The Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland Council, which includes the western two-thirds of Kansas, has won the Great American Can RoundUp-Scout Council Challenge for the third consecutive year after recycling 32,199 pounds of aluminum cans.

Girl Scout Troops 50244 and 50028 of Hutchinson were the top two recycling troops in the national recycling challenge. Both troops collected about 15,000 pounds of aluminum cans each.

The GACR Scout Council Challenge, sponsored by Can Manufacturers Institute, began Jan. 15 and ended April 30, with 800 Girl and Boy Scouts from 56 troops across the country competing.

The Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland Council contributed a majority of the aluminum collected in the challenge: 32,199 pounds of the 57,504 pounds collected overall from scouts.

“We are extremely proud of our girls’ hard work and the incredible commitment they make to recycling year after year,” said Liz Workman, CEO of Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland in a news release.

“The GACR Scout Council Challenge helps create awareness of the environmental benefits of recycling cans,” Workman added.