Marketing Recyclables

Marketing recyclables to reduce costs of garbage and supplement a recycling effort is an important key to managing a recycling/waste reduction program. To determine what materials to recycle it is important to:

Do a waste stream audit to determine what materials and amounts are generated *identify local markets for recyclables
Determine economic feasibility and benefits of recycling different items, some materials might make money, others might be a break even and there are some markets that will cost money to recycle. Weigh the life cost accounting on recyclables to determine if the benefits are worth the effort.

BE AWARE that recycling markets are not consistent across the country and the markets fluctuate.
Determine how the materials need to get to market, how to store these and collect the materials from on-campus areas
Do a cost benefit analysis on collection costs vs. benefits from sale or diversion of materials from the landfill
After weighing options, determine collection systems to gather materials for markets
Determine processing needs for market, once materials are collected and
incorporate this into program operations
Setup collection systems and educational information which maximize participant responsibility and minimize recycling operations processing needs. You can check out our POSTERS and BIN LABELS for examples

If markets are not feasible for materials generated in large quantities, find ways to encourage waste reduction prior to generation of materials. Institute waste reduction strategies for these materials. Design "Precycling" education and contract procedures that encourage waste reduction.

At the University of Oregon, paper towels are generated in notable volumes. The University chooses to utilize paper towels and since there is no market for these with the recycling, Campus Recycling has created a paper towel reduction campaign where "Use Wisely" decals are placed on all paper towel dispensers. This has reduced the amount of paper towels used on campus.

Consider markets in waste/recycling contracts. Research what other schools are doing on their RFP's to maximize recycling revenue and efficient collections while reducing garbage costs. Utilize contracts to make suppliers gain contract based on waste reduction mechanisms (providing products and services in reduced packaging), take-back and accountability programs (where the vendor takes back packaging and end-use product for recycling, include requirement for accountability on recycling including amounts recycled) and as a last resort, if materials are left for University waste stream, ensure through the contract, that materials are reduced and recyclable packaging.
Ability to maximize revenue from recyclables can be dependent on the resources at hand. Many colleges have been fortunate to have large warehouses to accommodate balers and storage of materials for bulk sale as well as storage of low market recyclables to wait out the market. Identify program priorities and resources. Collection and processing is a number one priority while becoming a recycling processor to maximize marketability might not always be feasible. The better job the team does in preparing non-contaminated clean recyclables for market, the more recycling markets will work to accommodate maximum revenue
And finally, determine areas where large amounts of materials are generated. Work with users on easy ways to capture the materials

Markets go through ebbs and flows. Be creative in the lean years and try and work it to put money aside to carry over. Set -up collection programs that will be stable. Once you have established recycling collection, it is very difficult to take away or scale back. Try and create systems that are in synch with local residential recycling programs.

Do your homework and network with other recycling programs in your area to stay on top of the many markets and possibilities for marketing your recyclables.

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