Recycling News
Tiger Print Recycling is open for business!
February 2012
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Cathy Goodwin and Kirsten Javernick oversee
Tiger Print Recycling for Canon City Schools. |
In partnership with Blue Star Recyclers, Canon City Schools created Tiger Print Recycling last November. After a successful January recycling collection event, Canon City Schools is now training students with disabilities to properly disassemble the collected electronics. Tiger Print Recycling offers the Canon CIty community a convenient location to ethically recycle electronics and offers important job training skills for students in the school district.
Read more about the program. |
Bill Morris Named as Finalist for CEO of the Year by Colorado Biz Magazine
December 2011
 Morris was recognized in the small company category. The profile of the company emphasized creating jobs for people with abilities by recycling electronics.
Bill Morris, CEO and president, Blue Star Recyclers
 Bill Morris and the team at Blue Star Recyclers stress one word in their mission statement: abilities.
The company's aim: "Recycle electronics to create local jobs for people with disAbilities." Ditch the "dis" and the message is clear: The key is to focus on what people can do, not what they cannot do.
Key to the success of the company is that many developmentally disabled people, especially those with autism spectrum disorder, have a strong aptitude for the disassembly of computer and other electronic equipment. These components can then be sorted into base materials, which can then be recycled.
The Colorado Springs-based nonprofit employs 16. Ten of them are disabled, but all are important to the team. Blue Star got its start in 2009 when Morris co-founded the company after a 25-year career in the telecommunications business. The more electronics recycled at Blue Star, the more jobs are created, he says. Plus, it's the right thing to do for the environment. For his work helping keep the Earth green, Morris received the 2011 Recycler of the Year award from the Colorado Association for Recycling.
"The greatest impact I have made as a CEO is helping other people achieve their goals first," Morris says. "That is true of my employees, our partners, customers, and friends of Blue Star Recyclers."
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EPA and GSA Administrators toured Blue Star Recyclers on America Recycles Day
November 2011
Bill Morris Awarded Local Industry Chairperson Award from the Colorado Springs Business Journal
November 2011
The Governor Visits Blue Star
October 2011
Vocational Electronics Recycling Network Takes the Blue Star Recycling Model to Smaller Cities
October 2011
Blue Star Recyclers launched the VERN Project (Vocational Electronics Recycling Network) in Canon City, La Junta, and Pueblo in October 2011. Through a grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Blue Star Recyclers formed partnerships with organizations in these three communities to create a local resource where residents can conveniently recycle electronics and also support creation of local jobs for people with disabilities.
The Project in the Media
Local media hailed the introduction of the VERN Project in two cities. Read more at: Daily Record in Canon City,
and Tribune-Democrat,
LaJunta
Decisive Analytics Chooses Blue Star Recyclers for their Green Campaign
October 2011
 Read the full story here.
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Awarded Silver Level Membership in the Colorado Environmental Leadership Program
June 2011
 Blue Star Recyclers awarded Silver Level Membership in the Colorado Environmental Leadership Program…
fifth award in last twelve months! Read More.
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Colorado Springs SBDC awards Bill Morris named Small Business Person of the Year
June 2011
Colorado Association of Recyclers salutes Blue Star Recyclers and Bill Morris as the 2011 Recycler of the Year
June 2011
El Paso County Commissioners Visit Blue Star
April 2011
 On Monday, April 11th three of El Paso County Commissioners (Sallie Clark, Amy Lathen, and Peggy Littleton) visited Blue Star for a presentation about our mission and a tour of our operations. We discussed how Blue Star Recyclers can provide El Paso County with a locally based, ethical e-waste recycling solution, where electronic waste from residents can create local jobs for people with disabilities in our county.
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Recycler Can Prosper Better As Nonprofit, Article by the Colorado Springs Business Journal
April 2011
Read the full story here.
Northeast Recycling Council Recognizes Blue Star’s Approach to Achieving Triple
Bottom Line Success
March 2011
See the full story about Blue Star Recyclers operations in the March 2011 NERC Email Bulletin
Blue Star Recyclers featured in the Pikes Peak Sustainable Business Network Newsletter
March 2011
Read the article or visit about Pikes Peak Sustainable Business Network www.ppsbn.org for more information.
Andy O’Riley named 2011 Rising Star by the Colorado Springs Business Journal
March 2011
 Andy O’Riley, Blue Star Recyclers' VP of Materials Processing, was selected as a 2011 Rising Star by the Colorado Springs Business Journal. The award will be presented on March 16, Andy’s first anniversary at Blue Star Recyclers. The annual Rising Star award recognizes achievement in chosen professional field, volunteer accomplishment, contribution of significant time to volunteerism, and leadership within the community.
At Blue Star Recyclers, O’Riley manages the processing of recyclable materials, oversees the program to train and employ disabled adults, and coordinates all community recycling events. Andy refuses to be defined by his own physical disability and works tirelessly to ensure others with disabilities have work opportunities. Prior to coming to Blue Star Recyclers, O’Riley served as
Employment Services Manager for five years with Community Intersections (CI), an organization that serves developmentally disabled adults. He built on his work at CI by co-founding and expanding a program where nine disabled adults are now employed dismantling electronics at Blue Star Recyclers.
“A large majority of people with developmental disabilities are unemployed,” said O’Riley. "Any jobs we create for this group is a huge win for them and the community." Not only does his work at Blue Star Recyclers benefit people with disabilities, recycling electronics in an ethical way keeps e-waste out of local landfills and prevents toxic materials from seeping into water supplies.
Bill Morris, President of Blue Star Recyclers, nominated O’Riley for the Rising Star award. “In over twenty years of leading teams, Andy has the best attitude and character I have ever seen, and he is deserving of this honor.” O’Riley graduated Magna Cum Laude from Colorado College where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
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Blue Star Recyclers Meets with e-Stewards Leaders
January 2011
 Blue Star Recyclers management team visited the Basel Action Network in Seattle to meet with officials of the e-Stewards program. After completing and implementing an Environmental Health & Safety Management System (EHSMS), Blue Star Recyclers is seeking certification in the e-Stewards program. Blue Star Recyclers representatives shared our mission and 2010 Triple-Bottom Line report card of its first year in business. E-Steward officials Sarah Westervelt and Lauren Roman welcomed Blue Star Recycler’s candidacy in the e-Stewards program, and voiced support of the Blue Star mission, positive impact on our community, and commitment to using only e-Steward processors of hazardous and toxic materials. |
Blue Star Recyclers releases 2010 Triple Bottom Line Report
January 2011
The CS Gazette — Q&A: Electronics-Recycling Business Aids Environment, People
May 2010
Blue Star Recyclers Interviewed by NPR for
Earth Day
April 2010
Listen here.
Blue Star Recyclers Officially Launched
April 2010
 Blue Star Recyclers has been operating in Colorado Springs for several months.
However, it celebrated its grand opening with a Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony on April 6.
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Bill Morris of Blue Star Recyclers awarded 
Governor Hickenlooper visits Blue Star Recyclers to see a model for job growth. The story was featured in the 
See our 
Industry leaders recognized Blue Star Recyclers at the Annual CAFR Conference in Breckenridge. 
Click here to read full size report.