their service day (during April 15-26). (Of course, Waste Management will leave a new recycling cart behind!) All selected residents will be notified when their carts are removed that they are eligible to become contestants at the Recycle Palooza Event on April 27.
• Selected residents or a representative MUST attend the Recycle Palooza Event on April 27 to be eligible to win prizes. Waste Management will bring the sealed recycling carts to the event for the recycling sort contest.
• Volunteers and our “Expert Recycler” Judges will sort the contents of contestants’ recycling carts for final qualification. Cart contents will be scored based upon a variety of factors, including: Clean Recyclables; No Garbage; No Unacceptable (Wrong) Items, and others. Note: the final decision on all Recycle Palooza scoring shall be made by the City of Federal Way. Qualifications for our “Expert Recycler” judges includes extensive knowledge of residential waste reduction & recycling practices, experience with waste sorting techniques, ability to consistently assess recyclable materials, and an open, accommodating, and friendly attitude.
• Contestants whose carts have the highest scores will be entered in a random drawing to win great prizes! All prizes will be awarded live at the Recycle Palooza Event on April 27.

Recycle Palooza Contest Prizes:
All selected contestants who attend the Recycle Palooza Event on April 27 and pass the recycling sort will win a prize.
$1,000 grand prize (1 lucky winner)
$200 garbage bill credit (5 contestants)
$25 gift card (all other contestants)

Increase Chances of Being Selected:
Come to our free recycling class on Wednesday, April 10, 6-8pm, at Federal Way City Hall (33325 8th Ave S) to learn more recycling information and get your questions answered. By attending, you will double your chances of being selected for the Recycle Palooza Contest. This class will cover more than just curbside recycling, so please bring all your waste reduction, composting, and recycling questions and ideas to share! Door prizes include a $50 gift card and a model garbage truck. Sign up by email or by calling 253.835.2771.

Who is eligible for the Recycling Palooza Contest?
Federal Way residents with current Waste Management residential garbage/recycle accounts who register for the contest. Note: City of Federal Way staff, Waste Management staff and previous years’ grand prize winners are NOT eligible to participate in the Recycling Palooza Contest.

Missed the Sign Up Deadline, or Didn't Qualify as a Participant?
Everyone is still encouraged to attend the Family Green Fest event on April 27 at the Federal Way Community Center. In addition to the exciting prize contest, there will be information booths on green remodeling, energy conservation and pollution prevention - plus music and face painting for the kids! Please plan to attend this fun community event at the lovely Federal Way Community Center and cheer for Federal Way’s newest recycling heroes!

Still Hauling Your Garbage to the Transfer Station?
Why not join 17,000 of your Federal Way neighbors now served by Waste Management? You can have convenient curbside garbage service for less than $10 per month (includes a 20-gallon garbage cart and unlimited every-other-week recycling service). Waste Management also offers weekly yard debris and compost collection starting at less than $10 per month. Think how quick, economical & easy it can be to roll your recycle and compost carts to the curb - instead of storing bag after bag and making trips to the dump. Remember, you must be a customer and sign up before the April 10th deadline to participate in the Recycle Palooza Contest. Contact Waste Management at 800.592.9995 or www.wmnorthwest.com/fedway to become a Waste Management customer today.

2012 Recycle Palooza Contest Winners:
Thanks to Waste Management for providing great prizes for the Recycle Palooza Contest. There are over twenty prizes, including $1,000, (10) $200 garbage bill credits and (10) $50 gift cards.

• $1,000 grand prize winner: Brad Blunck
• $200 garbage service credit winners: Myra Aho, Dan Ayers, Peggy Beck, Chris Buchanan, Joanne Harrell, John Houde, Rose Jacobi, Peter Johnson, George Torralba, and Donald Viele
• $50 gift card winners: Helena Cho, Janice Cockerham-Twigg, Teddie Cummings, Dianne Ferguson, Jessica Gandulin, John Howard, Kandi Kimberling, Michele Peterson, Marco Sauri and Phil Sell