Recycle 2 Save

No one enjoys taking responsibility when things go wrong. We are all eager to determine why a failure doesn't lie solely on our shoulders or why it's not our fault at all. Blame shifting is a common practice and phrase thrown around in our home.  "Well, if she didn't ...then I wouldn't have ... "  "If he wasn't didn't say ... then I wouldn't have said ..."  Although the blame-shifting technique is prohibited in our family, it still finds its way into many unfortunate situations.  Why does it matter? Taking pers onal responsibility helps to ensure the same thing doesn't happen again (and again and again). Situations usually have multiple actors that could all play essential parts in prevention, but what's important is that each player knows their role and how they can personally correct it. You are only able to control yourself, and sometimes, that proves difficult.  This is such a basic and juvenile conversation that it would see...

It's crazy - as I scroll through business social media posts I am seeing an uptick of anger in regard to plastics and recycling. Seemingly angry people call out others for irresponsible behavior, false information, and despicable treatment of our environment. Passionate comments, varying degrees of first-hand knowledge, and lots of blaming and pointing. This public platform seems to be what people need to vent or blame.   I struggle. Should I celebrate that people are taking notice? It seems like the wrong kind of notice, not necessarily productive or positive but attention nonetheless. I wholeheartedly agree that we have some problems when it comes to "stuff" I see these as the three most significant issues:  1. Litter is a big problem.  2. Items being landfilled are a big problem. 3. 100% recyclable (and in demand) items being littered or landfilled is a HUGE problem.  What solutions do we have?  Litter is a big problem . An unpopular but pretty basic iss...

You come home from work and in place of the organized and mess-free home, you left this morning, you enter chaos. Even an amateur hunter could follow the trail across the entire first level and lead to the bedrooms of the accused. Step by step, sock by sock and paper by paper anger rises as you walk. You are about to blow. With so many examples of wrong behavior, how can you open the door and celebrate the homework that is currently being worked on?  It may be a leap, but in my mind, this is the current state of recycling.  We read articles, watch news stories, and see blips on our social media. Recycling is going in the wrong direction and the pollution and destruction of our environment are at an all-time high, or is it? Sometimes when you are so close, you cannot even make out the big picture, you are not getting an accurate view, it's just all blurry and messy.  Recycling by nature is messy (both figuratively and literally). When you are dealing with "trash" you don...

In order for goals to be kept and exceeded people need to be motivated. Some people have an easier time getting and staying motivated all by themselves, others need periodic stroking, some need consistent prodding, while others may need to be pulled.  Knowing what motivates people to start as well as how to keep them going can help to shape your message and improve your impact. This would go for something as common as New Year health goals, organization practices, quitting smoking, eating healthier, or improving the recycling and waste reduction in a household, or business. We are very biased but we feel that recycling is pretty essential. We do also feel that following the first two R's first is necessary (1. Reduce & 2. Reuse). We want to be sure that as an organization we are helping to motivate residents and businesses alike to continue to improve their recycling impact.  So, please help us out.  Tell us what motivates you to recycle with care & reduce waste?...

You are on a business-focused social media platform and there is a great post motivating consumers to recycle their PET bottles. It's an encouraging video showing all the potential "new" products the "old", recycled PET can become. The post focuses on the idea that these bottles are not only recyclable but an in-demand raw material that manufacturers are actually seeking. This is all an attempt to stoke the interest of the public and motivate them to recycle and keep bottles out of the landfill or worse, discarded as litter. What possible negative reaction could this post get?  Insert a snarky comment by someone who knows someone who had a job, at one time, that is semi-related to a position that assisted in the recycling of PET. They fire back that PET recycling back into a PET bottle isn't possible and/or profitable. This one comment is followed up quickly by a few other recycling naysayers "recycling is dead", "recycling can't be profit...

This has been in the works for quite some time now. Manufacturers have been discussing the logistics and how to spark interest and participation. I think it sounds like a wonderful plan but it will take extra effort and participation. Are you willing to pay the extra deposit and take the extra time needed to return the reusable packaging?  In my opinion, it will depend on circumstances. There are traveling and vacation occasions that don't lend well to the extra steps that would be required. Daily though, if the setup is easy enough, it just might be worth the little extra effort.  I do worry because we have posted repeatedly about the failure of recycling efforts. I don't see how the reuse efforts would be any different.  The process is only as good as the participants.  https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-france-environment-and-nature-united-kingdom-bbd9e1e7bfe999ae749f39155fd63078

As a materials recovery facility, we were/are passionate about composting and the potential for growth in that area. So passionate in fact that a few years ago we worked with a few local communities and companies to try and get a successful composting program underway. Despite a good deal of effort, there were a few reasons we could not get the program off the ground during the pilot process. Steps taken by Baltimore's Food Waste Pilot Program, as quoted in the article, would assist with many of them.  1. Unfortunately, due to being located in a semi-rural area, we could not get the saturation we needed to make the collection/transportation affordable. Having one collection point that the businesses, institutions, and community can pool their material makes participation possible.  2. The second and repeated issue with recycling and waste reduction programs; we had severe issues with contamination among the facilities that did agree to participate. If you send contaminated co...

Things are finally looking up in the recycling industry. It has been a long and difficult journey that unfortunately many didn't survive. Positive changes are underway; end-users are now seeking material that collection centers and materials recovery facilities were recently begging & paying to move. Another positive step is that more and more companies are making commitments to increase the recycled content in their products and aiming towards the goal of a truly circular economy. This is amazing news that benefits not only the recycling industry but our environment as a whole.  With all the positive trends there does remain one consistent issue. End-users will require quality material in order to make quality products. The number one issue that directly contributed to the crumbling of the recycling industry remains the number one issue with recycling; contamination. Outreach, education, and investments by so many have helped to make the information more available and easier t...

So, I'm not sure if you've been paying attention but if you have, you've heard (repeatedly), that the recycling markets and industry are in trouble. A number of factors have come into play to create the "perfect" storm. Despite the name there is little positive about it. We are all happy to receive some rain but when the waters keep rising many are found praying for the Sun and a nice long dry spell. We know about the challenges so how do we help? As we've posted about previously there are a few factors that are outside of our hands as individuals or businesses. There are also a number of things that you can do to really make a positive impact in your recycling efforts. The single largest way to positively effect your recycling efforts is to follow bin & program instructions and keep out contaminants, contacting the program directors when needed to clarify those confusing recycling messages. Let's say you are an avid recycler and you've done...

We know that you've been hearing, seeing, and learning about the amazing amount of things that can be recycled into something new. It's such a waste to throw these recyclable items into a landfill when they could be used as a raw material. The idea of recycling excites us, that is what we do! The downside to learning the capabilities of recycling is only hearing a portion of the story. While MANY, MANY items are recyclable (claims have been made recently that about 80% of all waste) it must be recycled correctly. Cigarette butts may be reuse able, juice pouches have been a raw material, Grocery bags can be made into decking boards, electronic scrap may become new components but if these items are received at our Hamburg, PA facility they will likely end up the same place they would've it you threw them away. Even worse than my last statement... there is a very good chance that a few cans, bottles, and jars may also be thrown away with them because they became contamin...

If you are in the area and have happened to drive by our Hamburg, PA location I am sure that you have noticed our mountain of "glass". It's not just normal glass, it has been processed and is ready for use. We take great pride in using every possible item to its fullest recycling potential. An unfortunate side effect of transporting recyclables is broken glass (of mixed colors a.k.a. mixed cullet). Most producers who are in search of recycled glass need it to be segregated by color and cannot use mixed broken pieces. Since there was no "real" recycling options we have a large piece of equipment that acts like a giant stone tumbler. This equipment helps to remove plastic and other contaminants while getting it to a uniform size and tumbling it to remove sharp edges. While this material has obvious limitations (you won't be building your home with it) it also has a lot of areas that it excels at. The  material tested and approved (and in use) as a filteri...

If you pay attention to the news I am sure that you have heard about the concerns associated with the current recycling markets. Company officials and representatives from a number of the large, nationally owned, waste management corporations have gone on the record stating that times are tough and profits are thin. If you are like me you may not have heard many of these interviews (they just don't play that type of news on Disney channel). I have a vested interest (as we all do) in the state of recycling markets so in this case I've actually made it a point to pay attention. There are lots of discussions of how the recycling markets got into the troubling state that they are presently in and although there is no single reason there is one huge contributor. I've always hated the "I told you so" types so I'm going to tread lightly... okay, I may still sort of allude to "I told you so". If you scroll back in our historical posts you'll find us sh...

We love Earth Day.   It reminds those who care but sometimes forget that they need to keep our environment and planet healthy and safe for the generations that will follow in our footsteps (those who currently don't have the power or voice to protect it themselves).  It motivates those who care but sometimes get caught up in their own lives and forget the true impact their personal decisions have on everyones future.  It celebrates the careful selections that each person makes when they focus on what their choices mean to others and our Earth.  It teaches children that of all the "stuff" that they possess some are absolutely irreplaceable.  We have only one planet for all our futures. 

We are biased. There is no way around it, our company founders and current board members have been in the recycling industry pretty much their entire lives. They have some pretty solid feelings on single stream but as I've suggested, many times now, the people had spoken and we needed to make the change. The change that communities, companies, and residents alike were all requesting  are demanding. We reluctantly purchased the equipment, increased the staff, and had our sales team reach out to the haulers and local businesses... we successfully process single stream materials. It's been more than a full year now and we have some additional insight, which I don't think shocked any of us. 1. Increased volume does not equal increased recycling. This is another topic I've covered on this blog before, so many townships or companies advertise that since beginning single stream collection they have witnessed a significant increase in the recycling participation. The only p...

I pride myself in trying to make environmentally friendly choices and decisions. I try to avoid things that are used once and tossed. I was determined that as my son started 1st grade and was packing his lunches and snacks daily that we were not going to use the traditional throw away sandwich bags. I bought a bunch of reusable snack bags with cool designs that he could be proud to show off.  We had a bit of a tough start to the school year and it wasn't made any easier by complaints that his sandwich was a mushy mess by the time the lunch bell rang. Darnit.. my well thought out plan didn't work quite as I anticipated. So, determined to keep at it I put a standard sandwich bag on the outside and the reusable inside and began the war with my son.. complete with begging, pleading, idol threats and  "DO NOT THROW ME AWAY" signs. Then.. as I was doing some shopping I stumbled upon these bags.. and I must say.. YAY, they work!!  These baggies remind me more of th...

We talk all the time about the amount of waste that a single person creates daily (with staggering amounts contributed to households and businesses). It's also been pointed out that despite you not opening your car window and chucking it out that when you throw it "away" it has to go somewhere. At this point it is handled the best way that we know how but much of that involves the "stuff" being buried. We know that practices are in place to keep us safe and regulations watch that the trash we bury doesn't contaminate the soil or water around us. We also know that no system is ever 100% failsafe. Based on that.. we have tried to find ways to encourage residents and businesses to recycle more and waste or trash less. Obviously recycling is the option that we most often suggest. Reduction in both consumption and waste is another key component of the three R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycling.. just in case you need a refresher). Although most people understand t...

I've often explained that being kind to our planet goes much  further than recycling but also following through and buying recycled. We all must commit to supporting companies that have the correct environmental outlook and avoid those who do not. We need to make choices that are not only beneficial to us but also to our planet and generations to come. Navigating through greenwashing does make finding true answers exceedingly difficult but with a little practice it becomes easier to read between the lines. Two of our family favorites are GUD (made by Burts Bees) and our absolute favorite is Original Sprout.Both are healthy natural choices without all the extra "stuff", both work very well and smell amazing, and both are contained inside of bottles made from recycled content. I am by no means suggesting you run out and buy these particular products (unless you want to) but am suggesting that you evaluate what you are buying; what it's made from/of, the product packag...

There is nothing  not a lot that is better (okay if you told me I won the lottery it might be better) than receiving a reader question. It provides proof that people are reading and interested in what we have to say. So, thank you Ben! Let's get right to it. "I have read everywhere.. including your site and facebook page.. that plastic grocery bags are recyclable but my local drop off center will not accept them. My friend suggested that they just slip them in the bag with the rest of the plastic bottles (no one checks) but I'm not sure if we should be doing that. If they are recyclable why is the local collection center adamant that they don't want to take them and where can someone take them if they are in the same boat. I'm in PA, not far from Harrisburg. Thanks in advance for you help. Ben" So Ben, this is where recycling gets tricky. Plastic bags are without a doubt completely recyclable. To add an even more positive fact about plastic ba...

My daughter is a hoarder. Okay, she is 3 and thankfully doesn't really have the power to turn her room in to the latest episode of "Hoarders" but I swear given the opportunity she just might. It's an ongoing joke in our house which often leaves me wondering where her desire to acquire and keep everything comes from. On a monetary note (and environmental I guess), thankfully her stuff "obsession" is usually not on purchased goods but most frequently things provided by Mother Nature herself. Wooly bears, flowers, stones, sea shells, ladybugs, worms and snakes; all treasures we've been begged to make room for. I admire her unblemished love of nature around her and  her shrill scream of delight when she sees a butterfly flutter in arms reach. It has been a tough balance between her adoration for the items and the need to keep them safe and free in their true habitat. We have had talks explaining that despite her love for the living things that if she...

Our company processed just over 127,537 tons of material in 2013 and of that material only 2.89% was downgraded to garbage. A 2.89% residual rate is pretty great (especially since we've entered into the single stream processing arena in 2013.. which typically leads to higher residual numbers). R esidual means the material that was downgraded to garbage due to contamination from the original recycling source, during separation and processing, or transport ) We are so proud of our customers who do a great job providing high quality raw material and our staff who excel at what they do. We promise to keep up the good work!