Mayor Bill Haslam kicked off today this year's phone book recycling contest at the Goodwill Collection Center located at Magnolia Avenue, which the City of Knoxville has designated a "Super Recycling Center."

The Mayor also recognized students and teachers who designed winning posters promoting phone book recycling. Last year, Knox County schools collected more than 129 tons of phone books that were averted from the landfills and sent to be recycled.

"The poster contest raises awareness among our young people and makes students think about the importance of recycling paper into useable goods, conserving our natural resources and reducing the volume of paper going into our landfills," said Mayor Haslam.

The winners of the contest are:

Olajuwon Blake of Christenberry Elementary, and teacher, Erin Patrick
Caylin Kerr of Norwood Elementary, and teacher, Beverly Clifton

The students received $50, and their teachers received $125 for classroom use.

Schools will begin collections as BellSouth delivers new books. The last day for books to be collected for the contest is Jan. 28, 2005.

Cash prizes will be awarded to schools for the most books collected. Individuals can support schools by arranging to drop off the old phone books at the schools (please call the school to confirm participation).

Businesses and organizations may also make arrangements to directly deliver large numbers of books, on behalf of particular schools, to Knox Recycled Fiber, 1323 Proctor St. Please call Clark Lindsey at 522-6129 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to make arrangements for drop offs.

Phone books can also be dropped off at the recycling centers throughout the city.

The Goodwill Collection Center on Magnolia now has more recycling options available and will be staffed by an attendant earning it the designation as a "Super Recycling Center."

"This addition to the city's list of Super Recycling Centers is made possible through our partnership with Goodwill and will make it more convenient and provide more options for city residents to recycle household items," Mayor Haslam said.

Other City of Knoxville recycle centers include:

Kroger Stores:
5003 Broadway (Fountain City)
5425 Clinton Highway (behind Kroger's)
4440 Western Ave. at Clinton
4918 Kingston Pike (Knox Plaza)
9395 Kingston Pike (behind Market Place)
2217 Broadway (Broadway Shopping Center)

Food City:
5941 Kingston Pike
939 Alcoa Highway

Goodwill Collection Centers:
225 W. Moody Ave.
Center at the corner of Magnolia and Alice.

Participating sponsors are Rock-Tenn Recycling, SP Recycling, Kroger, Goodwill and Knox County Solid Waste Office.