Great News for Recycling!

We’ve tallied our 2011 recycling numbers and would like to share some of them.

Exhibit A: From two local (to ecycler HQ in Chicago) sources we have recovered over 300 pounds of aluminum from tapping into what was previously a waste stream. Almost 9000 cans have been recycled from these two businesses, one a restaurant and one a large automobile dealership.

Of course, 10,000’s of cans and bottles have been recycled through ecycler, but these two businesses show a great density of materials for our collectors.

Exhibit B: In only a few months since launching our “hard-to-recycle materials” service, almost a thousand pounds of miscellaneous materials, like crayons, CD’s, VHS tapes, tennis balls have been diverted from the landfill to specialized recyclers. For example, 33 pounds of crayons have been transformed into new crayons ready for a child’s art project.

“In the process of Recovering Materials from a waste stream, everyone’s a winner. Fewer tons of waste go into the landfill—instead, those materials will find new life. This action not only creates a greener world for us, but also supplies much needed opportunities to the workforce.”

We started the collection of books for recycling in January 2012, a very exciting addition to the ten other hard-to-recycle materials already offered. Ecycler will continue to expand the recovery of materials by reducing the amount of recyclables going into the waste stream of businesses and residential households.

We now have the capability to recycle 11 materials:

CD’s, DVD’s and discs: http://ecycler.com/discs
Crayons: http://ecycler.com/crayons
Tennis Balls: http://ecycler.com/tennis_balls
Alkaline Batteries: http://ecycler.com/alkaline
Wine Bottle Corks: http://ecycler.com/corks
VHS Tapes: http://ecycler.com/VHS_tape
Inkjet Cartridges: http://ecycler.com/inkjet
Eyeglasses: http://ecycler.com/eyeglasses
Keys: http://ecycler.com/keys
Bicycle Inner Tubes: http://ecycler.com/inner_tubes
Books: http://ecycler.com/books

Make a difference and recycle with ecycler.com!

On ecycler‘s most recent trip through Michigan (a bottle bill state) we took the opportunity to document a typical grocery store redemption center. In four easy steps we went from having an empty soda bottle to being a dime richer…

A little background, first. A reverse vending machine is a device that accepts used beverage containers and returns money to you–the reverse of the typical vending cycle. Once a container is scanned, identified (i.e., matched in a database) and determined to be a valid container, it is processed and (usually) crushed to reduce its size.

Step 1 – Pick a Machine

Choose a machine based on the container material. In Michigan, for example, you have a choice between glass, plastic or aluminum cans.

Step 2 – Insert Containers

In this case, we have a plastic soda bottle. So, we begin by simply depositing the container in the large opening. The machine will “suck” each container into its bowels and increment the counter.

Step 3 – Review Value

Confirm the count as the machine iterates by one with each deposited container. Then press the big green button to finish the transaction.

Step 4 – Print Receipt and Get Cash

The machine will then print a receipt for you. Take this to the “Guest Services” counter or the attendant on hand for your cash!

Congratulations!

It’s that easy… Most of the bottle bill states give a redemption value of five cents, Michigan takes the exception with its ten cent deposit value.

And, we created a special photo set on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ecycler/sets/72157625326970436/

As a steward to the recycling community, ecycler is tasked to educate the public on recycling best practices. In some cases, a re-education or myth squashing. Our latest encounter led to a discussion regarding aluminum cans and their pull tabs.

Pull tabs have no special value.

It is always best to recycle the whole can! The pull tabs have no special value; in fact, they contain only a fraction of the aluminum the comprises the can as a whole. The value of recycling is at its fullest when the entire can is recycled. Both in terms of benefit to the environment and the dollars and cents in your pocket.

As we continue to speak with business owners and consumers we sometimes meet people with misinformation, our duty is to correct or redirect these situations.

We found this great article that backs up our stance to debunk the myth of saving only the tabs. Check it out here on Snopes: Keeping Tabs

The recycling rate for aluminum cans increased to 54.2% in 2008 as compared with 52.8% in 2007, according to industry trade groups that track recycling trends.

Aluminum cans have the highest recycling rate of any beverage container, according to the Aluminum Association, the Can Manufacturers Institute and the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.

“The aluminum can is a sustainable beverage package,” said Kevin Anton, chairman of the Aluminum Association and president of Alcoa Materials Management. “Recycling conserves energy, saves resources and minimizes consumer and production waste.”

Original Article: Waste & Recycling News

Environmental Benefits

• Recycling aluminum cans saves precious natural resources, energy, time and money – all for a good cause – helping out the earth, as well as the economy and local communities.
• Aluminum cans are unique in that in 60 days a can is recycled, turned into a new can & back on store shelves.
• Aluminum is a sustainable metal and can be recycled over and over again.
• In 2008, 53.2 billion cans were recycled, saving the energy equivalent of ~15 million barrels of crude oil – America’s entire gas consumption for one day.

Economic Benefits

• The aluminum can is the most valuable container to recycle and is the most recycled consumer product in the U.S. today.
• Each year, the aluminum industry pays out over $800 million dollars for empty aluminum cans – that’s a lot of money that can go to organizations, like Habitat for Humanity, the Boy or Girl Scouts of America, or even a local school. Money earned from recycling cans helps people help themselves and their communities. Recycling helps build new homes, pays for a group trip, supports a project or buys a lunch!
• Today it is cheaper, faster and more energy-efficient to recycle aluminum than ever before. The aluminum can is 100 percent recyclable and can be recycled indefinitely. The can remains the most recyclable of all materials.
• Used aluminum beverage cans are the most recycled item in the U.S., but other types of aluminum, such as siding, gutters, car components, storm window frames, and lawn furniture can also be recycled.
• Aluminum has a high market value and continues to provide an economic incentive to recycle. When aluminum cans are recycled curbside, they help pay for community services.

Original Article: Earth911 Article

References: Aluminum Association, Inc.