The following is a release from King County:

King County’s annual Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling list is accepting applications for 2015. Now in its ninth year, the list recognizes businesses in King County that have excelled at preventing waste and promoting recycling.

The list honors local businesses from all sectors regardless of size, from education and medicine to technology and transportation. Past lists have featured a diverse range of honorees, including Safeway, Keeney’s Office Supply and Issaquah School District.

“Businesses in King County are doing a great job of reducing waste and we want them to get credit for it,” said Karen May, King County Solid Waste Division program manager. “Their actions help reduce the impacts of climate change and we hope that by sharing their best practices others will be inspired to follow suit.”

Eligible businesses that make the list also have the opportunity to receive special recognition. Businesses new to the list will receive a “newcomer” online badge. Businesses that have been on the list for five years or more will receive Honor Roll status. A single business that shows exemplary dedication to waste reduction will receive King County’s “Re-Innovator Award.”

The deadline to apply is June 12, and the list will be announced in July. The application is open to all King County businesses, excluding those in the cities of Seattle and Milton.

In order to be eligible for the list, a business must meet five required criteria, and be able to meet at least 10 benchmarks. Benchmarks include actions like collecting food scraps and food-soiled paper for composting, collecting batteries for recycling, or offering paperless billing to customers.

Businesses can apply online at http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/garbage-recycling/best-workplaces.asp. For more information, contact May at 206-477-5281 or karen.may@kingcounty.gov.