Wal-Mart, Patagonia Team To Green Business

Monte Burke, 05.06.10, 12:20 PM EDT 
Forbes Magazine dated May 24, 2010

Patagonia's chief executive teaches competitors how to clean up their acts.

Eco-hero: Yvon Chouinard shares green business practices.

Earth911 recently had the opportunity to sit down with the U.S. EPA and get candid about reducing, reusing and recycling.

In order to address the most relevant issues pertaining to Americans right now, we came prepared with questions from our very own readers. Here’s what the EPA had to say in response.

1. “From a non-regulatory perspective, but as a wielder of a big hammer: How can they better promote cradle-to-cradle rather than cradle-to-grave thinking, planning, operations?” – Ross Grayson

In the fall of 2009, EPA issued a report encouraging the management of materials, products and services on a life-cycle basis. Life-cycle materials management encourages using or reusing resources most productively and sustainably throughout their life cycles, minimizing the amount of materials and toxic substances involved and all the associated environmental impacts.

The Sustainable Materials Management: The Road Ahead report lays out a series of recommendations for EPA and states to help shift our society from waste to materials management in order to achieve a sustainable use of materials and live within the Earth’s capacity to provide.

Efficiencies gained in a life-cycle materials management approach result in reduced use of energy, water and materials, reduced toxicity of products and services, reduced volume and toxicity of waste, enhanced recovery of materials, and reduced impact on the land, air and water.

The public and private sectors have many of the tools that we need to manage materials much more carefully than we typically do today. By promoting efforts to manage materials, products, and services on a life-cycle basis, building our capacity to manage materials on a life-cycle basis in the future, and accelerating the public dialogue necessary to start a generation-long shift in how we manage materials and create a green, resilient and competitive economy.

2. “Does the EPA has ideas/plans on how to expand the availability of recycling around the country?” – Theresa Malin
EPA awards grants and other resources to states and local organizations to help set up and maintain recycling and other solid waste management programs. Generally speaking, these grants are awarded through EPA’s 10 regional offices.

3. ” In these hard economic times, cost is a huge factor in government decisions. This plays a (negative) factor in recycling, since it tends to cost more. For example, Ocean City, Md. recently decided to STOP recycling altogether because it costs over a million dollars more to keep the program (for them, it cost $394 to recycle a ton, yet cost only $162 to throw away the same ton). Does the EPA address this already (and how so), and if not, how do they plan to counteract this?” – Theresa Malin

EPA does not control the fluctuation of prices of recycled materials. During hard economic times, many recycling programs will be adversely affected. EPA believes that there are many environmental benefits of recycling, and over time, the benefits outweigh the costs. EPA offers grants and other resources to state and local municipalities that may have recycling programs that are struggling during the economy.

4. “Can Public places, like parks, schools, churches, and so on, have a mandatory recycling bins , so when we go there we know what we have to do?” – Andry Cianci Fanucchi

This is determined by your state and local municipality; check to see where bins are provided and encourage them to implement stronger recycling programs.

5. “I get that whole plastic being a bad thing, but doesn’t the use of paper destroy multitudes of forests? Recycling is the key, isn’t it? Why not mandate recycling of plastics also?” – Joyce Frasier

What recycling collection is determined by state and local municipalities. There are recycling programs for plastic bags in some communities as well at many grocery stores. Choose to reduce first – a reusable bag can prevent waste from disposable bags in the first place.

6. “Will the EPA support a ban on plastic bags and Styrofoam?” – Hope Grable

EPA encourages the reducing and reusing of theses products. Ultimately, if these products are at the end of their useful life, they should be recycled. While not very common, Styrofoam can be recycled. Check your local municipality to see if they collect plastic bags and Styrofoam for recycling.

Beginning April 22, the company is asking customers to help it meet its goal of recycling 1 billion pounds of electronics and appliances. In 2009, the company collected 120 million pounds of electronics and appliances.

"We believe our employees have the power to help people around the world live more sustainable, digitally-connected lives," said Paula Prahl, company senior vice president of communications, public affairs and corporate responsibility. "As we help consumers make smart technology choices today, we have a responsibility to help them get rid of the old and obsolete devices. This 1 billion-pound target is designed to inspire our employees and to promote greater consumer action, both of which can significantly reduce the amount of electronics in the waste stream."

The recycling campaign will include social media, store-based trade in and recycling programs, and appliance and television haul away programs.

For more information on the programs, visit www.bestbuy.com/recycling, www.bestbuytradein.com and www.bby.com/sustainability.

Whole Foods Market is partnering with Cork ReHarvest to help collect and recycle some of the 13 billion natural corks that are produced each year.

"We often forget that cork is a renewable, recyclable material that does not belong in landfills," said Erez Klein, wine and beer buyer for Whole Foods Market´s Pacific Northwest Region. "Cork ReHarvest allows us to help sustain cork forests, a critically important resource for our planet, and to do so with near effortless local community action."

The cork program will piggyback on the company´s existing recycling infrastructure.

In the western U.S., corks will be sent to Western Pulp, where the material will be recycled into wine shippers containing 10% cork. In the Midwest, corks will be used by Yemm & Hart in the production of floor tiles. Eastern and U.K. markets will send used cork to Jelinek Cork Group for recycling.

For more information, visit corkreharvest.org.

Last year, a record-breaking 63.4% of the paper consumed was recovered for recycling. Not only is this the highest recovery rate ever, it exceeds the U.S. paper industry goal of 60% three years ahead of schedule.

While the recovery ratio has increased, consumption has actually dropped. About 50 million tons of paper and cardboard were recovered last year. But 2007 saw the highest volume year so far with 52 million tons.

A lot of this comes from aggressive corporate efforts to reduce both consumption and the cost of paper usage. HP avoided sending 83,866 tons of waste to the landfill in 2008--most of which was paper waste. The reduction was due to their non-hazardous waste reduction program.

It saved the company $7.7 million from reusing items and avoiding landfill costs. It also generated a revenue of $2.2 million by selling materials to recyclers.

Ever wondered if that cryptic greasy paper plate could go in your recycling bin? Or would it really be a big deal if you threw in just one plastic bag?

It may seem simple to determine what doesn’t go in a recycling bin because of the labels, but unfortunately, it’s not that straightforward.

So, where do you begin to find out of the specific materials that shouldn’t go in a recycling bin? Listed below are some materials that you can pretty much guarantee should be kept out of your community’s recycling bins (unless of course the bin or the program specifically says that you can drop it in).

Shredded paper

When you shred paper with a paper shredder, you dramatically decrease the value of the paper because you shorten the length of the paper fiber, which is the source of value of the paper, according Eric Lombardi, the executive director of Eco-Cycle, one of the largest nonprofit recyclers in the U.S.

Nice white computer paper has a long, strong fiber, and every time you recycle that paper, the fiber gets shorter. If done properly, that computer paper can be recycled six to eight times.

However, if you shred that same crisp computer paper, you’re lucky if it can even be recycled once. Oftentimes, paper mills won’t accept shredded paper because of the difficulties it creates during the sorting process, says Lombardi.

“It gets mixed with everyone’s paper that day, and you put it in a giant pile at the recycling facility, there’s no way somebody is going to put ‘humpty-dumpty’ back together again,” says Lombardi.

If you have a document that is semi-confidential, rip it by hand three or four times, then throw it into the recycling bin. For documents that absolutely require shredding, locate a source in your area that specifically handles shredded paper for recycling. Some curbside programs may even accept your shredded paper if it is bagged separately.

Brightly colored paper

Believe it or not, bright paper can stop a whole batch of paper from being recycled. The idea behind this one is simple, explains Dan Baril, recycling program manager at the University of Colorado at Boulder, “It’s like the red sock in the white load sort-of-syndrome.” If you need to buy colored paper, avoid really rich colors, and opt for pastels. Paper mills can usually handle the lighter tones.

Read more
The Best DIY Paper Projects

Juice boxes and milk cartons

This is a good opportunity to check with your municipality for the best recycling options. Some cities will accept milk and juice cartons for recycling with the paperboard stream. However, this is not true everywhere.

And while Eco-Cycle will accept milk and juice cartons, even with the plastic drinking-spot left in, they do not recycle milk and juice cartons found in non-refrigerated aisles used for packaging products such as soup and soy, rice or almond milk.

Last year, Tropicana and Waste Management launched a national initiative to increase the rate of juice and milk carton recycling. The initiative kicked off the long-term goal to increase beverage carton recycling nationwide, a program being promoted through the Carton Council.

Read more
Milk and Juice Carton Recycling Made Easy

Paper coffee cups

Currently, paper coffee cups (also called hot cups) are accepted for recycling at only few communities in the U.S. The thin polyethylene plastic coating on the cups that helps prevent liquid leaking has made it difficult for most processing services to recycle the cups.

With about 58 billion paper cups used each year in the U.S., the best thing you can do is simply reduce your usage. Bring along a reusable mug or ask your barista if they offer mugs for serving if you’re staying in the store to sip your drink.

“At the end of the day, we wouldn’t have a problem with paper hot cups if everyone was going to the coffee shop with their reusable mug,” says Wendell Simonson, marketing-director of Eco-Products, Inc. a Boulder, Colo., based company that sells single-use products that can generally be recycled or composted.

Secondly, if your community offers composting, look for cups made with plant-based coating, which allows the cups to be composted.

Starbucks has a pilot program that is working to prove that hot cups, even with the plastic coating, can be integrated into the cardboard recycling stream.

Read more
Starbucks Pilots Coffee Cup Recycling Program

Pizza boxes, soiled paper plates, napkins

Many people assume that pizza boxes are recyclable. In fact, most boxes have recycling symbols on them and are traditionally made from corrugated cardboard. They are, in and of themselves, recyclable.

Pizza boxes that are tarnished with food, or any paper product that is stained with grease or food, are not recyclable – unless you remove the tainted portions. Photo: Flickr/massdistraction

However, what makes parts of them non-recyclable is the hot, tasty treat that comes inside them, specifically, the grease and cheese from pizza that soil the cardboard.

Food is one of the worst contaminants in the paper recycling process. Grease and oil are not as big of a problem for plastic, metal and glass, as those materials are recycled using a heat process.

But when paper products are recycled, they are mixed with water and turned into a slurry. Since we all know water and oil don’t mix, the issue is clear.

Grease from pizza boxes causes oil to form at the top of the slurry, and paper fibers cannot separate from oils during the pulping process.

Essentially, this contaminant causes the entire batch to be ruined. This is the reason that other food related items are non-recyclable (used paper plates, used napkins, used paper towels, etc).

Read more
The Pizza Box Mystery

Plastic bags and film

When left to the machines to sort the recyclable materials, “The one that causes the most heartburn is plastic bags,” says Lombardi. Plastic bags wrap themselves around the equipment, and as a result, the whole plant may have to shut down – expending time, energy and money. Repairmen often are hired to come in with knives to cut the plastic bags out of the guts of the machinery, Lombardi explains.

But this doesn’t mean you have to toss your bags into the trash. The good news is that most grocery stores throughout the U.S. now offer plastic bag recycling. In 2007, more than 830 million pounds of plastic bags and film were recycled nationwide, up 27 percent from 2005. Plastic bags can be made into dozens of new and useful products as well.

Read more
360: Recycling Plastic Bags

The wrong plastic resin

Plastics #1 and #2, made from polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), are the most commonly accepted plastics for recycling. However, just because a plastic is made from HDPE and PETE does not mean that it will be accepted by your community’s recycling program. Instead of just focusing on the plastic’s number, also look for the specific details provided by your community’s program, such as, “narrow-necked bottles” and “rigid plastics.”

Even with a recycling program that accepts plastics #1-7, it’s often the shape of the plastic product that determines whether or not it can be recycled in that specific program. For instance, plastics made from PLA cannot be recycled because they contaminate the recycling stream, according to Luke Vernon, COO of Eco-Products.

“A lot of recyclers don’t like PLA (polylactic acid)  because it’s made into cups, containers and plates, not really bottles, and they don’t recycle the non-bottle shaped product,” Vernon says. PLA products then, should be composted, not recycled.

Read more
The Ultimate Plastic Breakdown
What “Bio” Really Means

Bottle caps

Polypropylene (PP), or plastic #5, often makes up the plastic caps on bottles. So, what’s the big deal if the bottle is a #1 and the cap is a #5? They’re both plastic right? It’s not that simple.

It all comes down to the melting point, which has a difference of nearly 160 degrees Fahrenheit between the two. If a cap gets mixed in with bottles, the entire batch may be ruined because there is un-melted plastic in the mix.

A general rule of thumb is to remove all of the plastic caps and lids from your plastic bottles, jugs and tubs before recycling them. To check if your city accepts caps for recycling call or visit the Public Works or Department of Sanitation section of its Web site.

If you’re in an area where plastic cap recycling is not available, seek out retailers that accept them. Also, a few of companies are taking the lead when it comes to tackling the issue of recycling #5 plastics, such as Aveda.

Read more
360: Bottle Caps

Broken glass

Broken glass is recyclable, but it might not be reprocessed into new glass bottles. This is because when glass breaks, it can often be a challenge to separate it by color given the tiny pieces.

This glass can be used as an additive in fiberglass, tile and flooring, pavement or even turned back into sand to stop beach depletion. However, just because glass is crushed during recycling doesn’t mean you should do this prior to putting it in your bin. This could injure waste haulers or people sorting material at the MRF.

Read more
Your Top Glass Questions

What causes contamination

Knowing what goes in the bin is critical to ensuring the success of the recycling process. That’s because recycling actually happens when materials that would otherwise become waste are turned into valuable resources.

Putting the wrong materials into the recycling bin may ruin the entire batch. The material in a recycling container is taken to a material recovery facility (MRF), where the material is separated and processed for selling to companies that buy recycled materials for making products. The higher the quality of the recycled material, the more the companies will want to buy it, and the higher the price they’ll pay for it.

However, when you put materials into the recycling bin that shouldn’t be there, you may (at the very least) be slowing down the entire recycling process. Here’s what can happen when you put the wrong things in the recycling bin:

• Machines that handle the sorting of the materials can become damaged, which means that precious time, energy and money will be needed to repair the machines.
• If no equipment is available to do the job, more material in the bin that shouldn’t be there makes the job far more difficult and inefficient for workers sorting the material by hand.
• Also, it may inhibit the materials in the bin that should be there from turning into the highest quality materials possible, or it could even send everything in the bin straight to the landfill. It may be cliché, but the expression, “one bad apple could spoil the bunch” pretty much sums up the situation.

The location received gold level certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program administered by the USGBC. Gold is the second highest of four levels of certification available through LEED.

The Trenton site is just the fourth automobile manufacturing facility to receive LEED certification and the first engine manufacturing site, Chrysler said.

"The Trenton South Engine Plant has established a new industry benchmark for efficient, environmentally conscious design," said Scott Garberding, head of manufacturing at Chrysler.

More than 90% of construction waste, about 6,750, tons, was recycled during the project. And 44% of the materials used to build the facility contained some recycled content, Chrysler said.

The new option in the company´s Built to Order line of homes "is designed to ease the future installation of a station to charge an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle conveniently at home," the Los Angeles-based home builder said.

"It´s a great feature for homebuyers who currently drive electric cars, or for those who want to build their new home to accommodate these cars in the future," CEO Jeffrey Mezger said.

KB Home has built more than 500,000 homes since 1957, the company said.

Ah, tax season. The time of year where no accomplishment is unworthy of mention if it equals a write-off.

If you’ve taken the time (and money) to invest in energy-efficiency or other green initiatives, there’s likely a deduction for that. Here’s a quick breakdown of what you might be eligible for this year.

Behind the Wheel

First, the good news: If you participated in 2009’s Cash for Clunkers program to get a more fuel-efficient car with government incentive, your $3,500 or $4,500 rebate is not considered taxable income. Imagine how much more you’d have to deduct with this additional income.

While the tax credit for hybrid autos is decreasing, big bucks for plug-in vehicles was included in last year's stimulus package. Photo: Flickr/e-connected

Plus, if you went the whole nine yards last summer and purchased a hybrid car, you’re eligible for anenergy tax credit. This means that not only can you potentially drive 1,000 miles on a single tank of gas, but you’ll also receive a financial incentive for it.

According to the Tax Incentives Project, the availability and amount of the credit are unrelated to the type of car that the purchaser replaced, meaning you’re still eligible even if you just traded in your old hybrid for a new one.

Now for the bad news: The hybrid tax credit has been around since 2006 but is now in the process of being phased out, so what once was worth $2,000 is now worth less than $1,000. Keep in mind that 2010 is the last year of eligibility for the tax credit, so if you want any incentive at all for your hybrid, time is of the essence.

But if you made the big splurge and upgraded to an electric vehicle, you qualify for some major dough.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 (the stimulus package) expanded the credit for plug-in vehicles, and it is now available for a new plug-in electric drive vehicle having a battery capacity of at least 4 kilowatt hours, which qualifies for a credit of $2,500. Each kilowatt hour of battery above this adds $417 to the credit, up to a maximum of $7,500 for vehicles up to 14,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.

Big Breaks at Home

Relax, you don’t need solar panels on the roof to get tax credit for being energy-efficient. In fact, the ENERGY STAR program has an entire Web site dedicated to identifying credits available for your purchases.

The key is that you need to upgrade a product – such as a water heater or air conditioning unit – in your primary home, meaning that new construction or rentals are not eligible. For most products, you can only get a $1,500 tax credit every two years, and it’s based on 30 percent of the cost of the unit.

You could be eligible for tax deductions if you made the switch to energy-efficient lighting in your home. Photo: Flickr/Karin Beil

But the credits are not limited to just appliances. You may qualify for extra money if you have installed insulation or weather stripping, a qualified roof that reflects the sun or even skylights, among many other upgrades. Note that tax credits do not include the cost of installation.

For a full list of your possible tax credits, enter your ZIP code and any upgrades on the ENERGY STAR checklist. You may also qualify for sales tax exemptions, rebates and sponsored recycling programs that will reduce the burden of disposing your old products.

Double- and triple-check your local tax credit descriptions because even the little stuff counts. Here are a couple of quick upgrades you may have overlooked:

• Energy-efficient lighting – Did you make the switch to CFL bulbs or make an LED upgrade?
• New electronics or office equipment – New laptop or desktop computers, printer/scanners, even televisions may be eligible. Last year, the state of California’s Energy Commission implemented energy standards for plasma and liquid crystal TVs.
• Heating and cooling improvements – While programmable thermostats do not qualify, some states will give you tax credit for installing energy-efficient ceiling fans.

If you’re planning on making some home improvements in 2010, do some quick rebate research for next year’s tax season. As always, remember to save your receipts. If you make the upgrade, you’ll have to prove it.

Deductible Donations

It may go without saying that reuse is always the preferred option over tossing. It requires energy and resources to create a new product from recycled material, whereas reuse provides a second life for the same product.

There are plenty of organizations that specialize in offering products for reuse, such as Goodwill and Salvation Army. Plus, the IRS also lets you determine the fair market value of products donated, which can be treated as a tax write-off.

If your items – clothing, toys or even electronics – are still in usable condition, find a local second-hand store and ask if it they are eligible for donation. Don’t forget to ask for the appropriate tax form when you donate your products. Without proof of donation, it will be more difficult to receive a credit.

One area where you should be leery about seeking a tax credit for donation is with carbon offsets. These programs provide an opportunity to invest in renewable energy in order to compensate for the carbon emitted on things like travel. However, it will only be seen as a tax-deductible donation if the group providing the offsets is a nonprofit organization.

Carbonfund.org is one example of a nonprofit that is fighting climate change through carbon offsetting. Your contribution is tax-deductible by law, making it more cost-effective to reduce your carbon footprint while saving money.

If you’re unsure about an organization’s classification, look for the 501(c)(3) notation in the About Us section of its Web site.

The Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), located in Worcester, Mass., and the Colorado School of Mines have jointly received a $400,000 award from the National Science Foundation to establish a research center that targets metals recycling.

The two colleges will create the Center for Resource Recovery and Recycling (CR3), which, the two colleges say, is the first research center dedicated to developing new technologies for maximizing the recovery and recycling of metals used in manufactured products and structures.

The award will help fund the cost of establishing the center and recruiting corporate members. The possible members could include scrap yards, municipal waste centers, shredding companies, smelters, foundries and manufacturers.

According to Diran Apelian, Howmet professor of Mechanical Engineering at WPI and director of its Metal Processing Institute, the center will seek between 30 and 40 members, each initially paying $30,000 per year, bringing the potential funding for the center to more than $6 million over the course of the grant. Apelian will serve as the center's director and WPI will be the lead institution.

Brajendra Mishra, professor and associate director of the Advanced Coatings and Surface Engineering Laboratory and the Kroll Institute for Extractive Metallurgy at Colorado School of Mines, will serve as associate director.

"Despite growing efforts to recycle metals, we still fail to recover half of the post-consumer metal scrap generated in this country; we rely on primary metals--those derived directly from ores--to fulfill two-thirds of our manufacturing needs," Apelian says. "The environmental benefits of reusing scrap instead of smelting primary metal are tremendous."

Faculty and students associated with CR3 will collaborate with industry partners to conduct research leading to advances in recycling and recovery technology that maximize the capture and reuse of post-consumer scrap and minimize the production of manufacturing scrap. These include sensors, controls, and sorting technologies that can identify valuable metals and separate them from the waste stream, as well as new alloys that are easier to recycle.

WPI will focus its research on metals used in structural applications, such as steel used in buildings and aluminum forged for automotive components. The Colorado School of Mines will focus its energies on metals used in what it calls functional applications, including high-value and rare-earth metals used in computers, electronics and photovoltaics.

"Our nation's economic health is intimately intertwined with our ability to conserve natural resources, including inorganic materials, which are not renewable," says Apelian. "The issue of sustainability should be paramount in how we design, manufacture, use, and retire the many products we use. That is the motivation for this new center's research and its partnership with industry."

Members of CR3 will help determine the direction of and benefit from the center's research, and will have royalty-free rights to intellectual property resulting from that research. Board members also will have the option of sponsoring supplementary research projects for additional fees. Members will have representation on the center’s Industrial Advisory Board, which will meet twice a year.

RecycleMax was accepted into the TechTown SmartStart program, a leading business development program in the state.

Founded in 1995, RecycleMax is a full-service provider of solid waste recycling and disposal services to commercial, industrial and institutional customers. 

Through the program’s funding, RecycleMax will be launching a state of the art e-commerce website providing convenient access to recycling, shredding and disposal services throughout North America.

Recyclemax.com will connect customers to a national network of recyclers allowing them to post materials for recycling, request quotes for recycling services, obtain training and education for their employees, and schedule pickups online.

About Tech Town

“TechTown, Detroit’s research and technology park, was established in 2000 when Wayne State University, General Motors and the Henry Ford Health System convened to create an engine of economic growth with both local and statewide impact. TechTown stimulates job growth and small-business creation by developing companies in emerging high-technology industries including advanced engineering, life sciences and alternative energy.”

The electric utility has secured easements for 60,000 acres for wind farms in Mason, Tuscola and Huron counties.

The wind farm in Mason County, Lake Winds Energy Park, will have a capacity of 100 megawatts. The park is scheduled for commercial operation in 2012.

The wind farm in Tuscola and Huron counties, Cross Winds Energy Park, is scheduled for commercial operation in two phases in 2015 and 2017.

Consumers Energy said this week, the Michigan Public Service Commission designated an area that includes parts of Tuscola, Huron, Bay, Saginaw, and Sanilac counties as the state´s primary wind energy resource zone.

As part of the development of the Lake Winds Energy Park, Consumers Energy has issued a request for proposal to five pre-selected manufacturers of wind turbine generators.

A Great Lakes fix-up plan designed to ward off species invasions, cleanse polluted harbors and make other environmental repairs would get $300 million under the budget President Barack Obama released Monday.

The amount is down from the $475 million Congress appropriated for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative last year at Obama's request. Administration officials said the drop-off for the 2011 fiscal year is reasonable, with federal agencies under pressure to cut costs.

It "reflects the difficult economic times while recognizing the president's continued commitment to restoring and protecting this vital environmental and economic treasure," the Environmental Protection Agency said in a statement...

1. E Magazine: What sparked the idea for your business?

Bill Dirst: We are avid tennis players and passionate about the sport. We didn’t like throwing balls away, but we knew of no other outlet for disposing of them environmentally. Some tennis facilities and pros donate used balls to animal shelters and other charitable uses, but that’s only a very small quantity of balls. While serving as volunteer tennis teachers in rural Arkansas, we saw that buying new tennis balls for teaching sessions was the biggest cost to a facility. In 2007, we concluded that not only was there a business opportunity here, but there was also a need for an environmental service.

Sharpie, Paper Mate and EXPO brands announced a new partnership with the New Jersey-based company today.

TerraCycle will now collect and reuse pens, markers and other writing instruments while also helping raise funds for schools, charities and non-profits nationwide.

Collection centers called "Writing Instrument Brigades" will be set up at participating locales, primarily in large corporations and schools where writing instruments are used most. For every writing instrument collected, two cents will be paid to a school, community group, charity or non-profit organization of the participant´s choice.

"Keeping one pen or marker out of a landfill may seem like a small contribution, but multiply that by the estimated $5 billion of writing instruments sold in the U.S. each year and it is a big opportunity to reduce waste to landfills," said Ben Gadbois, president of Markers, Highlighters, Art and Office Essentials for Newell Rubbermaid Office Products, maker of Sharpie, EXPO and Paper Mate products. "As the world´s leading producer of writing instruments, it´s not only our responsibility but our moral obligation to do our part to help the environment. TerraCycle offers us an innovative way to repurpose writing instruments after their useful life has expired."

The collected writing instruments will be dissembled and reprocessed to make new products.

The free program is available to any individual or group and is easy to operate. Interested parties sign up with TerraCycle, at www.terracycle.net, to establish a Brigade location and then select the school, charity or non-profit group to which they want their collection funds directed. Each Brigade prints a pre-paid shipping label from TerraCycle´s website to ship the collected writing instruments to TerraCycle for upcycling into new products. TerraCycle will donate two cents per writing instrument to the collecting Brigade´s chosen organization.

For more information on the Writing Instruments Brigade, visit any of these Web sites: www.sharpie.com, www.papermate.com, www.expomarkers.com.

As hundreds of thousands of Haitians huddle in the streets after the stunning devastation of last week’s earthquake, caring people across the world are trying to think of ways to help – and this may just be one of the most creative (and realistic) ideas yet.

Designers from South Carolina’s Clemson University think they have just the solution for weatherproof, insect-resistant, fire-proof and structurally sound homes that can be moved and set up faster than anything else: shipping containers.

The report by the McGraw-Hill Companies, with support of Waste Management Inc., indicates waste division activities are increasing despite the recession. Client demand, government regulations, competitive advantage and increases in education and awareness are all major factors driving the increase.

Some 61% of contractors said waste management plans are the second most important aspect of green building.

"Customer demands and regulatory pressures are driving change -- improving diversion and recycling rates and repurposing construction and demolition into other products," said Jim Halter, vice president for construction solutions at Waste Management.

McGraw-Hill and Waste Management released the report at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Phoenix on Nov. 10. The report is titled "Sustainable Construction Waste Management: Creating Value in the Built Environment."

Contact Waste & Recycling News senior reporter Jim Johnson at 937-964-1289 or jpjohnson@crain.com

ABOARD THE ALGUITA, 1,000 miles northeast of Hawaii — In this remote patch of the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles from any national boundary, the detritus of human life is collecting in a swirling current so large that it defies precise measurement.

 

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DISPOSED Rubbish in the Pacific, where Charles Moore found a large trash patch by accident 12 years ago. More Photos »

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A spotted gray trigger fish was just big enough to fit inside a caulking tube, and became highly protective of its tiny habitat, snapping at approaching fish. Mr. Moore and his research team removed the tube from the garbage patch in September and placed it in an aquarium for observation. More Photos >

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Lindsey Hoshaw for The New York Times

Mr. Moore holds a bottle covered with barnacles and algae, indicating it had been in the water for a long time. More Photos >

Light bulbs, bottle caps, toothbrushes, Popsicle sticks and tiny pieces of plastic, each the size of a grain of rice, inhabit the Pacific garbage patch, an area of widely dispersed trash that doubles in size every decade and is now believed to be roughly twice the size of Texas. But one research organization estimates that the garbage now actually pervades the Pacific, though most of it is caught in what oceanographers call a gyre like this one — an area of heavy currents and slack winds that keep the trash swirling in a giant whirlpool.

When: 04/25/2010 - 1:00 AM  04/25/2010 - 5:00 PM
Where: Washtenaw Community College, 4800 E. Huron River Drive, at the Morris Lawrence Building
Ann Arbor

Via Earth911.com

Even for the greenest recycling junkie, to-go plastics are sometimes unavoidable. From microwave dinners to Chinese takeout, single-use plastics are everywhere.

The trick is knowing what to do with that ketchup-covered foam clamshell once you’ve devoured your fries. Here’s your guide to recycling your common to-go plastics.

Expanded Polystyrene Foam

Coffee cups, to-go boxes, foam packaging peanuts, foam crates

Polystyrene foam is widely used because it’s lightweight, easy to ship and works well with both hot and cold food and beverages.

Made from plastic #6, polystyrene foam is comprised of 97 percent air. It is easily carried by wind and water currents to all reaches of our planet, and its unsinkable nature makes it a main component of marine debris.

The main reason curbside programs do not accept polystyrene foam is because after the material is placed in a commingled bin, scooped up on a recycling truck and transported to a facility, it becomes contaminated with dirt and other materials. Because most curbside programs do not wash the material, recyclers have a hard time with it.

There are several community programs that will recycle the material. But if there are no programs that fit your specific needs or are near your location, AFPR offers a mail-in program for consumers. Average shipping fees range from $1.50 to $9, based on the total packaging weight and volume. Since EPS is extremely lightweight, it can be economically shipped to a regional location.

Find local recycling for expanded polystyrene

Plastic #5 Containers

Microwave trays, yogurt cups, hummus tubs, cottage cheese containers

Up until recently, most community curbside recycling programs didn’t accept #5 plastics. And while 28 of the 100 largest U.S. cities now collect plastic containers beyond bottles, many areas still do not.

Because #5 has a similar type resin to that of #2 (which is found in soda and water bottles), many reclaimers are starting to find ways to incorporate it into other products. Garbage and recycling bins, water filtration systems, shipping pallets, sheeting and automotive battery casings are just a few of the products that can be made out of recycled polypropylene.

If your community doesn’t have curbside #5 recycling, check out the Preserve Gimme 5 program.

You can either drop your #5 plastic containers off at designated Whole Foods locations or mail them directly to Preserve, where they will be remade into items such as razors, toothbrushes, cutlery and mixing bowls—all of which are fully recyclable.

Find local recycling for plastic #5

Bottle Caps

Just by physical touch, you can tell the texture and durability of most plastic bottles is different from their caps. This is because bottles and caps are made from different types of plastics.

Plastic #1 PET, often comprises plastic bottles, while plastic #5 PP makes up the caps. So, what’s the big deal if the bottle is a #1 and the cap is a #5? They’re both plastic right?

It all comes down to the melting point, which has a difference of nearly 160 degrees Fahrenheit between the two. If a cap gets mixed in with bottles, the entire batch may be ruined because there is un-melted plastic in the mix.

To check if your city accepts caps for recycling call or visit the Public Works or Department of Sanitation section of its website. You can also search Earth911.com for plastic #5 or plastic bottle cap recycling locations.

If you’re still short on options, Aveda now accepts #5 plastic bottle caps for recycling at its stores and salons. Any Aveda network salon or store will accept the caps to be made into new Aveda caps.

Find local recycling for bottle caps

Disposable Dinnerware

Plastic dishes, cups and cutlery

The average American office worker goes through around 500 disposable cups over the course of 12 months. Americans even toss out enough paper and plastic cups, forks and spoons every year to circle the equator 300 times.

Much of the common disposable dinnerware, such as plastic utensils, cups and plates, is made from plastic #6. It’s the same resin used to make polystyrene foam, but because these materials are not extremely lightweight, they are easier to recycle.

Find local recycling for plastic #6

Plastic Bags

Due to their light weight, most curbside programs do not accept plastic bags. They can easily get stuck inside machinery when recycled as well. Most grocery stores throughout the U.S. now offer plastic bag recycling. The trick is actually remembering to take those excess bags with you next time you go to the store.

Although many consumers reuse plastic bags in their homes for daily tasks such as doggy duty or taking out the trash in the bathroom, recycling your plastic bag will ensure that it won’t eventually end up in the landfill.

Find local recycling for plastic bags

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Ditch Your Disposables

Total U.S. industry consumption of recovered paper in May was 2.6 million tons, a 7.1% increase from a year ago and a 1.3% increase from the previous month, according to the American Forest & Paper Association.

For the first five months of this year, compared to last year, consumption was up 8.5%, the trade group said.

Consumption in May, compared to a year ago, increased 11.7% for corrugated, 5.8% for mixed paper and 5.2% for newspaper.

Meanwhile, U.S. exports of recovered paper increased to 1.8 million tons in April, a 7.7% jump from April 2009.

April imports of recovered paper to the United States decreased by 2,161 tons to 63,712 tons, AF&PA said. That´s a 207% increase from April 2009, but a 3.3% decrease from the previous month.

Via http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/

By now you’ve probably seen at least one study ranking America’s “greenest cities.” It could be based on recycling rates, the number of green buildings or even engagement from local residents.

From San Francisco to Charlotte, these cities typically have one thing in common: a strong emphasis on environmental investment and communicating these programs to the public. Here are the key attributes that make up the nation’s most eco-friendly cities.

1. Acing waste managementWhen it comes to handling waste, recycling is just the tip of the iceberg. Many cities now have separate staff and programs for curbside recycling, compost/yard waste recycling and the collection of hazardous products like paint and batteries. But some will go the extra step.

Did you know in San Francisco, you can recycle food scraps and other organic waste at the curb? In fact, participation is required by city law. Other cities like Chicago and Seattle are beginning to follow suit, and since the EPA estimates organic and yard waste makes up 25 percent of our total solid waste, there’s definitely a demand for other disposal methods.

For other cities, the way to reduce waste is to simply make it illegal to throw things away. Take the case of Charlotte for example. The largest city in North Carolina enforces 15 different state landfill bans.

This includes everything from beverage containers to motor oil and filters to electronics, and did we mention oyster shells? If something is banned from landfills, you can bet that the city and county will do everything they can to make sure that material is recyclable.

An additional option is to change the way that recyclables are prepared for better collection practices. Earlier this year, Minnesota passed a law that all yard waste must be contained in compostable bags.

This means the bags themselves can be added to the compost process and break down. While Minneapolis has until 2013 to comply with the law, its Twin Cities-neighbor St. Paul already enforces it for any yard waste collection.

Read MoreSolar Powered Trash Cans Save Cities Millions

2. Efficient public transportationIn case you didn’t already know, cars have a high environmental footprint. We’re talking carbon emissions, air pollution and non-renewable energy being pumped at the gas station.

Meanwhile, public transportation helps keep cars off the road, and many times these buses and trains are powered by renewable energy. Some are so recognized that we know them by name (e.g. BART and the L train), but other cities are doing their part to promote riding the rails.

Honolulu's TheBus system has also been awarded America's Best Transit System twice by the American Public Transportation Association. Photo: Flickr/duluoz catsIn Orlando, the Lymmo bus line offers transportation all over downtown…for free. It runs every day from City Hall to the Centroplex with 11 spots in between, serving both commuters and those who want to enjoy downtown nightlife.

Another way to measure public transportation effectiveness is how often it is utilized. According to 2005 figures from the Federal Transit Administration, New York is by far the leader with 9.6 percent public use.

As for the city came in at No. 3?

That would be Honolulu, which despite still relying on only a bus system has 3.7 percent public use. Its TheBus system has also been awarded America’s Best Transit System twice by the American Public Transportation Association.

According to the most recent State of the Union, public transportation is no longer just an inner-city phenomenon. The U.S. is spending $8 billion to improve high-speed trains in 31 states and three Canadian cities, and more than 25 percent of that money will go to California.

So, those looking to travel between the three largest metro areas of the Golden State (San Francisco Bay, Los Angeles and San Diego) can do so at up to 220 miles per hour. It should also reduce airline and highway travel, and trains have the lowest carbon footprint of all transportation for long trips.

Read MoreTelecommuting Two Days a Week Could Save Billions

3. Green-collar job availabilityOne indirect way to green up a city is to increase the availability of green-collar jobs, with many focusing on energy efficiency that can be applied locally. Plus, an eco-minded company is more likely to enforce eco-friendly policies, such as promoting conservation.

So, where are the green jobs located? In Mother Nature Network’s recently released top 10, three were in California, but a handful of those listed may come as a surprise.

This includes Detroit, where the electric car is transforming the auto industry and clean energy jobs are abundant. Another listed city was Houston, which may have one of the lowest national recycling rates but it’s the third highest green job market, according to Forbes.

Via Earth911.com

The ubiquitous polyethylene grocery bag is a marvel of modern plastics technology – cheap at about a penny a piece, lightweight yet strong enough to hold a heavy load without leaking, reusable for thousands of chores and eminently recyclable to make more bags or other greener products.

They are not without critics, however. They are too often found blowing in the wind, defacing the landscape, are not biodegradable in landfills and many consider them harmful to wildlife.

Regardless, plastic bags and wraps are inexorably intertwined with everyday life and are apparently here to stay. Many of the problems can be greatly mitigated by personal responsibility to prevent littering and by highly aggressive recycling programs to recover more of a valuable commodity.

In 2008, of the 2,900 thousand tons of polyethylene bags and wraps produced, 390 thousand tons were recovered for a recycling rate of 13.4 percent.

To cope with the litter and wildlife endangerment issues, the City of San Francisco banned plastic bags altogether and dictated paper bags, or the alternative of bringing a carry-all. In effect, forcing a paper bag is a hidden tax because it costs five times more than its plastic counterpart and the burden is ultimately borne by the consumer. Few realize the environmental life-cycle consequences of this policy. Making paper bags produces about twice the greenhouse gas emissions as plastic and results in about 80 percent more waste. And because paper bags are much heavier than plastic, it takes seven times greater trucking to get bags to the store, resulting in more emissions. If not made from recycled paper, consumers should also consider the destructive forestry-wildlife implications of paper bags, the costs and emissions of transporting wood, and the serious energy, air and water consequences of pulping and paper mills.

On January 1, Washington DC imposed a five cent tax on paper and plastic grocery bags. “Since a plastic bag only costs about one cent, comparatively it’s a huge tax. We are concerned about programs like that and the impact it may have on bag and wrap recycling,” commented Christman.

Polyethylene is created through polymerization of ethene gas with approximately 80 percent of the material coming from natural gas. It is the most widely used plastic, primarily used for films, bags and packaging. Today, most commercial polyethylene winds up in landfills and some, unfortunately, in streams, lakes and oceans, which is a shame because when reused or recycled it is a useful material. Conventional polyethylene is not considered biodegradable and takes hundreds of years to degrade, except when exposed to ultraviolet light.

There are “biodegradable” alternatives being marketed, but they are usually more expensive compostables that only breakdown when professionally managed in industrial food-composting facilities, of which there are fewer than 100 in the United States.

These so called biodegradables, however, pose a threat to recyclers. If incorporated into recycled products such as plastic lumber, the inherent ability to breakdown is a major problem.

It is unlikely that society will revert to paper bags, or toting wicker baskets, for that matter. In the effort to “reduce, reuse and recycle”, the humble plastic grocery bag could be the poster child for reuse. According to a national survey conducted by APCO, an international research firm, over 92 percent of Americans reuse plastic bags for things like wastebasket liners, trash disposal, carrying articles and disposing of animal refuse. Google “reusing plastic bags” and you can find hundreds of other clever ways people have found to reuse them, ranging from packing material to storage applications to emergency rain cover. Sadly, only four percent said they recycled.

The most expedient and practical solution to the disposal problem is a continuous life cycle of recycling driven by a growing recognition that plastic is a resource well worth recovering. To that end, many new collection programs are being expanded across the country. Christman cited a few examples of the momentum – “A few weeks ago Target announced that they were starting to take back plastic bags at their stores. In addition, we know of about 15,000 plastic bag and wrap drop off locations in the 50 states. We helped establish 133 of those in 2009 with pilot programs in Lake County, Illinois and Orange County, North Carolina. Recently the City of Philadelphia started working with community partners on a new program called “Bring it Back Philly.”

Last year the Progressive Bag Affiliates, an industry group of major United States bag manufacturers, launched their Full Circle Initiative. Members committed to the goal of having 40 percent recycled content by 2015. This is feasible as more governments require bag recycling. California, New York, Rhode Island and Delaware and cities like Chicago and Tucson have recently passed laws requiring stores to take back plastic bags and film for recycling, and many more mandates are coming.

Once educated, retailers should welcome recycling bins at their stores. It’s not only a responsible community service, but also an additional revenue stream.

Companies like Trex, the country’s largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking, railing and fencing products that uses 95 percent recycled plastics and wood scrap such as sawdust, are hungry for bales of reclaimed polyethylene. “Last year we collected over two billion bags. That equates to over 30 million pounds of bags,” said Dave Heglas, director of material resources for Trex. “We sample our bales and count the numbers of bags just to see what the breakdowns of our mixed bales are. For all plastics we were over 200 million pounds last year. We recycle a lot of stretch film, too, and packing for furniture and electronics, primarily polyethylene, but we can tolerate a little bit of polypropylene and mitigate it with our process,” Heglas added.

Trex’s largest source of inbound plastic comes through partnerships with national retailers that have distribution centers serving a large number of stores. After products are delivered to a store, the empty truck picks up plastic from collection bins and waste plastic generated through operations and returns it the distribution center. There it is combined with waste film generated at the distribution center, baled and accumulated in a trailer. In many cases, Trex parks an empty trailer outside the distribution center. When it is full, Trex picks it up and provides another empty trailer.

“We help the distribution center consolidate the material, whether we sell them a baler, or help them buy a baler with the plastics they generate,” Heglas explained. A large Trex account can pay off a baler costing about $12,000 in a year and a half with the plastic it generates, but the company calculates whatever investment it makes is a two-year payback. After that, since balers have a long life a recycler can count on a long term, consistent revenue stream. “Depending on how much we have to invest in helping a company collect and how clean the stream is, we pay anywhere from zero to 15 cents a pound,” said Heglas.

According to Heglas, the stream does not have to be super clean, but it has to be dry with a conscious effort that the collection process is distinct from trash. Trex also has other collection channels through food distributors that serve multiple grocery chains, through companies that call on smaller stores and with and recyclers that consolidate the material.

To collect more material Trex is going deeper into the collection stream. They are in the early stages of developing a 50-pound baler that it is targeted at a $3,000 dollar cost. This will permit small retailers, schools and non-profits to efficiently pack and tap an income source.

“Almost every large grocery store has a collection bin out front. It may not be in a place where easily seen, so we try to get them to promote and manage it better. We have to educate people to the fact that if they want to use plastic packaging there is a way to recycle it. That’s why we have really targeted the schools. We have over 160 programs in 21 states and Canada at the elementary school level getting kids educated to the fact that polyethylene packaging can be recycled,” said Heglas.

The problems caused by plastic grocery bags, dry cleaning bags, bubble wrap and other polyethylene packaging materials can largely be solved through an aggressive recycling effort. To increase recovery, more highly-visible recycling bins and drop off points are needed. Just as consumers have been educated to recycle cans, bottles and paper, there must be a greater effort to get a strong message out to the public.

Via American Recycler June 2010 Issue

Via Earth911

Who doesn’t love a good dose of facts with their morning cup of joe?

Knowing the facts can help you make smarter choices in the end. We put together a quick cheat sheet of facts about plastics recycling from some experts.

It’s about to get a little geeky, so sit back, push up your glasses and enjoy your coffee!

Plastics industry as a whole

1. While overall recovery of plastics for recycling is relatively small – 2.1 million tons, or 6.8 percent of plastics generation in 2008 – recovery of some plastic containers has reached higher levels. PET soft drink bottles were recovered at a rate of 37 percent in 2008. Recovery of HDPE milk and water bottles was estimated at about 28 percent in 2008.
Source: U.S. EPA

2. The amount of plastics generation in MSW has increased from less than 1 percent in 1960 to 12.0 percent in 2008.
Source: U.S. EPA

3. Today, 80 percent of Americans have access to a plastics recycling program.
Source: American Chemistry Council

4. In 2008, the United States generated about 13 million tons of plastics in the MSW stream as containers and packaging, almost 7 million tons as nondurable goods, and almost 11 million tons as durable goods. The total amount of plastics in MSW – about 30 million tons – represented 12 percent of total MSW generation in 2008.
Source: U.S. EPA

Plastic bottles

1. Americans buy an estimated 29.8 billion plastic water bottles every year. An estimated eight out of every 10 of these bottles will end up in a landfill.
Source: Container Recycling Institute

2. Plastics are a rapidly growing segment of the MSW stream. The largest category of plastics are found in containers and packaging (e.g., soft drink bottles, lids, shampoo bottles), but they also are found in durable (e.g., appliances, furniture) and nondurable goods (e.g., diapers, trash bags, cups and utensils, medical devices).
Source: U.S. EPA

3. The total pounds of plastic bottles recycled reached a record high 2,410 million pounds in 2008.
Source: American Chemistry Council

4. The 11 states that require small, refundable deposits on water bottles and other beverage containers recycle 490 beverage containers per capita annually, compared to 191 per capita in the other 39 states.
Source: Container Recycling Institute

Recycling plastic bags is extremely important, especially when you consider that countless bags end up in the ocean where marine life can mistake them for food.

Plastic bags

1. Film recovery has increased by 28 percent since 2005. Recovery grew to an estimated 832,394,000 pounds of post-consumer film (including plastic bags) in 2008.
Source: American Chemistry Council

2. As a result of 2009’s International Coastal Cleanup, the Ocean Conservancy found that plastic bags placed second (1.1 million), accounting for one out of every 10 items removed and tallied.
Source: Ocean Conservancy

3. Most grocery stores throughout the U.S. now offer plastic bag recycling since most curbside programs do not accept plastic bags. Sue to their light weight, they can easily get stuck inside machinery when recycled.
Source: American Chemistry Council

4. Standard polyethylene bags don’t biodegrade, they photodegrade. When exposed to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight, polyethylene’s polymer chains become brittle and start to crack. This suggests that plastic bags will eventually fragment into microscopic granules.
Source: Slate

Plastic resin codes

Plastic household containers are usually marked with a number that indicates the type of plastic. Consumers can then use this information to determine whether or not certain plastic types are collected for recycling in their area.

#1 PET, PETE (water and soda bottles, food jars and microwaveable food trays)

• Plastic #1 is one of the most common and highly recycled resins.
• Most curbside programs will accept this plastic in bottle form.
• Plastic #1 is also the main resin targeted with container deposit laws, also called bottle bills.

Read more – 360: Recycling Plastic Bottles

#2 HDPE (plastic bags, milk jugs, detergent bottles, water and soda bottles)

• Recycled plastic #2 content can be found in plastic lumber, buckets and crates, bottles for non-food items (shampoo, detergent, motor oil) and even curbside recycling bins themselves.

Read more – 360: Recycling Plastic Bags

#3 PVC (blister packs, clamshell containers, bags, pipes, some building materials)

• PVC is not commonly recycled or recyclable, nor is it biodegradable.
• More than 7 billion pounds of PVC are thrown away in the U.S. annually, and only 18 million pounds – barely one-quarter of 1 percent – is recycled.

Read more – The Ultimate Plastic Breakdown

#4 LDPE (bags, shrink wrap, coating for paper milk cartons and beverage cups, container lids, squeezable bottles)

• Because plastic #4 is often in film form, it is sometimes not accepted in curbside recycling programs.
• Its material is similar to plastic bags, and some major grocery store chains will accept this plastic packaging for recycling.

Read more – 360: Recycling Plastic Containers 

#5 PP (bottle caps, medicine bottles, yogurt cups)

• Polypropylene has a good chemical resistance, a high melting point and is a strong material.
• It’s ideal for reusable food containers and other packaging that requires durability. But while this resin is as common as a ketchup bottle, it’s still often left out of curbside programs.

Read more – 360: Recycling Plastic #5

#6 PS (takeout containers, foam packaging, packing peanuts, CD cases)

• While most curbside programs do not accept plastic #6 or EPS, there are several community programs that will recycle the material.
• If there are no programs that fit your specific needs or are near your location, AFPR offers a mail-in program for consumers.

Read more – 360: Recycling Plastic #6

#7 Other (bio-based plastics made from corn, potato or sugar derivatives, 3- and 5-gallon reusable water bottles)

• Plastic #7 the catch-all category for those plastic products that do not fit into 1-6.
• These plastics are multi-layered combinations of more than one plastic resin.

Read more – Recycling Mystery: Plastic #7

The Facts About Paper and Paper Recycling

The Facts About Paper and Paper Recycling

As our newest oil spill seeps toward the Louisiana coast, it’s natural to wonder whether there are any out-of-the-box ways to clean up the mess. Is rubbing animals with dish detergent the best we can do?

Looking to the Philippines, we found our answer:human hair. In 2006, the country’s worst-ever oil spill prompted an unusual program in the country’s prisons. Thousands of Philippine inmates had their heads and chests harvested foir hair to be used in the clean-up effort.

The hair was combined with feathers to create a spongy material that would soak up the more than 50,000 gallons of industrial fuel that had leaked from a sunken tanker off the central island of Guimaras.

The method was also used in San Francisco, when hair mats were employed to clean up the Cosco Busan spill of 2007, which resulted when a cargo ship hit the base of the Bay Bridge and let loose some 58,000 gallons of oil.

Lisa Gautier, director of a nonprofit called Matter of Trust, donated 1,000 “oil spill hair mats” she had made for the San Francisco Department of the Environment to absorb motor oil spills.

Once the hair mats, which are size of doormats and feel like Brillo pads, had absorbed all the oil they could, oyster mushrooms were cultivated on the mats to absorb the oil and turn the oily hair into nontoxic compost within 12 weeks, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Mycologist and author Paul Stamets donated $10,000 worth of oyster mushrooms to the cause.

So could hair and mushrooms work in the gulf? Yes, indeed. Lisa Gautier is at it again and wants your hair to the help with the clean-up effort. Find out how to donate your excess locks here.

I know what you’re all thinking. “Can you even save three times in one purchase?” In these economically challenging times, we know the importance of such questions. And the answer is “YES!” Each candle is made in Michigan from 100% soy wax. All materials are environmentally friendly, including metal free wicks. Read on to find out about the triple savings on these delicious, eco-friendly candles from Verde Lifestyles!

Savings #1: It’s pretty straightforward! For a limited time, you can save 30% on our fall collection of soy candles! Savings #2: In addition to the discount, these organic candles are will burn for much longer than a typical candle. This means with the purchase of each candle, you’re saving yourself the cost [and trouble] of replacing it sooner. Savings #3: is the most important, so pay attention! By burning soy candles, you can save the environment [and your health]! There are many benefits to using soy candles. Soy wax is non-toxic and burns cleaner than paraffin. Most common non-soy candles produce soot which can blacken walls and contaminate ventilation systems. Soot can also add toxic carcinogens into the fresh air you’re breathing. Soy wax burns slower and cooler than other waxes, which creates a longer burning candle that you can enjoy for a long time. Soy wax is also beneficial to farmers because soy bean cultivation stimulates agricultural and economical growth. Most importantly, soy is a biodegradable and renewable resource, thus helping the planet and all of it’s inhabitants.

So there you have it! Three big savings for the purchase of these delicious-smelling, soy wax candles from Verde Lifestyles today!

Americans purchase nearly 3 billion dry-cell batteries every year to power radios, toys, cellular phones, watches, laptop computers and portable power tools, according to the U.S. EPA.

Despite a down economy, battery recycling is at an all-time high. According to Call2Recycle, battery recycling collection saw a 6.9 percent increase, and Call2Recycle collected 6.1 million pounds of rechargeable batteries in 2009.

But most of us just don’t know the technical lingo for the batteries we have and where to start recycling. So, we did the homework for you – a cheat sheet for the most common batteries and how to properly dispose of them.

Single-use batteries

Techie term: Alkaline manganese

Your standard single-use AA and AAA batteries are in the electrics you use daily – your remote control, toys, even smoke detectors. On average, each person in the U.S discards eight dry-cell batteries per year, according to the EPA.

The good: Single-use batteries are produced on a greater scale than rechargeables, making them initially cheaper to purchase. They are also prevalent and widely available, making recycling easily accessible.

The bad: Single-use are often considered more “wasteful,” because we consume such a large quantity of them. And this may sound redundant, but you can only use them once, increasing the need to have extra batteries around at all times in case your (insert electronic gadget here) dies.

The bin: Your local solid waste department may tell you to put alkaline batteries in with your regular trash. This is partly due to the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act passed in 1996, which phased out the use of mercury in alkaline batteries, making them less of an issue when disposed in landfills. But this doesn’t mean alkalines are not recyclable.

If you’re unable to find a local recycling option, you can consider mail-in recycling programs. They are also accepted for recycling at all Batteries Plus locations.

Rechargeable batteries

Techie terms: Nickel-cadminum (NiCd) or the cadmium-free alternative nickel metal hydride (NiMH), which you’ll now find more often with name brands of rechargeable batteries.

The EPA estimates that more than 350 million rechargeable batteries are purchased annually in the U.S. Rechargeable batteries work best in high-tech devices that you will use on a regular basis, such as a digital camera. According to Carl Smith, president and CEO of Call2Recycle, “Rechargeable batteries aren’t necessary for low-cost products that don’t use much power. For example, television remote controls can sometimes last for years on a single-use battery, so it doesn’t make sense to purchase more expensive rechargeable batteries for such a low maintenance device.”

The good: This one may be a given. Because rechargeable batteries can be used over and over again, they are said to save consumers money over the life of each battery. Also, due to the Battery Act of 1996, providing easy ways for the public to recycle these batteries is mandated by law.

The bad: Rechargeables are more expensive upfront and sometimes get a bad rap for not offering enough “bang” for your buck. They also contain a great deal of heavy metals, meaning that if you don’t recycle them, contamination is much more likely.

The bin: While nine states have passed laws banning rechargeable batteries from landfills, New York City and the state of California have passed the only laws requiring manufacturer take-back programs. This means that in four of the 10 largest cities in the U.S., you can purchase rechargeable batteries and know exactly where you can take them for recycling.

But if you live in an area that’s not covered by this mandate, Call2Recycle is a great place to start. Through Call2Recycle’s program, retailers such as Alltel, AT&T, Best Buy, Black & Decker, DeWalt, The Home Depot, Interstate All Battery Centers, Lowe’s, Milwaukee Electrical Tool, Office Depot, Orchard Supply, Porter Cable Service Centers, RadioShack, Remington Product Company, Sears, Staples, Target, US Cellular and Verizon Wireless all offer some sort of battery recycling program.

Extra tidbit: In the debate between single-use versus rechargeable batteries, which one came out on top? You may be surprised…read more

Cell phones, laptops and other portable electronics

Techie term: Lithium-ion or lithium-ion polymer (Li-ion)

One of the newest forms of rechargeable technology is the lithium-ion battery, which is commonly found in cell phones and other popular consumer electronics Photo: Flickr/anabananasplit

One of the newest forms of rechargeable technology is the lithium-ion battery, which is commonly found in cell phones and other popular consumer electronics.

These batteries are also being tested for usage in electric vehicles. In fact, Panasonic recently announced that it will be providing lithium-ion batteries for the new Tesla S Model.

The good: Lithium-ion batteries are recyclable, and the metal content of these batteries can be recovered in the recycling process. There is no issue of a memory effect, meaning they can be recharged before they are completely discharged without affecting the energy capacity. Li-ion are smaller, lighter and provide more energy than nickel cadmium or nickel-metal hydride batteries.

The bad: It’s imperative that Li-ion batteries are not put into a landfill because they have the potential to overheat and explode when exposed to hot temperatures. Also, lithium-ion batteries are more expensive than similar capacity NiMH or NiCd batteries. This is because they are much more complex to manufacture and are produced in smaller numbers.

The bin: You will more than likely dispose of a Li-ion battery along with an electronic device, such as upgrading a cell phone or selling a laptop. In most cases, the company that handles your electronic device will accept the battery as well. Call2Recycle’s program also covers these batteries, so finding recycling locations shouldn’t be a challenge.

Car batteries

Techie term: Lead-acid

Lead-acid batteries power most of our transportation vehicles, including automobiles, boats, golf carts and motorcycles. According to the EPA, nearly 90 percent of lead-acid batteries are recycled.

The good: According to the EPA, nearly 90 percent of lead-acid batteries are recycled, making it one of the highest recycled item in the world. Almost any retailer that sells lead-acid batteries collects used batteries for recycling, as required by most state laws.

The bad: Car batteries are one of the most harmful products in a landfill because they are a mixture of lead and sulfuric acid.

The bin: Whether you’re a DIYer or use a mechanic when changing your battery, most retailers that sell car batteries will also take them back for recycling. AAA also sponsors the annual Great Battery Roundup, which is coming up in April.

Lead-acid batteries are recycled by separating the battery into its three main components: Plastic, lead and sulfuric acid. Reclaimers crush batteries into nickel-sized pieces and separate the plastic components. They send the plastic to a reprocessor for manufacture into new plastic products. A typical lead-acid battery contains 60 to 80 percent recycled lead and plastic.

Hybrid vehicle batteries

Techie term: Nickel metal hydride (NiMH)

The hybrid car has changed the way we think about emissions, fuel and commuting as a whole. In the recent years, it has been a must-have for greenies wanting to reduce their footprints and penny-pinchers looking to reduce fuel costs.

The good: The hybrid battery packs are designed to last for the lifetime of the vehicle, somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 miles. In fact, Toyota says since the Prius first went on sale in 2000, they have not replaced a single battery for wear and tear. Most warranties cover the batteries for between eight and ten years, depending on the manufacturer.

The bad: While these batteries can be recharged hundreds of times, they may not be the best option for commuting long distances. “Nickle metal hydride is really only going to take a vehicle 35-40 miles, and that’s just not efficient in the long run,” says Peter Fannon, vice president of Government and Corporate Affairs for Panasonic

The bin: According to HybridCars.com, Toyota and Honda say they recycle dead batteries and disposal will pose no toxic hazards. Toyota actually puts a phone number on each battery, and they pay a $200 “bounty” for each battery to ensure that it will be properly recycled.

Extra tidbit: Currently, manufacturers are using NiMH batteries for hybrids and electronics. But the industry is expected to shift toward lithium soon, creating a need for recycling technology for both types of batteries.

“The shift to lithium-ion – along with many companies investing in this technology – is clearly the next near-term goal to make that the norm for electric vehicles,” says Fannon.

Watches, hearing aids and other tiny electrics

Techie term: Silver oxide or “button-cell”

Most small, round “button-cell” type batteries found in items such as watches and hearing aids are known for their size, long storage life and the ability to work well in low temperatures.

The good: Button cells are increasingly targeted for recycling because of the value of recoverable materials, their small size, and their easy handling relative to other battery types. Silver oxide batteries are typically shredded during the recycling process to recover the valuable heavy metals.

The bad: Don’t let the size fool you. These batteries are potent, containing mercury, silver, cadmium, lithium or other heavy metals as their main component.

The bin: Due to the fact that they aren’t rechargeable, Call2Recycle’s program does not cover these types of batteries. In many cases, a professional will replace these batteries, so ask the business if it will recycle the battery for you. If not, often times these batteries are accepted as part of household hazardous waste programs sponsored by your state or county.

About 200,000 square feet of the graphic wraps, made by 3M Canada Co., were displayed at Olympic venues during the games, the companies said, wrapped on vehicles and other displays.

Now that the Games are over, Mannington Commercial is taking all of the material and plans to recycle it into commercial flooring for its Premium Tile line, which also uses scrap drywall and VCT removed from renovation sites.

"We learned about Mannington´s precedent for recycling mixed waste similar to our graphic materials into flooring," says Richard Chartrand, vice president of display and graphics business at 3M Canada. "Most recycling facilities would quickly turn away from the colorful, irregular shaped lumps that the graphics result in after use, but Mannington was up for the challenge."

The Premium Tile line is popular for educational, health care and retail uses, Mannington officials said."

Industrial Waste Management


Enhance your Environmental Management Systems with RecycleMax!



Manufacturing, assembly and distribution facilities of all sizes face increasing demand to minimize the environmental impact of their wastes, communicate responsibility to their community, reduce operational costs and minimize long-term liabilities.   Recycling is a key part of an effective strategy for achieving these results.

RecycleMax can provide your company with our aggressive, proactive Industrial Waste Management Program.  This program covers the recycling of all paper, old corrugated containers, scrap metal, industrial plastic, glass, electronic equipment, wood pallets & mixed beverage containers and the disposal of what isn’t recycled.

Features & Benefits:

·      -Collection of all wastes using pickup containers and vehicles that best meet your facility requirements.

·      -Timely, professional pickup service to help keep your facility clean.

·      -Recycling pickup and processing of office paper, old corrugated containers, scrap metal, industrial plastic, glass, electronic equipment, wood pallets & mixed beverage containers to minimize environmental impact, communicate corporate responsibility and reduce costs.

·      -Safe disposal of non-recyclable waste in sanitary landfills and/or waste-to-energy facilities.

·      -Special “weight-based” pricing to reduce charges for light-loads.

·      -Compactors, Balers, Shredders and a variety of internal recycling & waste handling containers provided for convenient use by workers

·      -Complete training and educational materials for management, housekeeping and employees minimizes your headaches implementing and maintaining program

·      -Ongoing program management assures employee participation and accurate data management.


RecycleMax has emerged as the leader in providing comprehensive waste recycling and disposal services for every environment including commercial, industrial and institutional facilities across the region. We are able to provide your company with a turnkey solution to your solid waste challenges that will work cost-effectively and conveniently for years to come!


Why is RecycleMax the leader? Here are some of our capabilities:

·      -Single source solution for the recycling of paper, plastic, metal, wood, electronic wastes, destruction of confidential materials and the safe disposal of wastes.

·      -Unmatched fleet capabilities including Roll-Off, Front Load, Semi-Tractor, Box Truck and Onsite Shredding Trucks.

·      -Compactors, Balers and Containers of almost every size, including 20, 30, 35, 40 and 80-yard Roll-Off Open Tops and Compactors; 2,4,6 and 8-yard Front Load Dumpsters, 48-Foot Trailers and 90-Gallon Carts.

·      -Complete Employee Training and Program Management that handles all phases of launching and managing your program.

Please call us today for a free analysis at (313) 883-4400!

RecycleMax can provide your company with our aggressive, proactive Commercial Waste Management Program.  This program covers the recycling of all paper, old corrugated containers, electronic equipment, wood pallets & mixed beverage containers and the disposal of what isn’t recycled.

Features & Benefits:

      Collection of all wastes using pickup containers and vehicles that best meet your facility requirements.

      Timely, professional pickup service to help keep your facility clean.

      Recycling pickup and processing of office paper, old corrugated containers, electronic equipment, wood pallets & mixed beverage containers to minimize environmental impact, communicate corporate responsibility and reduce costs.

      Safe disposal of non-recyclable waste in sanitary landfills and/or waste-to-energy facilities.

      Special “weight-based” pricing to reduce charges for light-loads.

      Compactors, Balers, Shredders and a variety of internal recycling & waste handling containers provided for convenient use by workers.

      Complete training and educational materials for management, housekeeping and employees minimizes your headaches implementing and maintaining program.

      Ongoing program management assures employee participation and accurate data management.

RecycleMax has emerged as the leader in providing comprehensive waste recycling and disposal services for every environment including commercial, industrial and institutional facilities across the region. We are able to provide your company with a turnkey solution to your solid waste challenges that will work cost-effectively and conveniently for years to come!

Why is RecycleMax the leader? Here are some of our capabilities:

      Single source solution for the recycling of paper, plastic, metal, wood, electronic wastes, destruction of confidential materials and the safe disposal of wastes.

      Unmatched fleet capabilities including Roll-Off, Front Load, Semi-Tractor, Box Truck and Onsite Shredding Trucks.

      Compactors, Balers and Containers of almost every size, including 20, 30, 35, 40 and 80-yard Roll-Off Open Tops and Compactors; 2,4,6 and 8-yard Front Load Dumpsters, 48-Foot Trailers and 90-Gallon Carts.

      Complete Employee Training and Program Management that handles all phases of launching and managing your program.

Please call us today for a free analysis at (313) 883-4400!

RecycleMax can provide your company facilities globally with our aggressive, proactive Total Waste Management Program.  This program covers the recycling of all paper (non-confidential & confidential), old corrugated containers, scrap metal, industrial plastic, glass, electronic equipment, wood pallets & mixed beverage containers and the disposal of what isn’t recycled.

Features & Benefits:

      Consolidation of all facility recycling and waste disposal contracts globally to streamline your corporate contracting process.

      Single-source recycling collection and processing of all recyclables, including office paper, old corrugated containers, scrap metal, industrial plastic, glass, electronic equipment, wood pallets & mixed beverage containers to minimize environmental impact, communicate corporate responsibility and reduce costs.

      Convenient collection of all wastes using internal systems, pickup containers and vehicles that best meet your individual facility requirements.

      Optimized transportation to minimize your corporate “Carbon Impact”.

      Complete provision of Compactors, Balers, Shredders and a variety of internal recycling & waste handling containers provided for convenient use by workers with no startup cost.

      Complete training and educational materials for management, housekeeping and employees minimizes your headaches implementing and maintaining program.

      Ongoing program management assures highest employee participation for highest overall program performance.

      Program reporting to accurately monitor results, refine benchmarks and provide your organization with vital statistics regarding your environmental performance. 

RecycleMax has emerged as the leader in providing comprehensive waste recycling and disposal services for every environment including commercial, industrial and institutional facilities across the country. We are able to provide your company with a turnkey solution to your solid waste challenges that will work cost-effectively and conveniently for years to come!

Please call us today for a free analysis (313) 883-4400!

RecycleMax can provide your company with our aggressive, proactive Document Destruction Program to include the pickup, destruction and recycling of all paper documents, film, fiche, credit cards, hard drives and other media generated or stored at your facility.

Features & Benefits:

      Onsite automated destruction of all paper documents and materials.

      State-of-the-art shredding vehicles maximize security and savings over competition 

      Recycling of materials after destruction satisfies any regulatory, environmental and/or community needs for recycling and reduces disposal costs

      Documentation provided to certify recycling and destruction

      Locking Document Security Consoles and 90-Gallon Carts provided for central collection of documents simplifies collection.

      Bonded drivers collect documents from Consoles and Carts off dock or from inside offices eliminates need for housekeeping labor.

      Deskside trays provided for convenient use by office workers.

      Complete training and educational materials for management, housekeeping and employees minimizes your headaches implementing and maintaining program.

      Ongoing program management assures employee participation and accurate record- keeping

RecycleMax has emerged as the leader in providing comprehensive waste recycling and disposal services for every environment including commercial, industrial and institutional facilities across the region. We are able to provide your company with a turnkey solution to your solid waste challenges that will work cost-effectively and conveniently for years to come.

Why is RecycleMax the leader? Here are some of our capabilities:

  Single source solution for the recycling of paper, plastic, metal, wood, electronic wastes, destruction of confidential materials and the safe disposal of wastes.

  Unmatched fleet capabilities including Roll-Off, Front Load, Semi-Tractor, Box Truck and Onsite Shredding Trucks.

   Compactors, Balers and Containers of almost every size, including 20, 30, 35, 40 and 80-yard Roll-Off Open Tops and Compactors; 2,4,6 and 8-yard Front Load Dumpsters, 48-Foot Trailers and 90-Gallon Carts.

  Complete Employee Training and Program Management that handles all phases of launching and managing your program.

Please call us today for a free analysis at (313) 883-4400!

Virtually all commercial, industrial and institutional facilities generate waste office paper as a result of their operations.  Recycling office paper is an effective way to minimize the environmental impact of your wastes, communicate responsibility to your community and reduce your costs of operations.

RecycleMax can provide you with our convenient and effective Office Paper Recycling Program.  This program covers all colors and grades of paper generated by your offices, promotional departments, production areas and printing operations.

Features & Benefits:

      All colors and grades of paper are acceptable (even newspapers, magazines, paper clips, staples, tape, rubberbands and window envelopes)!

      Convenient recycling containers and colorful educational materials provided at no charge.

      Timely, professional pickup service to help keep your facility clean.

      Recycling minimizes environmental impact, communicates corporate responsibility and reduces waste disposal costs.

      Revenue paid based on actual published market value.

      Complete training and educational materials for management, housekeeping and employees minimizes your headaches implementing and maintaining program provided at no charge.

      Ongoing program management assures employee participation and accurate data management.

RecycleMax has emerged as a leader in providing comprehensive waste recycling and disposal services for commercial, industrial and institutional facilities across North America. We are able to provide your company with a turnkey solution to your solid waste challenges that will work cost-effectively and conveniently for years to come!

      Single source solution for the recycling of paper, plastic, metal, wood, electronic wastes, destruction of confidential materials and the safe disposal of wastes.

      Unmatched fleet capabilities including Roll-Off, Front Load, Semi-Tractor, Box Truck and Onsite Shredding Trucks.

      Compactors, Balers and Containers of almost every size, including 20, 30, 35, 40 and 80-yard Roll-Off Open Tops and Compactors; 2,4,6 and 8-yard Front Load Dumpsters, 48-Foot Trailers and 90-Gallon Carts.

      Complete Employee Training and Program Management that handles all phases of launching and managing your program.

Please call us today for a free analysis at (313) 883-4400 or check us out at www.recyclemax.com!