(Washington, DC)  The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Keep America Beautiful today announced the winners in the fourth annual Cans for Cash - City Recycling Challenge in Washington, D.C.

     The program challenged like-sized cities to compete against each other in aluminum can collection for monetary awards. During October 2007, more than 50 cities collected over 191 million used beverage cans.

     By recycling the aluminum cans, cities avoided more than 24,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is equivalent to taking more than 25,000 cars off the road for a year.

     The winners of the $5,000 awards for the most aluminum cans recycled are:

     - Division One (population 250,000+) Milwaukee, WI  - 1,385,328 pounds, Mayor Tom Barrett
     - Division Two (population 100,000-249,999) Fontana, CA - 774,614 pounds, Mayor Mark Nuami
     - Division Three (population 50,000-99,999) Des Plaines, IL - 1,120,660 pounds, Mayor Anthony Arredia
     - Division Four (population below 50,000) Richmond, IN.. - 43,381 pounds,  Mayor Sally Hutton

      Cities also submitted innovative education and marketing ideas for an additional $5,000 award. The cities being recognized for the most innovative campaigns are as follows:
    - Division One:  Austin, TX, Mayor Will Wynn
    - Division Two:  Irvine, CA, Mayor Beth Crom
    - Division Three: Fargo, ND, Mayor Dennis Walaker
    - Division Four: Poland OH, Mayor Christine Yash

     The following winning cities will be awarded $5,000 and their local Keep America Beautiful, Inc. affiliate will be awarded $2,500:
    - Division One:  Louisville, KY, Mayor Jerry E. Abramson
    - Division Two: Irving, TX, Mayor, Herbert Gears
    - Division Three: Evanston, IL, Mayor Lorraine H. Morton
    - Division Four: LaGrange, GA, Mayor Jeff Lukken

     The aluminum can is the country's most recycled beverage container and has been for more than 20 years. In 2006, U.S. recyclers recovered nearly 52% of the more than 100 billion aluminum beverage cans produced in the country.

     Still, more than a billion dollars worth of aluminum cans were unrecovered; highlighting the importance of programs such as Cans for Cash to raise awareness of recycling's benefits.

   (Copyright 2007 Newsroom Solutions, LLC)