Municipal News

WASTE MANAGEMENT TO SELL AUSTRALIAN SUBSIDIARY

Waste Management’s international subsidiary, Waste Management International B.V., has reached an agreement to sell Pacific Waste Management, its Australian subsidiary, to Paris-based SITA for $230 million. The sale was completed in the second quarter. Pacific Waste Management currently provides services to more than 600,000 residents and 30,000 individual and commercial customers.

The sale is part of Waste Management’s strategic plan to refocus the company in its North American solid waste operations. The possible sale of other Waste Management subsidiaries is also being discussed and the company intends to use the proceeds from these transactions to reduce debt and, over time, repurchase shares and make selective tuck-in acquisitions of solid waste business in North America.

PUBLICATION RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL AWARD

“Your Recycling Guide,” published by Maui Recycling Group, has received the Rotary International Public Relations Award for 1999-2000. The award was given by RI president Carlos Ravizza and presented at the Rotary District 5000 Conference on Maui.

The publication was distributed by The Maui News and through community and recycling events and provided information on local recycling opportunities and where to take recyclables. The August issue was the final issue, as the guide was discontinued when the County of Maui published its own guide in early January.

WASHINGTON NAMES ‘RECYCLER OF THE YEAR’

Sego Jackson, principal planner with the Snohomish County Solid Waste Management Division, was awarded the “Recycler of the Year” award from the Washington State Recycling Association at the organization’s Annual Conference and Trade Show.

“Environmental protection is not just a job for Sego, it is his life,” says Kim Ducote, director of public affairs and business development for Rabanco Recycling.

Jackson serves in an external advisory committee to the Department of Ecology, a group that is revising solid waste rules to encourage more recycling. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation, the Washington Organic Recycling Council and the Policy Committee of the WSRA. In addition to serving on those committees, he developed a program, “Soils for Salmon,” that calls for developers to heavily amend disturbed soils with compost during construction.