2004 Kansas Solid Waste Management
Hall of
Fame
Ms. Cornelius is the founding Executive Director of the
Kansas Business and Industry Recycling Program, Inc. (Kansas BIRP), and the Coordinator
for Keep America Beautiful-Topeka/Shawnee County program, an affiliate of the
national Keep America Beautiful Program, Inc.
Chiquita has 24 years of professional experience in the
field of recycling and related solid waste programs.Previous volunteer work in this field began in 1976 and continued
until 1980 while employed as the Recycling Coordinator for Lapeka, Inc. in
Topeka, KS.
During her tenure at Lapeka, Inc. she designed and
implemented the first glass container and steel beverage can recycling programs
in the State of Kansas and was responsible for the management of two permanent
buy-back centers and 17 satellite pick-up locations covering a 7 county area.
Under Ms. Cornelius's direction, Kansas BIRP has been
instrumental in fostering the growth of Kansas recycling programs from 43
single material centers identified in 1983 to the current 1400 multi-material
collection programs.She has also:
- Partnered with the Kansas Dept. of Health & Environment to establish a Keep Kansas Beautiful program
- Served as the America Recycles Day State Coordinator from 2001 to 2003
- Prepared a study on Recycling and Composting Opportunities and Needs in Kansas
- Created and maintained a database of over 1600 recycling collection points in Kansas
- Compiled and published four editions of the Kansas Directory of Recycling Centers and Programs
- Assisted in developing the first "Governor's Conference on Recycling and Market Development"
- Assisted in establishing the first Kansas telephone directory recycling project
- Organized the first community wide magazine recycling program in Kansas
- Organized the first recycling exhibit in the rotunda of the Kansas Capitol
- Chiquita has assisted in the drafting of language for bills to be introduced to the Kansas Legislature and has presented testimony on solid waste issues before several legislative committees.
Under Ms. Cornelius leadership the Topeka Shawnee County Keep America Beautiful Program has:
- Fostered the implementation of a City Environmental Court (first in Kansas)
- Fostered the inclusion of environmental issues and recycling projects into the classroom
- Promoted litter reduction programs
- Developed, implemented and administered programs to renovate houses for the elderly, low income and physically challenged
- Assisted in establishing a Christmas Tree Recycling Program for Topeka.
Chiquita has also served on the Governor's Solid Waste
Grants Advisory Committee since the committee was statutorily formed in 1995.
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Chiquita Cornelius
Executive Director
Kansas Business and Industry Recycling
Program, Inc.