Monthly Archives: February 2013

Food Waste Reduction Grows

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Farmers and community food bank advocates have decided to continue with an innovative new program in the state of California, Farm to Family. The program is designed to reduce, and ultimately eliminate farming based food waste. Based on the final accounting for last year’s participation in the program, it was determined that one hundred and twenty seven million pounds of produce was collected and redistributed to those in need of food assistance.

Based on the amount of food that was collected and distributed when the program launched eight years ago, there has been more than a ten percent increase. It is expected that over one hundred and forty million pounds of food will be collected throughout 2013.

The innovative program to assist those in need of food for themselves and their families, is administered by the California Association of Food Banks. By working with farms throughout the state, Farm to Family accepts imperfect, undersized, or unmarketable produce that might otherwise end up in regional landfills. In some instances, this can be as much as thirty percent of any given crop that can be transferred to participating food banks throughout the state.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: All businesses produce waste, but smart business owners take a look at what that waste is and look for ways to reduce their disposal fees. Sometimes this can be through enhanced recycling and other times it can be through charitable giving and community donations. When was the last time you looked through your dumpster to see if you’re throwing “green gold” away?

Landfill Crime Results In Fine

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In yet another cautionary tale for both employers and employees, in Tennessee, three men have been arrested for their involvement with a criminal scrap metal theft from a regional landfill.

According to state and federal investigators, two of the men were employed at the landfill and the third was a manager. They were charged with theft in excess of one thousand dollars and for conspiracy to commit a theft. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations started investigating the crimes during August of last year.

Based on the outcome of the criminal investigation, it was determined that the landfill manager had conspired with two landfill employees to identify and load scrap metal found on the site in a separate disposal container. When the container became full, they would secretly sell the materials and split the profits.

The three were convicted and released on bond. Two of the employees have already been fired.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Recycling scrap metal can bring in big money. Are you doing everything you can to make sure your employees aren’t tempted into stealing and breaking the law? Negative publicity for your community or business is never good news, so make sure people are following the rules!

Innovative Use For Food Waste

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In a bold move from real estate management company, Thee Durst Organization, food scraps and organic waste will be collected from eleven of its residential and commercial buildings in New York City. The waste material will be composted and used as fertilizer for roof-top gardens throughout the city.

The business, whose properties include such high-profile locations as One Trade Center, Four Times Square, and One Bryant Park also has plans to develop green space on top of  several of its New York City buildings. Green rooftops have been shown to be effective in dense, urban areas such as New York City for providing building insulation against heat and cold, collecting rainwater for landscaping use, as well as being an attractive recreational feature for apartment dwellers and businesses. The organization started the composting initiative last year and hopes to have report-able data later on its effectiveness later this year.

Additional benefits of green roof tops include their abilities to capture air pollutants and filter harmful gases that are increasingly prevalent in today’s city environment. While the plans will certainly help the city with its environmental improvement goals, and provide an attractive space for tenants, it will also assist is reducing the trash disposal fees incurred weekly by such densely populated buildings.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Just because you’re in a city doesn’t mean you can’t plant trees, grasses, and plants! Rooftop gardens are gaining in popularity in urban and densely-populated areas. If your work involves residential or commercial buildings in these kinds of areas, you might want to learn more about this innovative, and possibly cost-saving, strategy!

Charlotte Airport Starts Composting Program

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Worms are the latest addition to the Charlotte, North Carolina Douglas International Airport but travelers need not worry about coming into regular contact with the wiggly earth-mover, they’ll be residing in the airport’s new composting system housed in the facility’s  recycling center.

Over one and a half million Georgia Red Wigglers (considered the best worm species for large scale composting programs) are now hard at work in the recycling facility, turning organic matter such as food scraps and landscaping waste into nutritious compost fertilizer. Since launching the recycling center three years ago, the airport has reduced the amount of waste materials it send to landfills by close to seventy percent. The hope for the composting program is that it increases that amount to close to ninety percent waste diverted.

The airport plans to use the nutrient-rich compost for landscaping and fertilizer for it’s grounds and surrounding area. Airport authorities hope to see the full recycling operations recovering its costs within the next two years through reduced garbage disposal fees and landscaping costs.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: With any start-up operation, recycling included, you need to plan out and monitor your costs and expected break-even point. With attention to details, the amount you invest in recycling initiatives will come back to your business over time.

Cleveland Increases Waste Police

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The city of Cleveland, Ohio is getting serious about proper trash disposal and recycling. Last year alone, the city’s “trash police” wrote more than one thousand three hundred tickets to those residents who did not follow trash collection regulations.

In early 2012, the city announced its get tough stance on garbage rule-breakers and staring in April those who continued to break the law were issued fines and citations. In six months, the city has collected more than sixty five thousand dollars in fines. The policing is done by city collection workers using special handheld devices to log time, date, and location of violations. The device also allows a photo of the infraction to be taken as evidence. Tickets are printed and sent to the property owner.

In 2011, Cleveland enhanced its curbside trash and recycling service and now all residents are required to participate in the city-wide waste recycling program or be issued a ticket for non-compliance.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Is you town getting tough on proper waste disposal and recycling? The more waste that ends up in landfills means the more money that your community has to spend on trash fees! Leading with a “carrot” is always a good idea, but when people don’t follow the rules, sometimes leading with a “stick” gets them to pay attention!

 

Pennsylvania Starts New E-Waste Law

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In late January of 2013 the state of Pennsylvania enacted new laws prohibiting residents and business owners from disposing of unwanted or broken electronics waste with their routine trash pick-up. The Department of Environmental Protection for the state of Pennsylvania is overseeing compliance and monitoring the new change is policy.

The law was originally passed back in 2010, but provided municipalities lead time to prepare and inform residents. The new ruling prohibits computers, monitors, laptops, televisions, all other encased computer devices from regular trash disposal. All trash haulers conducting business in the state will no longer accept the material unless the specific community develops a special curbside recycling program.

State representatives are excited to see the new law implemented as they believe the economic benefit of harvesting the metals and recyclable components from electronic waste will far exceed the cost of allowing the devices to negatively impact the environment in a landfill.

The new policy will changes how electronics manufacturers can do business in the state. All businesses making or selling covered computer devices must promote electronics waste recycling by establishing mail-back and collection programs for consumers of their products.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: What is your business and state doing to promote e-waste recycling? Internal components may have value on the recycling market or be considered a charitable donation. Take the time to see how you can save green by recycling!

Zero-Waste Achieved For West Liberty Foods

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West Liberty Food, an Iowa based food production company has released in its recent corporate environmental sustainability report that it is successfully diverting  ninety nine percent of material and organic waste from disposal in local landfills. This zero waste or landfill free status has been verified for certification by the outside, third party certifying agency NSF International.

West Liberty is considered a manufacturer of private label deli produce and meats as well as fully cooked frozen meals. The company provides its products to food and retail chains throughout the United States.

West Liberty states that it has diverted in excess of two million pounds of waste products that would otherwise have gone to local and regional landfills.

Company officials credit the success of attaining the certification to a comprehensive effort by all employees and a comprehensive plan to reduce waste and increase recycling.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Achieving zero waste status isn’t an impossible goal for any business as long as you put a plan in place, make incremental steps, and involve all stakeholders. Diverting your waste from disposal to recycling not only helps the environment but can help you cut costs!

 

Increased Recycling In Atlanta

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The city of Atlanta, Georgia has reported that more than two hundred tons of waste material were kept out of regional landfills since the city made the decision to expand its recycling program.

Since launching the program last October, the amount of tonnage recycled has increased by twenty three percent, city administrators claim, up from a little over one thousand  tons collected to over fourteen hundred tons.

Atlanta’s ultimate goal is to divert ninety percent of all waste materials from landfills through recycling, and providing many and varied opportunities for residential recycling is critical for attaining that success.

In addition to helping preserve the environment, there’s also a money factor involved – the city receives thirty dollars per ton for recycling instead of paying out increasing high fees for landfill disposal. Last year, before the recycling program started, the city paid out over seven million dollars in garbage disposal fees. They are hoping to see that amount drop considerably in the year ahead.

In addition to residents, all municipal employees and city owned building are also steeping up their efforts. In the last six months, recycling at all city offices and building increased from seven tons to forty tons of recyclable materials.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: When you’re trying to save money by increasing recycling efforts it’s important that you “walk the walk” and not just “talk the talk”. Are your municipal building and employees doing all they can to eliminate waste by recycling more?

Manufacturers Save Big Going Green

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There are several different ways manufacturing and distribution businesses can enhance their profits and at the same time help to preserve the environment and improve quality of life for their community.

For example, in New Hampshire, an owner of an independently owned electrical distributor improved the businesses bottom line by implementing several environmentally aware initiatives. The business decided to offer free light audits to their commercial customers, will recycle their unwanted or used thermostats and light bulbs, and tries to educate their  customers about the benefits of lighting products that are energy-efficient. By increasing their knowledge of green products, they are also helping their customers to save money as well.

The company also started a recycling program in-house that has reduced waste disposal fees by almost seventy five percent – simply by putting less trash in the dumpster every day!

The new going green program as also helped to boost employee morale and both new and long time workers have commented that they take pride in seeing their company take a positive approach to environmental issues – as well as the increased revenue and job security being generated from returning customers pleased with the enhanced services being provided to them.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Even if it costs your business a little bit of money in short term start-up costs, in the long run, providing your customers with environmentally friendly knowledge and services will serve you and your employees well!

Job Growth In Recycling

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While city government and municipal budgets are still in a hiring freeze in most parts of the country, there is one area where employment growth is starting to heat up and generate opportunities  – recycling. From increases in curbside pick-up to the creation of composting facilities  this is one area where both local leaders and businesses are thinking outside the box and trying new systems that will ultimately save money in garbage disposal fees and landfill costs.

For example, the state of Florida has recently implemented a seventy five percent waste diversion rate, and in California new laws are going to effect which require both multi-unit residences and commercial business space to recycle.

Based on recent research conducted throughout the country, it is believed that if the nation’s waste recycling rate increased to seventy five percent, over one million jobs would be created in the recycling and waste disposal industry.

Current business practices have identified that processing recyclables requires two full-time positions per one thousand tons of recycled material. Organics waste and food scraps requires one half of a full-time position per one thousand tons of material. Trash disposal, on the other hand, only requires one tenth of a full-time position for the same amount of weight.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: When you and your business support the development of recycling facilities and the expansion of community wide recycling programs, you are not only supporting good environmental stewardship but you are also helping to create local jobs that strength the regional economy!