Many people don’t realize the long list of benefits that recycling programs have at the local, state, national, and global level.

Here, we’ll take a look at how recycling containers and community programs help people and the environment at all levels, and how we can utilize recycling bins from Waste Wise Products to maximize the impact of these programs.

Benefits of Recycling Programs To Our Economy And Environment

It is a common myth that recycling programs cost more money than regular trash disposal services. Overall, recycling programs save taxpayer money, reduce energy usage, and create jobs and business opportunities. As time goes by and more cities implement green initiatives, the cost of recycling goes down across the board.

Recycling programs create a multitude of job opportunities. There are an estimated 1.1 million jobs created every year. For each one of these jobs created, another 26 people are hired to process recycled materials into new products. On the whole, recycling creates four new jobs in the place of every one job created in the standard waste disposal industry.

These programs also save money; recycling costs less than land filling and incineration. With lowered costs and pay-as-you-throw options, a family can see lowered local taxes. By repurposing waste into new products, we can reduce our dependence on oil while lowering our energy usage.

These energy savings are significant — it takes 95% less energy to recycle aluminum than it does to make it from raw materials, while recycled steel saves 60%, recycled newspaper 40%, recycled plastics 70%, and recycled glass 40%.

How Good Recycling Bins Makes A Difference

The type of recycling containers used in homes, offices, and in public spaces really determines how cost effective a recycling program will be.

Using recycling bins with multiple compartments is an excellent way to help pre-sort different materials and aid in collection and processing. All-in-one recycling containers come in many sizes to be used within a home, office, or placed in public areas. Waste Wise carries recycling containers that can also be snapped together or attached to one another for multi-stream usage without having one large container. For businesses, fiberglass recycling containers can be customized with a business logo or corporate slogan.

For industrial work, roll out cart and utility recycling bins are the best bet due to their rugged construction. They are designed for both heavy duty work and for garbage hauling. Steel recycling containers can offer both a sturdy solution with a modern look, perfect for the office setting. Attractive ashtray containers can be placed in any lobby, break room, or designated smoking area.

Having the right recycling bins for the right job help people to be comfortable when new programs are initiated. They also help keep costs low and make material separation easier. Does your home, office, and community have a recycling program? Is it working as well as it could? Contact us to learn about how you can implement recycling bins in your home, work place, or neighborhood and create a positive impact on the environment and the community.

Recycling programs have been implemented in many cities, towns, offices, homes, and job sites, and that number increases every year. In order to meet the demands of varying site requirements and plan specifics, Waste Wise Products offers a full line of bins for recycling. Every location requires different size, shape, and materials for effective recycling bins, while each city’s waste stream specifics dictate how much separation and sorting is required prior to disposal.

With these needs in minds, recycling bins are being constructed from many materials, including fiberglass, plastic, recycled plastic lumber, and steel and are in use for single stream, multi-stream, and utility programs. Let’s take a look at how the right pairing between container and program makes waste management easier and more effective.

Individual Offices And Homes

There are many available recycling bins to fit small scale programs or many small capacity locations, such as individual offices. There are a number of both plastic and fiberglass solutions that offer light weight and durable recycling containers to fit in under desks or behind doors.

Desksiders are the single stream, blue plastic containers that are common in many offices. A smaller easy sorter bin can be attached to the lip of the larger basket to separate two different recyclables. Duo recyclers are two compartment, low profile bins perfect for under the desk placement. Larger fiberglass multi compartment containers with custom lids can be used in conference rooms or shared offices.

Large Scale, Multi-Stream Applications

On the other end of the spectrum, large collection points and city-wide programs require larger and more durable containers that can be used both indoors and outdoors. Typically, all-in-one collection units are preferred to convenience.

These units come in fiberglass, plastic, and steel. All three types offer rugged designs for high traffic and high volume use. The largest fiberglass bins for recycling come in at 92 gallons with up to 4 internal compartments to handle a high degree of separation and volume. Plastic bins are also manufactured in all-in-one units as well as sets of single stream containers. Steel designs usually focus on multiple single stream containers that come together in a set. There are also larger multipurpose units that are best suited for large municipal projects.

Industrial Programs

Bins for recycling utilized in industrial and large commercial or hospitality waste management programs, many of the above designs can work. However, there are specially made solutions for heavy duty work.

Roll out carts are a good choice for such a project. The carts are made from high strength injection molded plastics and come built with attached dollies and grips. They are ideal for collection and storage along with transportation. All-in-one units constructed from steel will also meet the requirements of large scale programs where their size, weight, and capacity are beneficial.

Waste Wise Products offers a wide variety in recycling bins in order to make implementing waste management programs easier. Participants will be more invested in a recycling program that is convenient and purpose built.

Colleges have quickly learned the benefits of reducing their garbage bill by using recycling bins. Communities and businesses are trying to find their own ways to cut down on the amount of waste generated due to the high cost of collecting, transporting and disposing of garbage. There are several ways you can cut down on the amount of garbage thrown out at home and at work with the simple and effective use of recycling bins. The first step however is to determine just how much of your garbage is actually trash and how much of it is recyclable materials.

Time For A Trash Audit

A trash audit is a simple act that you can do at home. Basically, it consists of sorting through your trash to see how much recyclable materials you are currently throwing into your neighborhood landfill. Most people are stunned when they realize the extent of their past wastefulness. As garbage rates continue to rise, it becomes even more cost effective to recycle whatever you can. Simply placing recycling containers next to trash cans and educating family members may be all the effort that is required to create a successful recycling program in your home.

Businesses can use their local recycling service to conduct a trash audit. Offices, manufacturers and service companies produce volumes of recyclable materials that have been historically thrown into landfills, resulting in toxic air, soil, and water supplies. A trash audit provides business owners and managers with the financial numbers they need to make effective decisions about how many bins for recycling they will need for their facility.

Special Tips For Reducing Waste

At home, you can reduce much of your paper waste by cancelling unwanted subscriptions and reusing the backs of documents for things like shopping lists and to-do notes. When shopping, opt for minimal packaging and bigger quantities of frequently purchased items. Placing recycling bins where they are most needed, such as next to a desk and in the kitchen can increase their likelihood of being used.

Businesses can use the same basic rational by placing bins for recycling where they are most needed: in employee break rooms, near printers, under desks, near vending machines and near any manufacturing processes that generate recyclable materials. These simple steps can turn into a landslide of savings, both financial and environmental.

Back In The Black

In today’s troubled economy, homes and businesses are operating on the brink of financial disaster. Every area where money can be saved is worth consideration. Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle installed recycling bins and was then delighted to discover that they were able to reduce their contribution to the landfill by 80% and that they saved themselves over $170,000 in the first year of the program. Those are some substantial numbers.

Today’s recycling bins are clearly labeled with which recyclables go where, or if it is a single stream service, all types of recyclable materials can be deposited into the same container. Recycling today makes sense, and best of all saves a lot of money.

The world is becoming a greener place. The Green Revolution is fast gaining participants and converts. Every day, more and more people, businesses, and schools around the world are greening up their lives and working toward lessening their carbon footprint. In recent years, the influx of clean and green products has made reducing waste easier and more affordable. At Waste Wise, we are helping lead the charge toward saving the planet by helping people recycle their waste.

Recycling is one aspect of the green lifestyle that is quickly picking up speed and gaining traction. Once only found in the larger towns and population centers, recycling facilities are quickly spreading to more rural areas across the western world. Because of this, businesses, private citizens, and schools are looking for ways to promote recycling. These people are turning to Waste Wise for help finding long lasting, strong, sturdy, and aesthetically pleasing bins for recycling.

Fiberglass Recycling Bins

Fiberglass bins for recycling have been around for generations, but have only recently caught on as a popular choice for recycling bins. Their popularity can be at least partially attributed to their pleasing looks and their non-bulky construction. Typically, these bins range in size from about 55 gallons to 73 gallons, which makes them a little smaller than many other recycling bins. While some may see smaller size as a drawback, many businesses and schools find the size makes the bins more versatile and much easier to integrate into a business.

Recycled Plastic Bins For Recycling

It seems like a novel idea: recycle your used goods in a recycled recycling bin. That is the beauty of a plastic recycling bin. As a product of what it promotes, plastic bins lead by example. They are also a versatile bin and a fitting container for many different types of refuse. From plastics to glass and paper to lumber, plastic bins are very versatile and can be designed to fit many different styles, shapes, budgets, and uses.

At Waste Wise, we sell recycled plastic recycling bins for use on city streets, inside lunchrooms at schools and offices, and for private use. Please contact us for more information on these versatile and customizable bins for recycling.

Steel Constructed Recycling Bins

Of course, nothing is more synonymous with strength than steel. At Waste Wise, we offer steel constructed recycling bins that can be tailored to almost any space. Steel bins for recycling can be constructed in almost any way, from very large and high capacity to smaller and lower capacity. They can also be made to fit the nooks and crannies of an office, lunchroom, or anywhere in need of recycling.

As opposed to the molding of both plastic and fiberglass, steel construction allows these recycling bins to be more versatile and more attractive to many consumers. The construction also allows these bins to be great for both outdoor and indoor applications. The consumer or businesses making the purchase can many times dictate the bin’s design and number of openings. This makes them the perfect bins for schools, businesses, and activity centers.

Though most of the American population is on board with recycling, recycling rates dramatically increase when the act of recycling is simple and hassle free. The increased number of recycling bins at home, at work, and in public places has resulted in far less recyclable material in landfills.

However, current recycling programs still ask that people sort their recyclables into various containers. Though this may not seem ‘difficult,’ studies have shown that single stream recycling containers increases household recycling significantly.

How Single Stream Recycling Containers and Programs Work

With single stream recycling containers, all recycled materials are collected in a single bin and then sorted at the recycling facility. The city of Boston recently conducted a 4-month study with single stream recycling and the results were surprising. During the study period, single stream recycling bins resulted in 40% less trash in the landfills and increased recycling by 20%.

There are numerous reasons why single stream bins lead to increased recycling volumes among homeowners. Multiple recycling bins consume more space and many people, particularly those in smaller city homes, don’t have the extra space for multiple recycling containers. It may be easier to throw away garbage than to keep 4 recycling containers below the sink. Also, many areas offer recycling of some materials, but not all. One neighborhood may offer glass and paper recycling, but not plastic recycling. With single stream recycling, homeowners have the option to recycle more types of materials.

Less work sorting on the part of homeowners means increased work at the recycling facility. The process isn’t all manual. Recycling depots use a variety of techniques, such as magnets or electronic sorters to compartmentalize the materials. Many recycling facilities already engaged in sorting in order to weed out non-recyclable materials — and have these processes in place already.

Municipal Cost Savings of Single Stream Recycling

The program not only resulted in significant environmental impact, but cost savings as well. The city of Boston estimates an annual $750,000 savings based on the savings incurred during the 4-month trial period. Fewer household recycling bins mean that cities incur fewer materials costs. Fewer trucks to pick up different types of recyclables also drastically reduce the overhead costs of recycling. Fewer recycling depots mean fewer costs as well. The man-hours and processing cost-per-ton are significantly reduced with single stream recycling depots.

However, implementation of any new program always comes with an initial investment. While single stream recycling may be less expensive in the long run, cities may need to make various investments to start the process including larger trucks, automation machines, and training are just a few of those start up costs.

Environmental Impact

Beyond financial costs, there are environmental costs to consider. A 40% decrease in garbage hitting landfills is a significantly reduced impact on the environment, so long as processing those recycled material does not cause more environmental harm than a landfill. Fewer recycling depots mean less energy consumption and a greener footprint. As a provider of recycling bins in Toronto, our ultimate goal is to encourage the most efficient and effective method of recycling so that we may all enjoy a greener planet.

On April 22, 2009, people around the world celebrate Earth Day. This day is set aside to think about how we have affected the surrounding environment and what we can do to change it. However, these go beyond using bins for recycling for a day.

The popularity of Earth Day has grown enormously in recent years and is essentially the birthday for the environmental movement. To celebrate, people join forces around the globe in an attempt to change the collective consciousness of the world’s population about how we perceive and treat Mother Earth. Shifting a global perception may seem like an overwhelming task, but even very small action can set a chain reaction of global change into motion. Simple changes such as implementing recycling bins at home or work, becoming educated on planetary health, volunteering, and spreading the word can make a big difference.

Earth Day — How It Started

People once enjoyed their Sunday drives and basking in the resources pillaged from various ends of the earth. Until the 1970s, there was very little focus on the environment. That is until Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, finally had enough with wasting resources. He decided to stand up and suggest that the government and its people stop having a good time and start realizing what was really happening to the environment.

In response, 20 million people came together on April 22, 1970 all over the United States to demonstrate to the world they are tired of seeing their planet being destroyed. They demanded that officials start standing up and making the changes needed. While this had a positive effect, it wasn’t repeated again until 1990. That year, 141 countries participated in the event, increasing the use of bins for recycling and many other important steps.

Earth Day — Activities In 2009

The celebrations this year are helping people gear up for the event’s 40th Anniversary in 2010. The theme in 2009 is ‘The Green Generation Campaign, which will include a focus on three main concepts. The first Earth Day concept is how the world can move away from the use of fossil fuels. The second concept is getting individuals to live an environmentally neutral lifestyle. Lastly, it is transforming the economy and educational system into one that is green and environmentally responsible, which includes ensuring every household has access to bins for recycling.

Many of the major U.S. cities organized numerous events including concerts from some of the biggest names in the music industry. Other cities around the world including Tokyo and Manila also participated. Together, activities planned during the entire month of April presented people with a large variety of fun, awareness, and education. You don’t have to attend one of these events to be a part of Earth Day; you can hold your own event and use provided materials to educate others.

Getting Involved In Earth Day

Recycling bins are an excellent example of the many ways to get involved in Earth Day. Considering collecting a few bins for recycling to gather materials such as bottles and cans, or selling bins for recycling as a fundraiser. Helping others learn how to use recycling bins efficiently will also have many long-term environmental benefits. Additionally, get children involved by letting them decorate their own personalized ‘blue box’ recycling bins.

Earth Day is a great opportunity to make your daily lifestyle greener. Make a list of all the typical things you do in a day and include the resources and waste accumulated for each item. Once the list is completed, look at each line item and determine how to make each one ‘greener.’ This might include using natural light more often, using energy efficient appliances, using bins for recycling on a daily basis, or alternative transportation methods.

As one of the leading providers of recycling bins in Toronto, Earth Day is everyday for us at Waste Wise Products. Earth Day may only last for 24 hours, but the education and awareness should last all year around. Only then can we make a real difference.

Photo by Anna Duncan Art

Have you ever bought a bottle of water, juice or some other beverage? What did you do with the container? Many of us would say we dropped it in one of the nearby recycling bins, some would even say the garbage, a few of us will admit to throwing it on the ground. It doesn’t hurt anything, right?

The Problem With Plastic Bottles

The plastic bottles that make it to recycling bins are processed into new products, and that’s a different story altogether, but it’s the ones lying on the ground that are of concern. These make their way to our waterways where they are carried off by the current. They collect on beaches where children play and where animals live or come for a drink.

Lids float, and as birds, such as albatross, fly above, it sees them as food. The birds pick them up and take them home to their young to eat, which they do. As you see in the movie, thousands and thousands of these baby birds are dying with bellies full of bottle caps. What about the retainer rings? Those aren’t any better. Animals get them caught him their tails, necks, and bodies. These animals will die, become seriously ill, or lose limbs.

Bet You’ve Eaten Plastic!

What about those bottles that not only don’t make it to recycling bins, but also don’t even make it to the shore? Instead, they break into tiny pieces along the way. The small little pieces float in the water, creating a toxic soup. Fish ingest these little pieces where the chemical leaches into their body. We catch and we eat the fish digesting the chemicals along with it.

Why are these chemicals a concern? One chemical found in plastic is known as BPA, which studies have linked to prostate and breast cancer, uterine fibroids, and infertility. Children are not immune to these chemicals either; many cause learning and developmental problems.

Antimony is another plastic chemical that is known for causing nausea and dizziness, depression and even death if you get enough of it. Health and environmental experts believe that these toxins are a big contributor to a lot of the common illnesses and conditions. Recent studies have even suggested some of these chemicals attack Y chromosomes in the earliest stages of animal and human fetuses, causing a severe decline in the number of male children and animals being born. If this trend continues, we could essentially be looking at the end of humankind.

Putting An End To Plastic Problems

Stop buying plastic bottles. Stop throwing garbage on the ground. Stop ignoring bags and other pieces of plastic lying on the ground. Pick them up and get them into recycling bins so they can be reprocessed. Every piece that we save from reaching our waterways may save an animal or even us. Recycling bins are around, so be sure to use them.

No doubt about it, this is a serious problem. Our biggest problem is fixing it. The only way we can repair this is to stop promoting the use of plastics. If you do buy plastic, make sure you get something you can reuse. When it’s time to be thrown away, make certain it goes into recycling bins. Now that you know that the cost of a bottled beverage is far more than a couple of bucks, maybe that next one won’t be as tempting.

Some of the world’s largest retailers have really taken the basic concept of recycling bins and built on it. They haven’t waited for green building concepts and eco-friendly corporate thinking to become mainstream. Instead, they have taken a leadership role with both their buildings and business concepts that are changing the way the rest of the world thinks. Some of these companies have crossed over into the world of green science and built test stores that take the basic concept of recycling containers on a larger scale than ever before.

Green Corporate Strategies

Every level of these businesses has taken the importance of the environment and the rest of the world into consideration. Walmart is one of the best examples of this. They have made achieving a neutral footprint one of their main goals. What started with recycling bins and recycling containers has quickly grown into a completely new corporate culture. All of their values, goals, and decisions now take the environment and the world’s population into account.

Walmart is still working on their environmental goals including the need to find alternative energy sources and affordable solar energy. However, their efforts don’t just focus on their business. In the past, the retailer challenged its customers to see if they could sell 100 million energy efficient light bulbs. They have also been working closely with their vendors — 60,000 of them in fact.

Additionally, they are helping their suppliers limit their packaging and finding green alternatives that will help keep their recycling bins empty as well as addressing their energy use. They have also held several contests that are intended to gather new green ideas and encourage others to use their recycling containers and test their recycling prowess.

Green Building Concepts

The test or demonstration stores these retailers have built are essentially a large, real-life collection of the best eco-friendly ideas the world has had to date. This single investment will benefit the world in three different ways. The main benefit is the fact that these companies can test numerous concepts in the real world to find out what works and what doesn’t.

Even more powerful perhaps, is the effect these buildings have on their consumers. Visitors to these revolutionary businesses learn about all of the simple ways they can help the environment as well as stay informed about the newest technologies and techniques available. This investment also encourages others to take steps towards a greener life. Even if they only purchase recycling bins, it is a start.

These buildings have their standard recycling containers, but it’s their innovative ideas that really make these places fascinating. Many of these test stores are using geo-thermal heating to cut down on their heating expenses while alternative power sources cut down on the impact of air conditioning and electrical bills. When you consider the amount of resources businesses consume in these two areas alone, you can see the true benefits these two technologies.

One concept that some of these stores use focuses on eliminating wasted utilities. The installed HVAC system collects the heat given off by the large refrigeration units. They convert this heat back into energy that is converted back into the store. Daylight harvesting systems maximize the amount of natural daylight lighting the building. These stores also have glass doors on medium temperature display cases, use energy efficient case fans, and long lasting light bulbs. Their efforts have resulted in 60 percent less waste going back out into the environment and are using approximately 30 percent less energy.

If you have been wondering what you can do in addition to using Waste Wise recycling bins, consider what the businesses and organizations in your area are doing. Even if their ideas and techniques will not work well in your home, their inspiration and creative thinking will help you find ways to make the world a whole lot greener.