America Recycles Day® is Monday, Nov. 15. ISRI will host the sixth Annual State of Recycling Briefing: Sustainable Supply Chains to Deliver Infrastructure for the 21st Century. ISRI President Robin Wiener and a panel of industry leaders will discuss the state of recycling, along with the industry’s critical role in sustainability and in building a truly circular economy. The briefing, which runs from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. EST, can be viewed via ISRI’s livestream. Register here.
An annual event, America Recycles Day is designed to help raise the profile of recycling and promote the numerous benefits of the industry. All ISRI members are encouraged to take part by hosting a virtual event, doing social media outreach, or other initiatives as you see fit.
With supply chain issues limiting the availability of raw materials, it’s more important than ever to recycle, and to recycle correctly. Phoenix-based Republic Services is celebrating America Recycles Day by sharing simple tips to help households recycle properly. A 2020 Republic Services survey revealed 65% of Americans said the COVID-19 pandemic has acted as a wake-up call for them to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. But a quarter of respondents cited a lack of understanding of what can and can’t be recycled as a barrier.
“Items that can be extracted … and recycled support a circular economy, giving materials a second life as a new product,” says Pete Keller, the company’s vice president of recycling and sustainability. “Republic Services is making recycling easier by breaking down some of the perceived complexities and helping more Americans make it part of their daily routine.”
To help consumers improve their recycling habits, Republic Services created Recycling Simplified, which provides an array of consumer resources, and a curriculum with at-home and school-based lesson plans for pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade students.
Columbia, Pa.-based Sahd Metal Recycling has participated in Earth Day for 15 years, and this is its first observance of America Recycles Day. There’s a web page devoted to the company’s related events, including facility tours and staff on hand from Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA) to educate recyclers of all ages. The web page also describes special rates Sahd offers for aluminum cans brought to the event, and donations that the company will make to local charities for every pound received.
“We partner with LCSWMA and other vendors who get into all kinds of household hazardous waste and other recycling we can’t do to help be a one-stop shop in reduce, reuse, recycle,” co-owner Dan Sahd notes.
Brockport, N.Y.-based electronics recycler Sunnking sponsored an electronics recycling collection event Nov. 13 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Geddes, N.Y. More than 1,200 guests registered in advance, says Robert Burns, Sunnking’s director of marketing. The company sponsors similar events throughout the year and collects an average of 100 tons of electronics per event, he says.
“We’re also planning to launch a naming contest for our Live Shredder Camera to engage people in the privacy and destruction aspect of our industry,” Burns states. Since August, the direct webcam feed has let residents and businesses watch their devices get destroyed.
As you plan your America Recycles Day activities, we want to know how you’re participating. Please complete this form and share videos and photos of your company’s activities. We look forward to hearing how you take part!
Photo courtesy of Sunnking. Caption: A Sunnking employee removes devices during an e-recycling event in North Syracuse, N.Y.
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