Seven companies/organizations from Redmond have been named to King County’s 2010 list of “Best Workplaces for Recycling and Waste Reduction.”

Redmond honorees are City of Redmond, Emerald Heights, FCS Group, Honeywell International, Lake Washington School District, Noetix Corporation and thinkspace, LLC.

The list recognizes businesses with exceptional recycling programs and commitments to reducing the amount of waste their company/organization produces.

“Given the state of the economy in 2010, we know businesses need to capitalize on every opportunity to lower their operating costs,” said Karen May, project manager with the King County Solid Waste Division. “It could be as simple as setting printers to default to double-sided pages, reducing waste and cutting down on paper expenses. Other businesses have found that by consistently recycling more, they can downsize their dumpster and save on their garbage bill.”

May added, “We encourage businesses to take an honest look at what their waste is costing them. They might just find that a stronger recycling and waste reduction program makes good economic sense.”

All businesses operating in King County outside of Seattle were eligible for the list.

To secure their spot, businesses were required to meet the same five basic criteria, as well as 10 additional waste reduction and recycling criteria, such as using reusable or compostable dishware in kitchens, collecting batteries for recycling or sending electronic invoices.

This year’s list of businesses has increased by 10 from 2009 and is more than triple the number of businesses on the list from four years ago. The county’s goal is to recognize the top recyclers and waste reducers and motivate others to improve recycling and waste reduction practices.

For more information, visit www.kingcounty.gov/recyclemore.