COLLEGE PARK, MD (October 30, 2001) – Residents of Prince George’s County now have a new way to help the environment. They can simply Look for the Loop.

Look for the Loop, a new state based pilot program, was launched today in the Hollywood Shopping Center at 9801 Rhode Island Avenue in College Park by state and county solid waste officials and leaders in the business community. Its is a program being initiated in the City of College Park by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) in partnership with the Prince George’s County Department of Environmental Resources. It aims to increase consumer awareness about the range of products made from recycled materials and encourages businesses to stock products made from and packaged with recycled material.

“Look for the Loop is an opportunity for the state and counties to form a partnership to achieve the goal of closing the recycling loop,” said MDE Waste Management Deputy Director Horacio Tablada.

"We are proud to partner with MDE in this effort to create consumer awareness on the availability of products made of recycled material,” added Samuel E. Wynkoop Jr., director of the Prince George's County’s Department of Environmental Resources.

When consumers buy recycled, they help ensure continued demand for products made of recycled materials. Buying recycled products also helps:

Conserve natural resources--by decreasing the need for virgin materials such as timber from trees and oil from the ground.

Save energy-- since it takes less energy to produce recycled products.

Protect air and water--by decreasing the emission of greenhouse gases and water pollutants.

Reduce the amount of waste that must be incinerated or landfilled.

Businesses who participate in Look for the Loop will benefit in several ways. Participating businesses will receive publicity about the program in newspapers, business journals and on websites. Shelf tags will be provided to participating businesses to highlight available recycled products and help increase sales.

Businesses will also be provided a decal for their store window and informational brochures to show customers that their business helps conserve natural resources and protect the environment by selling products made from recycled materials.

Participating Look for the Loop stores include: Recreational Equipment Inc. (R.E.I.), site of the program’s kick-off, My Organic Market, College Park Florist, Vertigo Books, Paperworks Balloons & Gifts and the University of Maryland Book Center.

MDE will evaluate Look for the Loop at the conclusion of the pilot program in February of 2002 to determine its effectiveness. The decision to expand the program lies on the outcome of Look for the Loop effort in College Park.

For more information or to have your business participate in Look for the Loop, contact MDE’s Kelly Schaefer at (410) 631-3314 or email her at: kschaefer@mde.state.md.us. Additional Look for the Loop details can be found online at: mde.maryland.gov

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