YOUNGSTOWN Vindicator passes recycling goals for seventh year

The Vindicator has been a leader in achieving the goals.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Vindicator has surpassed the goals of the Ohio Voluntary Newsprint Recycling Agreement regarding the use of recycled newsprint for the seventh consecutive year.
The voluntary standards, established in June 1992 with a negotiated agreement between the State of Ohio and the Ohio Newspaper Association, expired at the end of last year.
Mark Brown, Vindicator general manager, reported to the ONA that 100 percent of the newsprint used by The Vindicator in 2000 contained some recycled fiber.
Topping state standards: The Vindicator's figures for 2000 showed that the overall percentage of recycled fiber from the total tonnage was at 47 percent, while voluntary state standards for last year were set at 40 percent.
The 1998 and 1999 figures also reflect that 100 percent of all newsprint used by The Vindicator contained some recycled fiber.
The Vindicator has been a leader among Ohio newspapers in achieving these goals.
Brown credits the success in meeting and exceeding the annual state standards to an aggressive newsprint recycling program which dates back to 1979, well before the negotiated pact went into effect.
Planning to continue: Although the agreement between Ohio and the ONA has come to an end, he emphasized that The Vindicator has no plans to abandon the use of recycled newsprint.
"We are very proud of the progress we've made in using recycled newsprint and we will continue to use as much recycled fiber as possible.
"The Vindicator is dedicated to using our natural resources wisely, whether it is the use of recycled newsprint or when purchasing recycled paper for office use. With the observance of Earth Day 2001 on April 22, we are reminded of our obligation to preserve the environment," Brown said.
The Vindicator began its environmental program in 1960 with the recycling of the returnable cores of newsprint rolls.
In 1979, the newspaper started recycling both printed waste and "white waste" (the newsprint that does not contain ink). In later years, the recycling of inks, office and computer paper and aluminum cans were among the recycling actions initiated by the company.
The Vindicator, established in 1869, is a daily, locally owned newspaper serving Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties in Ohio and Mercer and Lawrence counties in western Pennsylvania.