Posted: Tuesday, March 27, 2018 7:00 am
ELKHART LAKE — The Associated Recyclers of Wisconsin recognized Jefferson County’s Sharon Ehrhardt during its annual awards ceremony recently at the 2018 Wisconsin Integrated Resource Management Conference in Elkhart Lake.
She was among five individuals and organizations lauded for their outstanding work in the field of recycling and waste reduction.
“AROW always looks forward to honoring those working hard in our industry. This year’s recipients clearly demonstrate the strength of recycling in Wisconsin with achievements in private industry as well as education,” said Meleesa Johnson, AROW’s president. “AROW is the voice for recycling and waste reduction in Wisconsin and we are proud to recognize these individuals and groups.”
Ehrhardt, the solid waste/Clean Sweep specialist for Jefferson County, was presented the prestigious Christy Dixon Recycler of the Year Award. This recognition is given to an individual whose career demonstrates the highest professional standards.
“Sharon is one of the most important people I met as I began my job with Watertown,” said Rick Schultz, street superintendent for the City of Watertown.
He said that without her assistance, he never successfully would have pursued such a wide variety of waste diversion and recycling programs.
“Recycling was just not something that I thought I would be doing, but Sharon was there all the way helping me operate and improve programs,” he said.
Schultz said that when it came to Ehrhardt, she just wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.
“When one door would close in her face, she just would pound on 20 more” until she got what she wanted, he said.
For instance, when policymakers were reluctant to fund a Clean Sweep, Ehrhardt pounded on enough doors to raise $20,000 to add to the Clean Sweep Grant, he pointed out.
“And she did so with a smile on her face and a contagious passion for her work,” he added. “It would seem that Sharon’s goal is to divert as much material as possible from landfilling.”
He said that Ehrhardt recently helped Watertown connect with the AROW Glass Taskforce. The city now is using crushed glass with gravel for a variety of public works projects, saving the city money and keeping the hard-to-recycle crushed glass out of the landfill.
“Sharon is one of the best assets of Jefferson County,” Schultz concluded.
Johnson Agreed, noting that in working with many local communities, Ehrhardt has successfully built a legacy of waste-diversion options. While her job in Jefferson County involves development and implementation of Clean Sweep and recycling events, she does much more in terms of advocating and educating throughout the county.
“For instance, the City of Watertown has found great success via Sharon’s guidance as they explored diversion of new materials, including paint, tires, carpet and mattresses.”
Johnson cited Ehrhardt’s enthusiasm for the work that she does.
She pointed out that Ehrhardt has been dedicated to “recycling causes,” not only in Jefferson County, but around the state.
“Sharon has spent the last 17 years of her career convincing sometimes inconvincible county and local municipal officials that waste reduction, recycling and Clean Sweeps are, indeed, in their best interests,” Johnson said.
Ehrhardt has served as co-chair of AROW’s Product Stewardship Committee for the last five years and was active with the committee prior to that. She attends nearly every AROW Board and Council on Recycling meeting and “is not shy about providing her opinions,” said Johnson.
Ehrhardt also served on the Pharmaceutical Waste Working Group from its inception and recently volunteered to serve as its secretary.
“Sharon’s vision is probably best expressed in the manner in which she signs her emails: ‘Make recycling part of your life!’” Johnson said. “AROW is proud to add Sharon Ehrhardt to our list of Christy Dixon Recycler of the Year award recipients.”
In addition to Ehrhardt, AROW also recognized: Dynamic Recycling, Onalaska, Outstanding Achievement in Recycling Award; Christine Miller, recycling coordinator at Outagamie County Recycling & Solid Waste, Outstanding Achievement in Education Award; Mark Heal, recently retired from Veolia and AROW board member since 2013, AROW Lifetime Achievement Award; and Lindsey Carlson, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student, Outstanding Achievement: Student.
Founded in 1990, AROW is a nonprofit association representing Wisconsin’s recycling, waste reduction and sustainability professionals. It provides statewide leadership on waste reduction and recycling through education, advocacy, collaboration, programs, and promotes effective, efficient and sustainable material-recovery initiatives.