Traditional Recycling is Broken, Here’s How Recycling Plus Fixes It

Traditional recycling raises a lot of important concerns & needs better explanation. Is there a way to recycle that costs less? Can recycling be more simple?

Still, Many businesses think they are doing the right thing when sticking to traditional recycling, but it’s costing them more than they realize. How?

When you recycle, a hauler must pick up your materials & transfer them to a facility, whether it’s a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) or a landfill.

This process racks up significant costs, including service fees for pickup, transfer, and processing. Each store or business typically handles small volumes, which are picked up, condensed by the hauler, taken to a recycling center, and finally to the open market.

These steps add up, making recycling an expensive endeavor. Worse yet, recycling today is not treated as a commodity, which means businesses are missing out on potential revenue.

Instead of seeing recyclables as valuable resources, they are often just another costly headache to manage.

High Costs & Low Returns of Traditional Recycling

Traditional recycling methods are draining your finances. The big waste haulers are making more money, but it’s coming out of your pocket. In 2020, these major companies saw their recycling revenues go up by about 8% because of higher commodity prices. While that might sound like good news, it actually means that the cost of recycling for small businesses like yours is increasing.

Even though these large haulers are seeing bigger profits, they’re still charging you hefty fees for pickup, transfer, and processing of your recyclables. If your business handles small volumes, you’re likely paying more without seeing much return.

These high fees add up, making recycling an expensive task. Instead of recycling being a profitable part of your business, it often turns into just another expense. The sad reality is that while the big players profit, smaller businesses are left with minimal returns and higher costs.

Why Traditional Recycling Costs You More

Traditional recycling is bogged down by inefficiency & unnecessary costs. Here’s a breakdown of the issues:

Multiple Steps & Intermediaries:

• Recyclables are picked up by a hauler.
• Materials are condensed to reduce volume.
• Condensed materials are taken to a recycling center.
• Sometimes, materials are handled by a third party before reaching the market.
• Finally, recyclables are sold on the open market or to manufacturers.

Each step in the process adds more cost, and more handling means you’re paying more than necessary. Materials like plastic wrap, paper & cardboard often aren’t properly condensed. Uncondensed materials take up more space, leading to more frequent and costly pickups.

Essentially, you’re paying to transport air, increasing your waste management expenses. The traditional approach treats recyclables as waste, not valuable resources, resulting in higher bills and minimal financial returns for businesses.

What Makes Recycling+ Different

Recycling Plus stands out because it turns waste management into a streamlined and profitable process. Unlike traditional recycling methods that involve multiple steps and intermediaries, It simplifies everything. 

Here’s how it works:

Efficient Collection & Backhauling

• Businesses can collect and backhaul recyclables to their own DCs without additional costs by using existing transportation routes. This integration allows for seamless and cost-effective movement of materials.

Condensation & Baling for Increased Value

• At the DC, materials like plastic wrap, paper, and cardboard are condensed and baled. This reduces their volume, making them cheaper and easier to transport. Condensed materials take up less space, allowing for fewer pickups and more efficient storage.

Direct Sales to Market for Higher Returns

• From the DC, the baled materials are either sold directly to the open market or sent straight to manufacturers. This direct sales approach cuts out unnecessary steps and intermediaries, ensuring higher returns. By treating recyclables as valuable commodities, businesses can maximize profits and significantly lower waste management costs.

Recycling Plus program allows retailers, brands, manufacturers to make and monetize their recyclables in a way that gets them the most of their bucks and turning this into a revenue center for them.

Recycling Plus vs. Traditional Recycling

Recycling Plus offers a smarter way to handle recyclables, saving money and making profits.

Here’s a clear comparison of Recycling Plus & traditional recycling:

A Success Story

Let’s look at Business A, which has 75 warehouses across the US. They were generating tons of valuable paper, cardboard, and plastic but only making pennies on the dollar due to a lack of standardization and an effective system.

Then, they adopted Recycling Plus. In just three months, they started selling truckloads of paper and plastic. The impact was immediate and substantial. Their annual waste bill, originally $10,000,000, was cut in half. This was achieved by reducing the number of pickups needed and getting paid for their valuable recyclables.

Recycling Plus provided a standardized system that not only saved money but also turned waste into a profitable asset.

Engaging Customers Through Recycling Hotspots

What else we do is set up recycling hotspots to increase the number of people visiting your store and the amount of recyclable materials collected. By placing drop-off points at retail locations or distribution centers (DCs), businesses can collect paper, cardboard, and plastics from customers.

These convenient spots make it easy for people to recycle while they shop, encouraging them to come back more often.

Getting customers involved in recycling brings extra benefits. They feel good about helping the environment and become more loyal to the store. This helps collect more recyclables and strengthens the connection between the business and its customers.

By making recycling a shared activity, businesses can show their commitment to being eco-friendly, build stronger customer relationships, and manage recyclables more effectively.

Wide Range of Recyclable Materials Accepted

We accept a wide variety of materials to ensure nothing valuable goes to waste. Here’s a breakdown of what we take:

Note:  We also have special programs for unique items that can be challenging to recycle. These include carpets & mattresses.

Bulk Pickup Services for Large-Scale Recycling

We believe one company’s waste can be another’s treasure. Bulk pickup services connect your waste with businesses that can reuse it. This helps create a system where materials are used again and again, saving natural resources and supporting green practices.

Comprehensive Junk Removal Services

When recycling or donating isn’t possible, we offer junk removal services. The team handles all kinds of waste, from big industrial junk to everyday trash. We make sure everything is managed and disposed of responsibly.

The goal is to keep your operations clean & follow environmental rules, making waste management easy and efficient.

Your Waste Problems Solved with Recycling+

With our advanced tracking software & seamless donation processes, your team won’t have to lift a finger. We offer sustainable waste solutions across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Happen Ventures changes how you handle paper, plastic, and wood waste. By connecting you directly with manufacturers, we lower CO2 emissions and reduce costs. You can even buy back recycled supplies at a lower price than what you’re currently spending.

Explore our range of waste services & see how sustainability, social good, and savings can come together at your business.

Contact us now & discover how Recycling Plus can benefit your business.