In a first meeting with the people of Evergreen they will listen and inform. They listen to what you have as objectives for handling your waste and will inform you of what is possible to do. Having the focus on recycling and waste management means that they are experts on what is possible. Being passionate about the environment they work hard to make sure that as little of the waste stream as possible ends up in a landfill. They have extensive experience in the three main areas of waste management: recycling of paper and paper products, recycling of plastics, where possible and waste hauling and management. They also have the equipment (various trucks, baling machinery, sorting bins and so forth) needed to execute a plan. When you sit down with Evergreen and talk through the options you’ll come away with a better understanding of what is possible. And however far you want to go with your waste management plan, they can take you there.
recycle more
The simple fact is that on average only about 30% of all recyclable material actually ends up getting recycled. A lot of that is due to a lack of knowledge as to what can be recycled and what can’t. Some waste products, namely paper and cardboard gets recycled at a much higher rate than plastics. It doesn’t help that there are a variety of plastics for similar uses, some of which can be recycled and some of which cannot. You also have some confusing aspects like a bottle might be recyclable, but the cap is a different plastic that can’t recycle.
Also those thin plastic bags from the grocery store are so lightweight that they are hard to control in an industrial plastic recycling center because they blow around and clogup the conveyor mechanisms. So given these kinds of limitations, the key to a successful waste management program is knowledge and relationships. When you can recycle product, it has a value since it already reflects a lot of the energy investment that went into making the product in the first place. Whether it is a cardboard box or a beverage bottle, by recycling it avoids having to do that initial, labor-intensive extraction step. And recyclers will pay for that raw material that can be remanufactured back into more plastic bottles or cardboard boxes.
SETTING YOUR GOALS
In the first meeting with Evergreen they will perform an audit of all of your waste streams, what is referred to as Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). As mentioned before, the recyclable portion of waste has value for the recycle companies. The value of this type of waste is dependent on supply, demand, haulage rates and other factors. You could have, as a goal, to recycle as much as possible and generate another revenue stream for your company. This may have certain stipulations in order to realize the maximum value. For example separating cardboard boxes from office paper and breaking down the cardboard boxes. Plastics would likely need to be rinsed (if they contained food product) and then separated by plastic type using the resin code embossed on the bottom of the container.
Another objective could just be to reduce the cost of haulage for trash. It might be possible to accumulate your trash, so that there are fewer trips per month taken, or trash might be combined with other sources to see a more favorable overall monthly cost for hauling trash. Evergreen would have the answers to let you know more about what these savings opportunities look like. In almost all cases Evergreen can, at a minimum save you some costs and in a lot of cases also generate a revenue stream as well. It just depends on your MSW mix and what it takes to realize that value.
SET IT, BUT DON’T FORGET IT
One of the best things about working with Evergreen on waste management is that they listen. They share your goals and are flexible enough that if those goals need to be adjusted, then they will help with that. They produce a monthly report with all charges and returns included. They are totally transparent about what you were able to earn through recycling and/or how much you were able to save with an improved haulage program. If charges change ($/ton at the landfill for example) they will let you know that and if the commodity pricing for recycled cardboard, paper or plastics changes, they will let you know about that as well. These changes may make it more economical to follow a different plan than you originally set-up. Evergreen is flexible and will work with you to make that happen.
STARTING OUT
The easiest way to get started is just give Evergreen a call. Let them know what you’re thinking and set up a time for the initial audit. They will listen to your needs; let you know your options and get you set up to start reducing your environmental impact right away.
To learn more about Evergreen Recycling and their recycling and waste management programs visit their web site at https://evergreen-recycling.com/plastics-recycling/
You can also reach out to them directly through this contact link https://evergreen-recycling.com/contact/ or give them a call at (817) 293-4400
