Monthly Archives: July 2012

Plastic Grocery Bag Ban Grows

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The city of Santa Cruz, California has recently banned single-use plastic bags. The ban includes both compostable and traditional bags. The reason for the ban is a financial one for the city which currently spends over $334 million on plastic bag-related costs, with a recycling rate of only 5%.

The Santa Cruz decision brings the number of plastic bag bans nationwide to 79, with 60% of the banning municipalities in California. Bans against plastic bags have been enacted in large cities such as San Francisco, San Jose, Austin, TX , Seattle, WA and Portland, OR. Houston, TX and Los Angeles are also considering a bag ban proposals. Cities such as Washington, D.C. levies fees on plastic bags when distributed.

The Santa Cruz Recovery Station currently has five employees assigned to removing plastic bags from different recycling lines and the cost is greater than the expected sale price of recycled plastic film. Additionally, there is the growing concern of plastic bags polluting the marine area and endangering wildlife and fishing interests.

The Santa Cruz ban applies to all retail businesses with the exception of restaurants. Retailers are also required to charge ten cents for each paper bag, which then can then use to offset the cost of switching from plastic to paper. Exempt from the ban are plastic bags used for meat, fish, wet items, and produce as well as pharmacy items and greeting cards.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Municipalities are making decisions about plastic bag bans based on the percentage of items recycled, the cost of processing, and the expect return on selling recycled materials. If your community isn’t doing all it can to recycle, you may find yourself without!

 

Waste Recycling Solution for HDPE

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Denton Plastics in Portland, Oregon will be the second major recycler of plastics in the United States to invest in a wash line to recycle and process high density polyethylene (HDPE).

The investment, which includes grinding and washing equipment and a 40,000-square-foot building space, is expected to cost between four and five million dollars. The new infrastructure will allow Denton to handle bulky rigids such as crates, buckets, carts, baskets, lawn furniture, and toys. The launch is schedule for spring 2013 and will take 18 months to reach maximum operation.

Currently, the other large-scale HDPE wash line in the U.S. is at KW Plastics in Troy, Alabama which has the capacity to recycle between 10 and 12 million pounds of HDPE monthly.

Denton is in negotiations with material recovery facilities and grocery chains for sourcing a steady stream of HDPE containers. This opportunity presents a major cost savings for supermarkets who can now recycle their back-room containers instead of paying for waste disposal and landfill costs. It is estimated at over 354 millions pounds of HDPE materials are used annually at supermarket chains in bakery, seafood, and prepared food departments.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: If your business uses HDPE plastics, now is the time to look into recycling opportunities. You’ll save money by switching from waste disposal to waste recycling!

 

Chicago Saves Money By Waste Recycling

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The city of Chicago, which is one of the largest waste disposal operations in the United States is beginning a complete re-design of garbage collection to include increased recycling and cost savings.

The switch from ward-based collection methods which are politically controlled to a natural grid system based on streets and geography will improve all aspects of collection and productivity while making the system more financially efficient. The new system has already been enacted select areas on the north side of the city and it is expected that additional neighborhoods will be added later this summer.

City officials hope that the switch to waste collection methods will result in savings of $25 to $30 million dollars for taxpayers while improving garbage collection for all residents.

The city has also promised that it will expand recycling services under the new grid system as currently a less than half of the 600,000 household have access to recycling. However, with garbage collection changes being put in place, it is expected that by 2013 all residents will have recycling available to them.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Whether you’re a large city like Chicago or a small town, it pays to revisit your waste collection strategy and see if there’s room for improvement. Greater savings and increased waste recycling services can help to make your municipality a better place to live.

GreenCheck Your Real Estate Renovations

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Are you interested in making sure that your renovations and updates to commercial and industrial real estate property meet current guidelines and follow best practice? Take a look at GreenChecks from the Environmental Protection Agency. This checklist serves as a guide for “greening” real estate projects and tracking compliance with federal requirements. While designed for federally used buildings, the guide can be used by any business looking to improve the environmental impact of their building. The list addresses everything from new construction to renovation of existing structures.

Topics include waste management, energy consumption, sustainable materials, use of renewable energy, water consumption and storm-water management, and indoor air quality. Each topic provides suggestions for meeting the federal environmental requirements for sustainability.

While the GreenCheck system was created in 2007 it is updated annually to ensure that the latest regulations and innovations are represented. It is a system that is continually revised so as to provide building managers and contractors the best-practices needed for creating and maintaining environmentally friendly commercial buildings.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: While the GreenCheck program applies to federally owned and operated buildings, there’s something that everyone can learn, and maybe even apply, from this checklist. Every step to make your building more “green” can also help to save you “green”!

Waste Disposal for Natural Disasters

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It pays to be prepared! Solid waste experts agree, it’s essential to have a plan in place to handle waste disposal long before a natural disaster such as a hurricane, tornado, or flooding hits your area. Once a natural disaster has hit, a municipality goes into crisis mode and it’s almost impossible to plan effectively of how to deal with the resulting waste and devastation. Not having a viable course of action for disaster preparation is a disservice to members of your community as it greatly slows the process of rebuilding and recovery after the disaster has passed.

While disaster planning is essential, patience also is necessary. Municipalities should allow for three to four days before entering the area with heavy equipment designed to clear debris. Residents and business owners need time to salvage belongings from structurally sounds homes and buildings before demolition and to psychologically process what has occurred – and what is about to happen.

However, waiting too long can also have adverse effects. For example, fuel tank leaks at service stations pose a dangerous situation and must be immediately addressed. In addition, vehicles and debris must be cleared from the road to allow for emergency services and medical assistance.

It’s also important to remember that different kinds of natural disasters result in different debris issues. A tornado results in different waste management problems than a flood. The first results in immediate waste disposal needs while the other will occur when people return to their homes and start clearing out the damage. Being prepared for both is essential.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Every region of the United States is prone to different natural disasters – whether it be hurricanes, tornado, flooding, or heavy snowfall. It pays to have a plan in place for proper waste disposal before bad weather hits.

 

Waste Recycling of Polystyrene

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The Houston, Texas Solid Waste Management Department will begin offering residents the opportunity to recycle clean, No. 6 polystyrene foam at their facility due to the purchase of a specialized foam compactor and densifer designed for the material. The recycled foam will then be sold to companies manufacturing recycled products from polystyrene. This new recycling initiative is the first of its kind in the eastern Texas area and it is expected that the sale of the compacted foam will be an additional revenue stream for the municipality.

The compactor was donated to the city by Total Petrochemicals & Refining USA Inc. (TPRI) and will be housed at the Westpark Recycling Center. Over 11,000 reidents current deliver recycling to this facility. TPRI is an American polystyrene manufacturer based in Houston.

Polystyrene foam has long been used in packing materials as it’s comprised of 98% air. However, the quality that makes it ideal for shipping and packaging also makes it difficult to transport resulting in landfill disposal. The new compactor will make the recycling of the foam easier to transport and sell.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Whether your’re a manufacturer or a local government, it pays to think of waste recycling and disposal solutions that can both improve your reputation while improving the environment!

Food Waste Recycling and Recovery Challenge

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Do you know how much food and money your business is throwing away? The Food Recovery Challenge, launched by Waste Wise and the Environmental Protection Agency has been created to assist businesses in reducing as much of food waste as possible and therefore saving money, helping their community, and reducing negative impacts on the environment.

Why should your business get involved in food waste reduction, recycling, and recovery? In 2010, food waste generation was approximately 35 million tons and of that total, 97% was disposed of in landfills or incinerators. Why is this such an environmentally destructive problem? When excess food is send to a landfill, the scraps decompose and turn into methane — an extremely destructive greenhouse gas. Unfortunately, a great amount of this “food waste” is not garbage at all, but untouched, safe food and produce that could feed hungry and disadvantaged citizens in the community. It is estimated that a little over 14% of households are unable to provide sufficient food. Consumption-grade food that is no longer desired by a business could be provided to those in need through charitable organizations, non-profit community groups, and houses of worship. Food scraps that are not fit for consumption can be composted and reused as rich fertilizer and soil amendment. Participating in the Food Recovery Challenge will give your business the tools and resources it needs to get started on a program to reduce food waste, donate usable food, and recycle or compost food scraps.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Food waste recycling can improve your businesses bottom line through reduced waste disposal fees and increase your standing in the community by helping those less fortunate.

Waste Recycling of Aseptic Cartons

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A new waste recycling innovation is starting this month in Des Moines, Iowa. In a collaborative effort between schools, the residential Metro Waste Authority, and a local recycled goods manufacturer, aseptic cartons can now be placed in the recycling bin.

This change from waste disposal to recycling will divert close to 375 tons of milk and juice box waste from landfills annually.

Greenstar Recycling, which handles recycling for Des Moines, is utilizing an infrared machine with the ability to identify the slick coating that milk and juice cartons contain. These cartons will then be purchased by ReWall Co., a local company which manufactures building materials from polyethylene-coated cartons and cups.

Des Moines is a part of a single-stream waste recycling system, which means all recyclable materials are co-mingled and then sorted at designated facilities. It is uncertain if this new effort will result in job creation at this time, but it is expected that up to three tons of cartons will pass through the facility each month. City officials are clear that the new recycling stream for aseptic containers would not have happened without ReWall’s market demand and the technology advances available through Greenstar.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Is waste recycling of aseptic cartons available in your area? If not, this could be a great opportunity to expand business while helping to divert garbage from landfills!

Waste Materials Trading Website

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A new auction-style website designed to connect buyers and sellers of waste materials has launched online as part of the European Pathway to Zero Waste.

Based in the United Kingdom, the Waste Producer Exchange the site allows sellers to post information and photos of waste materials available for purchase or bidding. This new  source for buying and selling of waste recycling materials website has generated over 150 commercial accounts since launching earlier this year.

The goal of Waste Producer Exchange is to keep recyclable materials our of landfills and provide an additional revenue stream for waste collectors.  Currently, the site accepts listings for plastics, metals, textiles, leather, rubber, electronics, wood, glass, food waste, oil, cardboard, batteries, and minerals.

The system is comparable to eBay, where recyclable materials are offered on the site, and the bidding process begins. Once a price for the materials is agreed upon the payment is handled directly. By keeping the buying and selling process simple, it is easier for sellers to list their materials and buyers and manufacturers to find materials at a price within their budget.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: When it comes to waste recycling and waste disposal, innovation is the key. What can your business do to turn waste into dollars?

 

Waste Recycling for Apartments

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The new law that went into effect on July 1 in the state of California now requires all apartment buildings, commercial businesses, and institutions to implement recycling programs.

Signed by California Governor Jerry Brown in October of 2011, the law requires all apartment buildings with five units or more to provide recycling services to tenants as well as businesses generating more than four cubic yards of solid waste weekly.

The new law also established a deadline for reducing the amount of solid waste with overall goals of recycling or composting 75% of all waste by the year 2020.

California now joins the state of Florida with establishing the country’s most aggressive recycling, composting, and waste reduction goals.

California has long been a national leader in waste recycling and over the last twenty years has created over 125,000 jobs in this employment sector.

Additionally, California will provide financial incentives for businesses who process and manufacture recycled plastic. California currently collects over 500 million pounds of recyclable plastic containers yearly but much of that has been historically shipped oversees for processing. The new funding will allow for the creation of jobs and reduce the need to transport the waste recyclables outside of the United States.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: While California and Florida may be the leaders in waste recycling, there’s work that all states can do to improve recycling, help to save our environment, and create green jobs!