Single Stream Programs And The Right Recycling Containers

If all of your recyclables go into a single receptacle, then you are part of a single stream program. All of the sorting is done at a processing facility so residents and businesses do not have to separate their recycling prior to pick up. This type of program is by far the most simple and convenient in which to participate. They are also attractive for the city that implements them. Government funding and incentives for recycling programs are based on the amount of material that is recycled overall. So by making it easy to participate, everyone in a community can help clean up their city and earn money to spend on public amenities.

Waste Wise has a number of different recycling bins for homeowners and businesses in this type of system. The biggest concern is to provide adequate space for all recyclables. Recycling containers have to be large enough to hold all the recyclable trash that is generated between each pick up. Utility carts with attached wheels are an excellent solution since they are also easy to transport even if they are full.

Recycling Bins For Multi Stream Programs

If you are sorting recycled trash and separating by material, than you are part of a multi stream program. Multi stream recycling does take a little extra effort, but utilizing the right set of recycling bins makes the task much easier. Waste Wise has a great line of recycling containers with this type of program in mind.

Convenience is king when it comes to sorting and separating. With this in mind, Waste Wise offers recycling containers designed to fit any need. For example, we have receptacles that can clip together, stack, or nest. We also offer riders that can be attached to regular garbage cans to collect different materials all at once. All of our offerings come in many different shapes and sizes to fit any home of office space both indoors and outdoors.

What Recycling Containers To Use At Home And In The Office

One of our best products for recycling in the office is recycling containers with special lids and openings designed to take specific materials. For example, having openings in the shape of plastic bottles or aluminum cans, making it very easy to immediately distinguish what garbage goes into what bin. These large capacity, multi compartment recycling containers are an effective all in one solution.

For homeowners, a set of stacking or nesting recycling containers works exceptionally well. They save space and can fit in the garage, under a car port, right outside the back door, or in nearly any space available. Other homeowners choose to purchase recycling bins as riders that they can attached to their regular trash cans to keep all of their garbage in one spot.

No matter which program our customers happen to be in, Waste Wise prides itself on providing the best recycling bins for every situation.

Single stream recycling allows recyclers to throw all of their recyclable materials into the same recycling bin, increasing the likelihood of the recycling containers being used, reducing the amount of actual garbage that must be collected, transported, and disposed. The reduction in garbage expense alone can make the use of recycling bins worthwhile for an office, factory, or warehouse.

Cut Costs With Single Stream Recycling Containers

Instead of paying to have every bit of garbage collected, transported, and removed from your place of business, you can enlist the support of your local single stream recycling service to come and evaluate your current garbage flow. This evaluation will provide reliable predictions about how much money you can expect to save by installing and using recycling bins. Business managers and accountants know all too well just how expensive trash disposal has become. Single stream recycling containers can cut those costs significantly.

Recently, in Seattle, Virginia Mason Hospital implemented a major recycling effort in their facility. Within the first year, it was discovered that they had reduced their landfill contribution by 80%, at a cost savings of over $170,000. Those numbers are significant for any sized business. Instead of contributing to the problems caused by toxins in our soil and water supply, businesses that implement single stream recycling containers at their place of business are able to help themselves financially, while helping the world environmentally. Clearly, it is a win-win situation.

What Makes Single Stream Recycling Bins Better?

The biggest problem with recycling programs in the past has been insufficient participation and contamination. Single stream recycling bins increase the level of convenience by allowing participants to use a single recycling container for all of their recyclable materials. Instead of making room for separate recycling containers for glass, paper, plastic and metal, only a single container is needed, thereby increasing participation rates and reducing garbage expenses.

In addition to the added convenience, modern recycling service companies are able to provide your business with recycling containers that are specifically designed for your location in a variety of colors and sizes. Company logos can be added to your recycling containers, reminding customers of your civic-mindedness.

Healthy, Wealthy And Wise

Implementing single stream recycling containers at your pace of business is a great way to improve the health of our planet, to cut your garbage disposal costs significantly and to portray your firm as caring and conscientious to customers and potential customers alike. Your bottom line will improve as a result of increased goodwill and reduced costs, providing a wider profit margin in a day and age when many firms are struggling to stay afloat.

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.