Contact:
Sara Conte
Greenstar North America
Office: (713) 550-5589
Sara.Conte@greenstar-na.com

Greenstar Announces Grand Opening of Des Moines Single Stream Recycling Facility

DES MOINES (May 19, 2010) - Greenstar North America (http://www.greenstar-na.com), a leading recycler in North America and the largest municipal recycler in Iowa, announced today that it has officially opened its Des Moines Single Stream Recycling Facility. The facility utilizes advanced technology to provide highly automated sorting and processing capabilities with capacity per hour increasing by five times over the previous system.    The facility will be opened by Des Moines' mayor, Frank Cownie, Metro Waste Authority Chairman Gary Welch and Greenstar CEO Matt Delnick at a grand opening event today.

"Des Moines is leading the Midwest in innovation and best practices in recycling," said Matt Delnick, CEO of Greenstar North America. "Today's grand opening demonstrates the commitment that has been made to increasing recycling rates - which is the right choice - preserving natural resources and reducing carbon emissions."

Greenstar has been providing local recycling services in Des Moines since 1979. Recycling has evolved significantly over the last 30 years, including the latest innovation - single stream recycling. Single stream recycling eliminates the need for residents to sort their recyclables - all can be mixed in one large bin for curbside collection. Single stream decreases the cost of collection, and increases the convenience of recycling. Participants in the Des Moines metro area have responded favorably to the convenience of the single stream system with a 30% growth in recycled volume since the new program was launched. 

Before the new single stream equipment was in place, Greenstar was hand sorting the materials at a rate of 2-3 tons per hour. With the new $4 million mega-sorter, Greenstar can process 15 tons of recyclables per hour and has hired 21 new employees at its expanded facility. 

The program does have room to grow with central Iowans still producing 500,000 tons of trash each year - much of which could be recycled. The recycling participation rate in the City is 56% with higher rates in the suburbs of 66% in Urbandale and Grimes the highest at 77%. 

"Greenstar is committed to working with our city and commercial partners to invest in technology that brings recycling solutions and reduces program costs," said Kelley McReynolds, Des Moines General Manager, Greenstar. "We look forward to continued growth and progress in recycling here in Des Moines."

About Greenstar North America

Greenstar is a leading recycler in North America backed by one of the world's largest private recycling companies. Greenstar provides sustainable recycling solutions in the recycle processing , commodity upgrading, managed services and commodity trading sectors of the solid waste market. Greenstar entered the U.S. market in 2007 and quickly established a platform for growth by partnering with some of the leading companies in the industry. The company handles two million tons per year of recyclables through a network of 16 processing facilities. 

For more information visit www.greenstar-na.com.

About NTR plc

NTR plc, the international renewable energy group, builds and runs green energy and resource-sustaining businesses. Founded in 1978, NTR has evolved from being a developer and operator of infrastructure in Ireland to an international developer and operator of renewable energy (wind, solar and ethanol) and sustainable waste management businesses in the USA, UK, and Ireland. The Group employs over 4,100 people.

For more information visit www.ntrplc.com.

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