Best Recycling Practices for Business and Industry
Notes from Lunch and Learn with Recycling Jackson 7/30/09
Information provided by Recycling Jackson.
During self-introductions, attendees and business owners said they were there simply to learn more abut recycling or get a program going in their business (Springbrook Meadows Apts., Faith Haven, Advance Advertising Products, Salvation Army, RJ Michaels, Total Wellness, Jackson Symphony Orchestra, Dawn Foods) or to further support the community (HUCO-Kurpinski, Rapid Refill Ink, VDN Services, Chamber of Commerce, NY Life ).
Travis Fojtasek gave the background of the founding of Recycling Jackson in 1983 and the progress made to recycling centers in almost every township and the re-establishment of current monthly meetings of the Recycling Task Force with 19 members.
He told us, however, that Jackson's recycling rate is lousy at the municipal level and that Michigan has the lowest rate of all of the Great Lakes and Midwest states. Michigan provides only $200,000 in its budget for recycling compared to Pennsylvania at $16,000,000.
Within Jackson County it has been demonstrated that private enterprise and local authorities can work together on recycling. The county government has not shown support due to the existence of the county incinerator. However, Recycling Jackson went to the Villages and Townships of our county and now Emmons, Modern Waste Disposal and Northwest Refuse pick up from 21 recycling centers free-of-charge.
Question—Does Jackson County pay higher tipping fees due to our incinerator? Yes, we have one of three remaining in the state. We pay $90 per ton and Detroit has the highest ($110) because of their incinerator bonds. Other areas of the state pay $10-$25 per ton.
Travis highlighted the 3 major benefits to business recycling:
To decrease trash hauling expense
• Haulers charge by the pound
• Haulers charge by the size of the container
• Haulers charge by frequency of pick-up
• Talk to your hauler about fee reduction through recycling; they may offer the “bag program” whereby you purchase the bags, only, to fill and set out for pick-up
• Reusing paper or reduction of printing and copying or using both sides
• Refill your print cartridges rather than buying new through local businesses (Rapid Refill, Office Depot, etc) or printer manufacturer
• Use ceramic mugs to wash or paper cups rather than non-recyclable Styrofoam
• Encourage email billing to customers
• Plastic water bottles are the worst offense since plastic can only be recycled once
To eliminate fines for inappropriate trash disposal
• Business cannot legally dispose of electronic equipment in regular trash
• Other hazardous waste cannot be disposed of in regular trash
• 30-minute PowerPoint from Consumers Energy available for more discussion (Call Recycling Task Force at 517/788-7378)
• Waste rules and regulations for Michigan are available on-line for businesses through the DEQ. For a free, online copy of the guide, click here. To order a hard copy of the guide, click here.
Good for your community image
• Employees notice and can be easily trained and will spread the word community-wide
• You can advertise your recycling efforts
• Use and buy recyclables to create demand for the product
• Buy mugs with your logo on them for your break-room to wash
Travis and Dave Lawrence of Recycling Jackson recommended starting a recycling program at work by beginning simply with paper recycling.
• Talk with your hauler about picking up your paper recycling & providing site containers
• Buy containers, bins or desk-top in-out trays for employees to put their paper and cardboard into - Can use appropriate sized cardboard boxes as containers at no expense
• Inform employees of your commitment to recycling
• Keep recycling bins at desk or at a designated recycling center
• Remove waste baskets as incentive to recycling
• Talk with cleaning service about emptying containers into designated recycling site outdoors or have employees deposit paper and cardboard at site
• Recycling Jackson or the Taskforce can perform a waste-audit if you need assistance. This service is FREE of charge.
Question—What can be recycled? Jackson has lenient recyclers who are decently tolerant of us mixing our recyclables but you should try to separate materials. Recycling is controlled by the commodities market and it does change. Jackson has a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) at Northwest Refuse and employs people to sort materials properly. Tours are available. Recycling Jackson's Website has specific information with maps. Your hauler may have a website with recycling information
Specific inquiries answered:
Softener Salt bags? Number 4 plastic, yes
Household batteries? Recycling Jackson, yes, every 1st and 3rd Saturday from 9am to 1pm
Office Depot takes batteries
Lowe's takes lithium batteries
Colored glass? Northwest Refuse takes it and may be holding it until the market comes back or selling it for other purposes. A tumbled glass product is being used for landscaping now in place of rocks.
Shredded Paper? Yes, by all. Business policy applies to confidential information shredded and recycled.
Bread Bags? Yes, goes with “All Other Plastics (1-6)” when Northwest sorts it, but you can put it in the plastics bin. 1-6 plastics are sometimes held for a market return.
Aerosol Cans? Yes, with metals
Paint Cans? Yes, Huco Kurnpinski and Jackson County Hazardous Waste Drive (No latex)
Tires? Yes, Kurpinski, and see RJ website for others
Wood? Pallets and other wood accepted if not treated or painted. Check with your hauler.
Ceramic? Not accepted at this time.
Building materials? Habitat for Humanity Re-store
Matt Brown, of Goodwill Industries, member of the Recycling Task Force noted that he is working with his hauler to reduce Goodwill's 8-county trash hauling expense by one-third, saving tens of thousands of dollars.
In attendance, Advance Advertising Products, mentioned they have a Recycled/Green line of promotional products.
Unable to attend…Schafer Dry Cleaners (Charles Lightner & Judy Smith) sent a note stating they support recycling and have recently updated all of their equipment to be environmentaly friendly…only 1 of 2 dry cleaners in our county.
Unable to attend…"Since we are out of town and can't personally attend the luncheon we wanted you to know that we support recycling as it's just a sound business practice. All of our businesses Winzeler Dry Clearners, Brail Dry Cleaners and AVIS Rent A Car recycle. As owners we feel a strong obligation to the concept of recycling for the earth as well as the individuals inhabiting it." -Linda & Chuck Furgason
Meeting adjourned at 1:00PM by Susan Franck.
