The Single-Stream Recycling Trend: Is It For You?

The popularity of single-stream recycling has been growing over the past few years, especially with cities and municipalities. And now businesses are slowly following suit. 

The benefit is simplicity. All recyclables are collected together so there is no need for your tenants/employees to sort paper from plastic from metal when they recycle. Because of the ease, proponents think that more people will recycle using a single-stream system. According to a Florida DEP report, the single-stream approach increases the amount recycled by 30%. It may also lower collection costs. 

However, according to the Container Recycling Institute, out of every 100 tons of single-stream recyclables, only about 73 to 78 tons actually gets recycled. Glass in particular gets broken. On average, 40% of glass from single-stream collection reportedly winds up in landfills.  

So is single-stream recycling the way to go for your business or building? 

• First, check regulations in your area. Single stream recycling is not possible where the law requires waste and recycling to be picked up separately. 
• Look at your office space. With single stream recycling, bins are often placed in central areas, freeing up precious space under desks. So this is an especially good system for small offices. 
• Examine your current recycling efforts. Your employees may have the best intentions but if they make mistakes, it may negate your recycling program. Contaminated recycling streams may end up in a landfill if they cannot be processed. So if your recyclables are being commingled, implementing a single-stream system, where recyclables are sorted at the facility, may be the answer.

New Federal Rule Stimulates E-Waste Recycling

A new government rule banning federal agencies from disposing of e-waste in landfills and incinerators have made e-waste recycling a key area of focus for buildings, especially those in the nation's capital. Since the announcement in March, Great Forest consultants in D.C. have seen an increase in the number of property managers interested in setting up permanent e-waste collection points on site, or organizing e-cycling events to help their federal tenants comply with the rule.

This new demand has allowed e-waste recyclers to expand their reach, making it more cost effective for property managers to offer e-cycling to all their occupants, not just federal tenants. As a result, the new rule is leading a mini e-waste recycling boom that is most prominent in the capital because of the high concentration of federal workers.   

Responding to the new rule, which requires e-waste to be processed by certified recyclers, Great Forest in D.C. has partnered with the only R2 certified responsible recycling vendor in the district. This means that clients can track the volume and destination of e-waste sent for recycling. Data from federal offices will be made available online annually at data.gov.        

With an estimated 50 million tons of e-waste generated a year in the U.S., e-waste recycling is not only environmentally smart but it also makes good business sense by realizing the value of the precious metals and other materials in old electronics. So remember, your e-waste isn't trash.  By taking it out of your waste stream, you may be able to lower your waste cost.

If you are looking to start an e-waste recycling program, now is the perfect time to do it. Contact your Great Forest representative for more information. 

Composting Raises Diversion Rate In Record Time

Image from crazyaboutcompost.com

Just one month after starting a composting program, a major hotel in NYC is already showing a 20% increase in its diversion rate, a figure that is expected to increase. 

Before starting to compost, the hotel's monthly diversion rate had stayed pretty constant, ranging between 56% to 58%. With two restaurants, a bar, and room service, Great Forest consultants determined that the hotel generated enough food waste to make composting work.   

A system with three bins was set up in all the kitchens - green bins for compostable food waste, blue bins for glass and plastic bottles, and grey for trash.  Great Forest ensured that proper signage was posted, the correct color coded bins were used throughout the property, and held training sessions for the kitchen staff to make sure everyone understood the new composting system. Great Forest even arranged for a hauler to provide clean composting bins after each pick-up, eliminating the labor intensive job of washing the containers.  

"Composting may seem like a challenge at first but your sustainability consultant can help design programs to fit into your daily operations and space restrictions. Selecting the best company for your needs to remove your compost will also reduce labor concerns and facilitate compliance," says Maya Shenkman, Great Forest's director of hotel services. "You might also want to find out what the hauler does with the compost. Try to work with one that turns compost into fertilizer instead of animal feed. We think that's the healthier option."  

So the next time you evaluate your waste and recycling program, don't forget that composting can be a quick and easy way to improve your environmental performance and potentially lower your waste costs at the same time. 

It is always best to do a little research before implementing any new program. Call your Great Forest representative to conduct a waste audit and learn more. 

LEED Updates Postponed to 2013

Did You Know... Anaerobic Digesters Convert Food Waste Into Electricity? 

Image from EnvironmentalLeader.com

If you toss your food scraps in the trash, and the trash ends up in a landfill, your trash will generate methane, a pollutant 22 times more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide.  

Instead of letting food break down in this way, it can be converted into biogas that generates electricity through anaerobic digestion (AD). The only by-product produced through AD is a nutrient rich liquid fertilizer.

In Sacramento, CA, a new organic waste recycling center is being constructed that is capable of converting 25 tons of food waste per day into renewable gas through the process of AD. Called the South Area Transfer Station System, the resulting natural gas will be used to fuel the waste collection vehicles as well as vehicles from area jurisdictions and agencies.

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