Supported by an extensive network of Certified Distributors, Labrie Environmental Group offers products and support for all customers, including field service representatives, a 24/7 customer support system, repairs, and service and parts through LabriePlus™.

For over 50 years, The Labrie Group has proudly distributed and supported its brands throughout the solid waste industry. These include Labrie™ side loaders, Leach™ rear loaders, and Wittke™ front loaders.

Decades of quality and service
The history of Labrie goes all the way back to 1930, when Equipement Labrie was founded. Wittke Iron Works started light manufacturing of farm implements in 1936. The legacy of Leach goes back even further to 1887, when Elmer Leach started producing logging tools at Oshkosh, under the Oshkosh Logging Tool Company.

Over the years, Labrie, Wittke and Leach introduced many innovative products to the market. In 1947, Leach unveiled the Leach Packmaster for waste collection. For Labrie, 1980 was one of the company’s biggest years on record, when it transitioned from distributor to manufacturer. The early 1980s saw Wittke enter the refuse body business with the Burro, a unique side-loader, followed by the Pegasus and Starlight front loaders about a decade later. And for Labrie, the 1980s and 1990s welcomed the Top Select™, the Labrie Expert 100 front loader, the Labrie 2000, and the Optimizer Front Loader, to name a few.

“Through innovation and timely acquisition, Labrie Environmental Group has built itself into a major force in the North American market, and sports its most advanced and diverse product line ever,” states the company.

When recycling started becoming popular in the early 1980s, the company created a curbside recycler. Used for manual and semi-automated residential recycling collection, the Top Select was the first ever recycling unit built, “and continues to be the most sold unit in its class in North America,” according to the company.

From there, the company continued creating trucks designed to transport solid waste and automated solid waste, primarily concentrating on side-loading vehicles, manual or automated with an arm. After manufacturing products for residential needs, Labrie started working on commercial trucks for refuse management companies, providing them with front loader solutions.

The years to come saw acquisitions of rear-loader brand Leach, and Wittke, known for its front loaders. By 2006, the company had amassed a whole portfolio of products—residential, commercial, side loader, rear loader, front loader—and soon acquired the after-sales division of Federal Signal Corp. (FSC). Stated the company at the time, the transition “positions Labrie as a top-tier North American leader in waste management equipment, in line with our corporate strategy to consolidate our offering within the solid waste management equipment industry.”

Other innovations soon followed, including an e-commerce parts purchasing portal and an online truck configuration tool. This enabled distributors to go online, configure, and order trucks. Shortly after, the company acquired Pendpac and the Pendulum Packer. With a unique ‘pendulum’ technology that moves from three o’clock to six o’clock, then back to three, it is designed to collect solid and organic waste. Unlike trucks from other manufacturers, it is designed so liquids from organic matter are contained inside the truck, instead of spilling onto streets.

“The pendulum is really good for food waste, because it is self-cleaning and watertight, since food waste can be really sloppy,” says Steve De George, Regional Sales Manager. It can be used for solid waste as well, but the watertight and self-cleaning ability is the big advantage. “The liquid content is very high, so you need a body that doesn’t leak.”

Not all trucks are created equal
Throughout its history in the solid waste industry, Labrie Environmental Group has earned a reputation for providing well-designed, long-lasting, and revolutionary products in its three brands, Labrie, Leach and Wittke.

“We are not selling companies, we are selling trucks,” says Marketing Manager François D’Amours of the company, which transitioned from distributor to manufacturer in 1980. “The idea is, we are selling Leach rear loaders, Labrie side loaders, and Wittke front loaders. They each have their own website, each have their own identity, and own brand penetration.”

Purchasing the chassis from other manufacturers, Labrie Environmental Group then manufactures truck bodies. Long before the two are married, modifications are made, including controls, packers, and arm mechanisms. And although some trucks used for hauling trash, compost, or recycling may appear similar, their features are different depending on where they are used and how. A truck navigating narrow alleys, for example, needs to be smaller and have a different type of arm than a truck intended for main roads.

Some municipalities prefer automated trucks, others manual. To make selection easier, The Group and its brands’ websites feature an Application checklist where customers can narrow down their choices by residential, commercials, organics, alleys and tight areas, electric vehicles (EV), compressed natural gas (CNG), and other criteria.

Along with style and vehicle type, there are other factors to consider, such as the truck’s size, and where it will be used. Depending on the location and requirements, truck construction varies. Sunny California is extremely environmentally and weight-conscious, and the state demands lighter-bodied trucks which put less wear and tear on roads. In the middle of the United States, trucks tend to be a bit heavier, and able to transport bigger loads of waste, compost and recyclables. Along the east coast and in cities like New York, where extreme temperatures are the norm, super duty trucks are designed and manufactured specifically for their environment. “It’s a different environment entirely,” explains De George.

Customers not only have individual needs for waste collection, but must also abide by regulations, be they state, provincial, municipal, or national. “We have to adhere to those,” says D’Amours.

Experienced and aware of rules and regulations, Labrie Environmental Group provides clients with a range of non-standard options tailored to their needs, another way in which The Group stands apart from the competition.

“That’s the difference between Labrie Environmental Group and others,” says D’Amours. “We meet the challenge and develop new ideas with our customers, and that creates an innovation cycle. It turns all the time, and it’s been like that since the company started in 1980. Research and development is not only a department here, it is our way of doing business, and sees us develop new innovations that are often copied.”

Through its extensive distributor network—and direct sales in Québec—Labrie Environmental Group sells trucks across North America, and some to international customers. Orders can be for as little as a single truck or as many as 200. The Group’s many distributors also have the means to service trucks, and are supported by the company for training, parts, knowledge, and more. Some distributors have been part of the Labrie Environmental Group family since the 1980s, a testament to the company’s longevity and industry-wide reputation.

While many of the company’s trucks are powered by diesel or CNG, Labrie is seeing an increase in requests for EVs. No matter the type of truck, Labrie Environmental Group and its brands remain committed to meeting the waste collection needs of all customers. Says D’Amours: “Quality, fit, and finish is what we are known for, and a very strong service network behind that.”

The post Often Copied, Never Duplicated<p class="company">Labrie Environmental Group</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

A pioneer in the precast concrete sector, Coreslab Structures (OKLA) Inc. is renowned for its structural and architectural know-how, building innovation, and dedication to environmentally friendly business practices. With 17 sites across North America, Coreslab’s team of engineers, precast specialists, quality assurance specialists, and project managers guide the precast concrete design, construction, and installation process, ensuring exemplary service through broad expertise and experience.

The company’s projects include hotels, tornado shelters and safe rooms, parking garages, bridges, commercial buildings, education facilities, and more. In the past decade, Coreslab Structures (OKLA) Inc. has also completed 13 water treatment or wastewater treatment projects, primarily in the state of Oklahoma, which are the kind of projects eminently suited to the dependability, reliability, functionality, and economical solutions that precast concrete provides.

Certainly, precast concrete is a very adaptable product, quickly constructed, and yet strong enough to withstand tornadoes. But precast concrete sandwich panels with insulation can also provide a high R-value (the measure of a material’s insulating ability). This high R-value means that precast walls can be utilized without necessitating additional costly fireproofing or insulation.

Project Consultant Coleman Harrison outlines an additional benefit of precast: “In 2012 we manufactured and erected a total Precast Concrete water treatment facility in Broken Arrow, by Tulsa, and what sold them on precast concrete for that project was that they had a really long span inside the water treatment plant and we were able to provide Precast Prestressed Concrete Double Tees that spanned 127 feet,” he explains.

“That turned out to clear-span the entire center bay of the Membrane Building so they didn’t have additional columns and beamlines interrupting the workings of the mechanics inside the water treatment plant. That was a big selling point.”

Due to the critical infrastructure provided by plants for water or wastewater treatment, Coreslab Structures (OKLA) Inc. encourages clients to build them to FEMA or ICC 500 standards that can withstand direct hits from an EF5 tornado. While this is still a work in progress, along the way Coreslab has been able to incorporate some additional reinforcing and connections to beef up the structures, making them stronger than what is typically required by code.

“At the front end of these projects, some municipalities have done things in a certain way for many years,” says Harrison. “We’ve been slowly chipping away. Most of the water treatment plants had massive amounts of CMU (Concrete Masonry Units) and steel in them, and now we’ve finally worked our way to where most of the projects are coming in as total precast above grade on the larger structures, because municipalities know how quickly they go up.”

By way of design conversations and discussions held over the years with Coreslab, municipalities are gradually coming around to eliminating many of their old practices and becoming much more receptive to doing total precast structures above grade.

“What helped turn them around is the added value they get from the precast, prestressed members,” says Sean Morris, Engineering Manager. “We’re having to design the members to strip out of the forms without breaking or cracking; having to store them without cracking them; having to load them in trailers and ship them without cracking them,” he explains. “And then we need to hook them up to a crane at the job site and roll them over in the air or trip them in the air during erection. There are actually greater forces acting on the members during all those phases than they’re designed for in place.”

This means Coreslab’s design must ensure that the member doesn’t crack or fail during any of those other phases.

“The owner is actually getting added value out of the structural members that we make the building out of because we automatically exceed the standards they require of us,” says Morris. The structure is thus even more stormproof than it has to be by default.

“That’s important to these clients, as well as the fact that precast construction makes the smallest footprint at the job site. And with precast, we also have the shortest construction schedule of any construction type that I know of.”

Those factors all signal the welcome news of money saved for the owners, particularly with water treatment plants, as the cost of the building is but a fraction of the cost of the pieces of equipment inside.

“They are amazing, intricate machines and their owners want to protect them,” Morris says. “One of the treatment centres we worked on serviced 50 percent of the water needs of the entire city of Oklahoma City, so you really want to make sure that it’s going to function when a tornado or a major storm hits, that you’re not out of commission because the building fell down on top of the equipment.”

Along with the strength and stability, another major selling point for precast is the speed with which it’s erected, says Harrison. With components manufactured at the plant—instead of everything constructed out in the field, under field conditions—Coreslab Structures (OKLA) Inc. produces most of its products under one roof in a 150,000-square-foot facility, making conditions easier to control. Once the foundations or retaining walls are done, Coreslab moves in and starts erecting.

“The other major advantage that the precast, prestressed concrete members provide is the use of significantly less concrete for the span lengths we have to achieve compared to cast-in-place concrete or even post-tensioned concrete,” says Morris. “Because of their extremely thin shell concrete shapes, and because of the prestress forces we are able to apply to them, the Prestressed Precast Concrete Double Tee is a very efficient structural shape for the concrete to be cast into.”

This remarkable efficiency translates into many fewer cubic yards of concrete for each project, and the prestressing also allows a large reduction in the amount of mild reinforcing or rebar required.

“For each job, our carbon footprint is significantly less than it would be if it was cast in place,” Morris adds. “Also, the steel production that creates the rebar is inherently not good for the environment. The less rebar you use, the less of a carbon footprint. Both of these are wins for precast, prestress members.”

Coreslab aims to prestress many of its products for that very reason, he says, adding that there is actually a financial incentive for pre-casters to use prestress strands instead of conventionally reinforcing precast members with rebar.

“We can do it either way, but there’s an incentive to use prestress strands because the material costs of the actual strand are less than the cost of rebar per linear foot. Utilizing the prestress strand to prestress the concrete means it doesn’t require any of the additional reinforcing that would be needed without the prestressing. So there are a lot of advantages.”

Modifications or damage to a cast-in-place post-tensioned concrete member can actually cause a significant and sudden failure of the member. If a post-tensioned tendon is cut, the tendon can rip out of the concrete and buggy whip, causing severe damage and potentially, serious injury. On the other hand, if using plant precast, prestressed concrete members, from a plant-controlled environment, continuously bonded prestressed stands are utilized.

“If someone were to cut through one of those strands in the middle, or at the end, or anywhere along the length of the member, the structural capacity would be smaller for the member,” Morris explains, “but there’d be no catastrophic or sudden failure. In some cases, there is enough redundancy that if somebody were to cut through one or even two strands in certain locations of the member, it may still be structurally adequate to do the job as is.”

While the COVID pandemic and the inflation of material costs have caused numerous challenges for the company, and the industry as a whole, over the past few years, Coreslab has managed to weather the storm.

“Our business is such that we sell a job and then it’s actually erected maybe a year or two later,” says Morris. “When you have significant increases in material and labour costs over a very short period, it tends to make you underestimate some projects for at least a year or two. Luckily, we weren’t upside down on projects.”

Coreslab not only stayed busy but stayed in the black the whole time—a “major accomplishment,” adds Morris—all the while maintaining strong relationships with its customers. And it’s those clients that the company will continue to focus on.

“We’ve carved out a specialized niche for ourselves in the industry that not a lot of other pre-casters are familiar with, particularly when it comes to tornado shelters,” Morris shares. The company erects numerous tornado shelters and is thoroughly familiar with ICC 500 compliance for structures that may or may not be designated as actual storm shelter 500s, as well as being expert in all the complexities of creating a full-blown FEMA shelter.

“We’re capitalizing on that by offering clients structures that will be resilient in all the unpredictable weather patterns that the future holds for them,” says Morris.

Many of the company’s clients are looking at data centres in the south-central United States where land is available and inexpensive, but they still have to face concerns about the chance of tornado strikes that could put servers out of commission. Having hardened data centres (and hardened structures in general) is ideal, and Coreslab is also looking into incorporating tornado-proof residential construction, allowing everyday people to have their entire house made tornado-proof with the use of precast.

This attention to customer care runs throughout the company’s mandate, starting with front-end assistance given to sales, estimating, drafting, and engineering staff to glean a better idea of what customers are looking for, even when they’re in the schematic or design development stage. “We know that it’s public money, and we have to go out to bid,” says Harrison. “We’re not assured of the project, but we want to assure that it stays precast,” he emphasizes.

“So it’s in our favour, and it’s in our customers’ favour, for them to get that front-end assistance. We can help them out on sizes and maybe help them tweak dimensions to make it a little more friendly in production and also cheaper for the customer.”

Certainly, Coreslab Structures (OKLA) Inc. understands its field well. By going above and beyond, the company is helping its customers to future-proof their buildings for whatever may lie ahead.

The post Concrete Decision for Safer, Sturdier Structures<p class="company">Coreslab Structures (OKLA) Inc.</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

Sadly, the biggest change “was my father passing away,” shares President Jake Bolton. Craig Bolton, who was interviewed for the previous profile, passed in the fall of 2021. Craig served as the company President. After his death, Jake, who had been Vice President, stepped into the top leadership spot while Jake’s younger brother, Lucas, and Plant manager, Patrick Park, have stepped up to help fill the void.

To honour Craig, the company has retained its focus on top-quality products and services, while upholding a loyal, experienced workforce. Peninsula continues to be a one-stop shop that offers a comprehensive range of services including consultation, modelling and industrial design, three-dimensional (3D) printing, part and mould design, manufacturing, packaging, warehousing, and shipping.

Consultations entail detailed discussions with clients and preliminary design work. Moulds can be custom designed according to customer specifications. Once a design has been chosen and successful prototypes have been built, the company will commence a production run of parts and moulds on its thirty-four custom injection machines and other processing equipment. This work is done in a 65,000-square-foot space at the company’s Fort Erie headquarters.

Across the street from the production center is Peninsula’s 30,000-square-foot warehouse for logistics work. The warehouse stocks customer products and inventory and this is where some light packaging is done. The company can provide display cases, blister and clamshell packages, and boxes, as well as perform heat sealing, labelling, and polyethylene bag packaging, to highlight and protect customers’ products. Logistics also covers brokerage duties and arranging pick-ups or deliveries for clients.

The company maintains a large inventory of a variety of plastic resins, which is very beneficial to its customers as they are able to pass on the savings of buying material in larger quantities. For commodity resins like polypropylene and polyethylene, there are four silos on-site which allow the company to purchase material in railcar quantities. Material in these silos can then be pumped directly to work centers without requiring a manual transfer of materials. This again provides added cost savings to customers. “We are looking at further improvements to this process by adding more silos and more advanced material conveying systems,” says Bolton.

Peninsula has a separate division called Nova Products that makes plastic goods such as glass case inserts, spools, and hydro components. Storage containers for recyclables are another Nova specialty; it makes ‘blue bins’ used to store paper and plastic recyclables and ‘green bins’ used to store kitchen and organic waste, primarily for municipalities. Blue bins include small, five-gallon units that can be fitted under desks, mid-sized stackable containers, and large twenty-two-gallon curbside bins. Green bins range from two-gallon kitchen containers to thirteen-gallon curbside units.

Nova has developed a brand new product: a thirty-two-gallon, black plastic garbage can, of which the company is particularly proud. “It’s light, compact, and made with superior materials, so it won’t break. It also has a “better aesthetic design,” than other garbage bins, according to Bolton.

The superior materials include impact-modified polypropylene. The garbage bin will be sold by retail outlets such as Home Depot, Home Hardware, and Walmart. The company is working on placing the thirty-two-gallon bin in Canadian Tire as well, he says.

In addition to its Fort Erie facilities, Peninsula uses a 20,000-square-foot, third-party warehouse in Buffalo, New York. This warehouse points to one of its strengths: the ability to ship products to both Canada and the U.S. with ease.

“It’s one of the things that sets us apart from other injection moulders. We’re literally on the border. The transfer of goods across the border is something we make extremely easy for our customers. We take the headache out of it,” Bolton states.

Other things also set the company apart. For a start, it maintains high standards of quality, with ISO and National Sanitation Foundation Institute (NSF) product certification. Based in Michigan, but with an international reach, the NSF offers product certification services in various fields including food equipment.

Peninsula has implemented Health Canada’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) program and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system. The GMP program is designed to ensure high standards for packaging material, among other things.

The company has a client-centred business ethos. Customers can approach Peninsula with a vague concept that the company turns into a production-ready product. This process is driven by the use of 3D, computer-aided design software. It sometimes taps into the same skillset to fix problem moulds from other firms.

Peninsula uses 3D printers as well, but only for prototyping. Despite the hype about 3D printing, the process is still too slow and unwieldy to mass produce moulds or parts, says Bolton. “It’s not going replace injection moulding in this century. It doesn’t compare to the strength of injection moulding or the speed of injection moulding,” he points out.

Given this, Peninsula is eager to buy more custom injection machines, preferably bigger ones. At present, the largest machine the company owns has a clamping force of 1800 tons. Within a couple of years, it hopes to add a 2,500-ton machine to its lineup. “We’re looking to increase our tonnage. We’re looking for a bigger machine,” says Bolton.

For all the progress Peninsula is making, the company is still somewhat in recovery following COVID. “2021 was a tornado of a year, but things have been returning back to normal,” Bolton reports.

Certain health protocols remain in place; visitors are still required to sign in, and staff members, in general, are much more vigilant about the prospect of illness. Now that the virus appears to be finally receding, the company has taken to attending in-person trade shows again while continuing to enhance its online presence.

Prior to the pandemic, Peninsula employed 130 workers around the clock. This has been reduced to ninety employees working continuously for five days a week. Bolton hopes that the workforce has been only temporarily downsized.

Meanwhile, the company is striving to streamline its operations to increase efficiency. A few years ago, it acquired an enterprise resource planning software system for its offices. The system has proven its worth and the company is now “working on implementing bar code scanning and the Internet of Things into the workplace,” reports Bolton.

Peninsula’s human resources department has added new software as well, to track vacation time and other employee data. The software will eventually include online employee portals to help employees access their information faster and easier. The firm uses a fingerprint clock check-in for staff and is looking to expand its machine monitoring capabilities to keep an eye on cycles and production time.

In addition to software, the company has introduced robotic systems on its plant floor. Robots enhance both productivity and worker safety by taking on potentially dangerous tasks once performed by employees such as reaching into machines to remove parts.

For all the technological software and robotic solutions, Peninsula is fully aware of the importance of human relationships. The company builds employee loyalty. Staff members are eligible for a variety of benefits, including dental coverage and a registered savings program. Peninsula emphasizes internal promotions and likes to match experienced staff with new hires for intensive, hands-on training.

It tries to encourage a family-like work culture, which makes sense given its heritage. The company originated as a small custom injection moulding shop with a handful of machines and employees in Georgetown, Ontario. It was purchased by Jake Bolton’s grandfather in 1976 and moved to Fort Erie. Fred changed the name to Peninsula Plastics and expanded the operation. Craig took over in 1989, and now his two sons are heading the business.

Going forward, the plan is to keep Peninsula within the family and expand operations through moulding larger products. There is also talk about entering new product categories such as the home organization market. “We’re working on that now,” says Bolton.

There have also been discussions about setting up new branches in different cities. “Especially with shipping costs, we could definitely see ourselves branching out—trying to cover more of North America,” he says.

The post New Products, New Ownership for This Family Firm<p class="company">Peninsula Plastics</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

Services rendered by PFM include the design and installation of recycling and waste equipment, material marketing (a company database tracks global material markets for paper, plastics, Styrofoam, wood, masonry, metal, and other substances), and obsolete and excess inventory control solutions. The latter service entails the tracking and monitoring of excess raw, packaged, and finished goods (to ensure they are properly disposed of). Inventory control can cover personal care products, cosmetics, fragrances, and industrial chemicals.

Additional company competencies include liquid and bulk waste solidification, cosmetic product incineration, electronic recycling, and ethanol recycling. Equipment maintenance and repairs are also offered (the firm has in-house and in-the-field fabrication capabilities), as well as power washing and cleaning, site surveys and insurance inspections. Preventative maintenance services are available too.

Premier handles all manner of materials, including plastic, wood, rubber, glass, paper, cardboard, aluminum, insulation, foam/carpets, packaging, Styrofoam, and more. A sample green certified destruction material audit form on the company website lists additional substances that PFM can process such as solvents, nail polish, oils, metal alloys, steel, and detergents, to name a few. The company’s customer base covers residential buildings, malls, schools, government offices, sports facilities, industrial facilities, and more.

A vast array of recycling equipment is available for clients. Popular products include high-capacity shredders (for securely destroying vast quantities of confidential documents), augers (used to pre-crush and compact cardboard, construction refuse, plastic, and pallets), and cart tippers (which dump loads into compacting equipment).

Various compactors and balers are offered as well. Compacting waste into sealed bags can drastically reduce waste volumes, while also preventing leakage and foul smells. The company’s compactor category includes self-contained compactors (these are specifically designed for wet waste and the containment of liquids) and stationary compactors (designed for “maximum compaction of waste materials into a receiver container of various sizes,” in the firm’s words).

The baler category includes horizontal balers (featuring multiple feed openings and chamber sizes, these are useful machines when recycling in high volumes); vertical balers (which take up a smaller footprint compared to other balers); conveyor-fed baling systems; and multi-chamber balers (which sort and bale recyclable items such as plastic film and cardboard). Additional gear on offer includes plastic foam densifying machines (which use high-volume extrusion to crush plastic foam scrap) and turbo separators (interior blades, bars, and screens separate packaging from products).

PFM can provide eco-friendly construction and demolition-related services. The firm will sort and separate demolition and construction debris, with an eye toward finding reusable items and/or materials. Some reusable products are donated to charities. These construction and demolition services help contractors fulfill Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and other regulatory requirements. The LEED program is an initiative from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Clients can also contract PFM for solid waste engineering. This entails customized source separation, waste audits, supply chain overview, inventory issue solutions, sustainability compliance, and more.

PFM was founded by a waste management industry veteran named Bob Frustaci. His vision was to establish a waste management firm that put sustainability first. The company was initially based out of a 10 by 10 foot office and had minimal capital. In the early days, the fledgling firm was primarily focused on serving the hotel industry, but it soon branched out and expanded into the construction and manufacturing sectors, where waste, unused materials, and excess inventory are common issues.

The company has been recognized for its work. On February 9, 2018, PFM received a Certificate of Innovation in Sustainability from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). PFM has also received the Green America Business Seal of Approval. To earn this honor, a firm must demonstrate commitment to environmental sustainability and social justice, and businesses that garner the Seal of Approval are listed in the National Green Pages.

PFM has also been a member of the U.S. Green Building Council since 2020 and is affiliated with the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), Green America, the New Jersey Affordable Housing Management Association, and others.

Sister company PCS (Premier Compaction Systems, LLC) offers waste equipment services in the Northeastern United States, with a focus on compactors and trash chutes. PCS staff can design and implement waste management processes using top-of-the-line equipment. The company promises a “total recycling solution” and can provide servicing and repairs as well.

The customer base for PCS includes municipal governments, grocery stores, nursing homes, retailers, manufacturers, residential buildings, distribution centers, packaging companies, schools, hospitals, and more.

PCS has also earned multiple awards and kudos, including a 2018 Certificate of Innovation in Sustainability from New Jersey DEP (the same honor that was earned by PFM) and a Gotham Green Award in 2018. The Gotham Green Awards are awarded by Gotham Networking to small and mid-sized companies “for their contributions, inspiration and guidance in helping us all take better care of the planet and ourselves” as a press release puts it.

PCS also was named 2019’s Best Sustainable Waste Management company by the Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Journal and was a 2019 Manufacturer of the Year finalist in the small company category (with 50 employees or fewer). The latter contest was run by the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP), a not-for-profit organization that helps manufacturers based in New Jersey become more competitive, efficient, and effective.

Into the future, expect to see Premier Facility Management and Premier Compaction Systems continue to lead the way on reducing waste, recycling costs, and the carbon footprint of their clients, all the while improving the environment.

The post Reducing Waste, Expenses, and the Carbon Footprint of Its Clients<p class="company">Premier Facility Management / Premier Compaction Systems</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

Brooklyn-born and a “New Yorker at heart,” Chiaia grew up in the sanitation business, immersed in the environment since childhood and arriving at her destination via her father.

“He started it over 54 years ago,” she says. “We’ve been in the industry in New York for all these years. I was literally seven years old sitting in the truck.”

After graduating from Columbia University, Chiaia started working for her dad before taking over with her sister more than 35 years ago. A member of SWANA (Solid Waste Association of North America), the company has a strong focus on equity and inclusion, and now proudly counts Chiaia’s daughter as a team member as well.

“My daughter graduated with her MBA and worked in New York City in fashion,” Chiaia says. “I was able to turn her from fashion to waste management.”

In a historically male-led industry, Chiaia is proud to employ women in the industry, with the older generation teaching the younger one valuable skills and insights gained from years of experience. “I think the consistency and stability of having the continuity is good. I’m happy I am able to teach her and be a good role model for her, and that she’s in the business as well,” Chiaia says. “And my daughter also brings fresh ideas and perspectives.”

Even though the company has earned credibility without certification and has been women-owned for over 35 years, Classic Recycling recently went through the process of becoming a certified WBE (Women Business Enterprise). “Certification validates the customers’ and vendors’ decisions to work with the company, giving credibility in a country focused on equity and inclusion. Many of our customers and vendors appreciate that not only can they rely on our service and professionalism, they can also show that they are helping to advance their own commitment to inclusion,” Chiaia says.

“I think becoming certified highlights the importance of promoting women entrepreneurship, especially in an industry where the trucking, hauling and carting sectors tend to be male-dominated. It’s also nice that the NYC Department of Sanitation has had three women as commissioners, including the current commissioner, which is great.”

And although Chiaia has years of experience in the industry, at times she’s found it frustrating to have to prove her knowledge. As an example, when recently purchasing lower-emission vehicles, one truck company she spoke with didn’t think she’d understand or be so knowledgeable about the industry and field.

“I found that a little annoying as well as amusing,” she says. “They couldn’t believe I knew about emissions and truck standards, so that was funny. I was speaking about greenhouse gas emissions and electric trucks and what we want in our equipment and safety criteria I needed and he was quite impressed.”

To that end, Chiaia also hopes she can lead by example and bring more women into the industry, inspiring them to become sanitation drivers or helpers and members of Local Union 813.

Her decades in the industry also help with the challenges of running a recycling business in New York City, which can be numerous and daunting. “New York City is intense, unique and one of the most intricate in the world, so it’s quite an experience to run trucking here,” she says. “There are a lot of moving parts to it, it takes a lot of experience, and the one thing we have is experience.”

It’s also very congested and crowded with residents, commuters, and lots of cars. “There’s a lot of competition for the streets with traffic and deliveries, and now with outdoor dining because of COVID—which is wonderful because it’s keeping New York open and alive and helping the economy—there’s also another set of challenges.” Restaurants having tables outside means streets are getting narrower which presents a competition for space and a challenge for where to put rubbish and navigate the maze.

It takes a lot of thoughtfulness to operate in this environment, but it is a challenge that Chiaia is more than qualified to handle.

“We’ve always had to be aware of and in tune with the city’s narrow streets and tourists,” she says. “It’s true that it’s the city that never sleeps. Trucks run at night. You have different bars closing at 2am, 3 am, 4am. You have to be able to logistically and carefully service customers with a strong focus on service and safety.”

Classic Recycling’s expertise focuses on Manhattan. “Urban areas by definition are congested; now layer on the Christmas Tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and all the other major parades that draw people from around the world, and the world leaders and their motorcades that come for the United Nations. Waste removal in other places doesn’t have to plan for things like this.”

Chiaia’s experience in servicing the city means a good chance to transition to the competitive DSNY CWZ (Commercial Waste Zones) program, created to provide efficient and safe waste collection while advancing the Green New Deal and zero waste goals.

“It’s a great program trying to lower greenhouse gas emissions to help the environment by reducing the amount of trucks on the road through consolidating,” Chiaia says. “The opportunity the city is offering with the Commercial Waste Zone is exciting and with our experience, we’re hoping to become part of that. We have relationships with our customers and already service customers within the key zones, so we’re very familiar with how to safely service and operate a business in these unique districts.”

It helps that Chiaia’s commitment to sustainability and the environment is already a huge part of Classic Recycling’s mandate and one they’ve been utilizing from the start. The company has purchased very low-emission trucks, and has looked into purchasing electric trucks, but there are some logistical hurdles, she says, including slower charging and supply chain issues.

Along with greener equipment, Classic Recycling works with customers to get bags off the streets with toters for cleanliness and toter straps to avoid vermin; takes less waste to landfills to lower the amount of greenhouse gas emissions; and employs other waste diversions such as mattress recycling, dealing with organizations for furniture donations, and the reuse programs.

“We’re getting our customers to compost,” Chiaia adds. “Organic waste compliance has been a little bit of a challenge, but we’re getting there.”

The company is also offering customers solar compactors to put garbage out in a cleaner way, avoiding piled-up bags, which lends itself to a greener community with fewer odors.

“We’re about educating customers, offering a sustainability plan and greener equipment,” says Chiaia. “This means reuse, reduce, recycle and donate to help divert waste from landfills to lower greenhouse carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.”

While some of these challenges may seem overwhelming, Chiaia takes it all in stride, like any true New Yorker, particularly one who has built up years of business skills and practice.

“[What drives us is] the sense of servicing our customers as well as always maintaining the highest level of safety for pedestrians, the community, and our employees,” she says. “It’s more or less trying to always have experience navigating through the different changes and challenges, and I think that experience is the key.”

The fact that Classic Recycling is a family business offering excellent customer service is a point of pride for Chiaia: Any customer can call the company and one of us will answer the phone. “They have our cell phone numbers,” she says. “We’re committed.”

Although obstacles through the years have been numerous, including 9/11, crime, and the Great Recession, COVID, which Chiaia refers to as the “biggest dislocation,” has hit the city very hard economically.

“It had a big impact on our customer base and was tough for us to navigate as a company,” she says. “Customers who stayed open knew that they could rely on our professionalism, and through our strategic decision making we adapted and excelled and retained the same employees with lots of experience.”

Chiaia has a number of admirable goals she hopes to meet over the next few years including continuing to update and modernize her equipment with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions, converting to electric trucks, further incentivizing recycling, improving route optimization, concentrating on overall environmental health and, of course, being awarded Zones in the NYC Commercial Waste Zone Program

“We look to reduce truck traffic to lower air pollution and improve quality of life,” she adds. “By reducing the amount of garbage bags on the city streets we’ll help create a better and cleaner community. It’s all about having a zero-waste mindset.”

By joining together different generations, the family’s collective knowledge becomes a greater strength, she adds, leading to success through customer service, hard work, responsibility and high values. “This is what we do. Our family pride fosters reliable work ethics,” says Chiaia. “Our commitment to business consistency and stability formed our framework, and this experience is central to our company’s past and future success.”

The company’s multi-generational experience has created a dynasty of devotion and loyalty. “We’ve overcome the biggest dislocations in history, stayed in our business, serviced our customers, and worked every single day through the pandemic,” Chiaia says. “It was a big impact on everything, but with strategic decision making and experience we were able to do our jobs and keep our operation safe.”

The post Eat, (Don’t) Sleep, Recycle: Keeping NYC Clean and Green<p class="company">Classic Recycling New York Corp.</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

The company performed projects in dredging work and dock wall construction for its first few years until landing a large contract for the City of Milwaukee in 1921 for work on Jones Island, a man-made island encompassing the wastewater treatment facility for the greater Milwaukee area. This project is remembered as the one that established McMullen & Pitz and enabled it to ascend to the next level.

Oliver McMullen left the business less than a decade after its inception, selling his interests to contractor Emil Weber but keeping his name on the banner. Weber would become the company’s secretary-treasurer, and Arthur Pitz took over running the company with Weber until the former’s death a decade or so later, with Arthur’s son Willott taking his place.

Willott ‘Bubby’ Pitz fully took over as company president in 1959 and remained so until his death in 1997, a period noted for bringing the company forward into the modern age. During his three decades as company head, Pitz is credited with introducing newer models of cranes, hiring a new staff of engineers, and landing contracts for new projects for marine infrastructure (i.e. barge work, dredging) and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Willott’s son Erich eventually took over for his father in 1997 and, unfortunately, passed away himself in October 2020. Until Erich’s children can take over management, Vice President Ted Jennejohn is working to bridge the gap between the two generations, as McMullen & Pitz still stands as a family-owned company with over one hundred years to its name and a pillar in its community.

It has always operated as a small company—today sporting around fifteen employees—but it manages to compete successfully with hundred-million-dollar corporations on construction bids. This competitive spirit gives its customers the personal touch of a small business without losing out on large-scale construction services.

The company’s family name has also given it a lasting positive reputation. “We put the results over the profits,” says Jennejohn. “If we did our job, the profits will be there.” Close, personal attention is what he feels separates the company’s approach to customer service. As a client’s main point of contact, he meets one-on-one to develop solutions and offer support from beginning to end. He finds that many customers like the single point of contact approach to service, and it inspires the company’s mission to be as good as its word.

Over the past few years, McMullen & Pitz has increased its revenues by around 50 percent, allowing it to invest further in its equipment, its employees, and the business overall. This success has also permitted it to move forward in modernizing its equipment and approaches, which improves both employee and customer satisfaction.

These upgrades are always necessary, especially where the marine industry is concerned, because a lot of the work is underwater and has obstacles such as low visibility. This is one of few companies in the construction industry with the experience and equipment to overcome these challenges as well as the ability to self-perform nearly every job without the need for multiple subcontractors, making it an in-demand solutions provider for its market and area.

McMullen & Pitz continues to keep busy, with its recent projects ranging in size and complexity. One of the company’s most recent involvements was upgrading the terminal for The Lake Michigan Carferry, the SS Badger. The terminal, an extension of US Highway 10, connects Wisconsin to Lower Michigan across Lake Michigan and is a key piece of state infrastructure. The SS Badger itself is also one of the last steam-powered ships in existence, imbuing it with significant historical and economic value.

The workforce had to rebuild the crumbling dock terminal during the winter of 2020 to be ready for May. The $4.3 million job is the largest single contract in company history. The complex project went swimmingly as the company completed its work on time and within budget, amidst a lot of public attention.

Other successful projects include a contract in the fall of 2019 for the City of Wausau to upgrade its wastewater system pipelines under the Wisconsin River. This was done while dealing with record rainfall levels and a short project window, challenges the company met on time to the delight of the community. McMullen & Pitz also continues to work with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, including a recent project involving the installation of over four thousand feet of steel sheet piling along the Fox River. This project also faced material procurement challenges and difficult underground conditions but was also completed ahead of schedule, a feature that is a signature of the business.

These approaches are nothing without an able workforce, and Jennejohn feels that the company’s relatively small size is what helps it nurture this type of atmosphere. “If I hire someone, I am committing to them as they are making a commitment to me to do a safe job,” he explains. “We rely on each other.”

This commitment helps to deal with external challenges such as an ongoing national labor shortage in the construction field. With McMullen & Pitz’s low turnover rate, Jennejohn is relieved not to have to look for workers who may prove unreliable when the existing workforce is so experienced. He continues a commitment to both customer and worker that has been a company value for over one hundred years.

Over 2022, McMullen & Pitz will investigate expanding its foundation services. Currently, not much drilling work is done by the company, but as equipment continues to be modernized, new machine attachments allow for deep foundation and geotechnical work. The company wants to expand its services to take on any job necessary in the industry and even larger projects.

Jennejohn notes that construction will always have a constant flow of ups and downs, especially when factoring in recent developments like national inflation and widespread material shortages, which can make procurement and meeting project schedules difficult. Long-lasting relationships with trustworthy vendors are always a great help to mitigate such challenges, and Jennejohn credits the company’s business relationships for helping to deal with these problems head-on.

The goal of McMullen & Pitz is not to expand too rapidly as the company is unwilling to sacrifice quality. Instead, further expansion will permit the company to accept more projects and bring its brand of construction solutions to more customers in need. “From land-based construction, to marine construction, to dive work, we can wear a lot of different hats and provide a lot of different services,” says Jennejohn, summing up the company’s multifaceted approach to the construction sector.

The post Over a Century of Diverse Construction Solutions<p class="company">McMullen & Pitz</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

Meeting this need, Gainsborough Waste began its operations in 1994, investing in its first new Mack truck in 1996. A few years later in 1999, the Carls courageously moved forward with the formation of their portable toilet company titled Texas Outhouse, which has become a staple of exemplary service in and around the gulf coast. Fast forward over 20 years with Texas Outhouse, a newly identified market segment led to the purchase of its first high-end restroom trailer in 2016. Quick success in this new market led to the 2017 creation of a new standalone division adorned with its own logo, social media platforms and website, titled Luxury Event Trailers (LET).

Privately held, both businesses are under the same ownership, with Noble Carl serving as Gainsborough’s President and brother Paul R. Carl as Vice President.

With some overlap among employees in areas such as accounting, sales, customer service and maintenance, all entities have a strong company culture, which allows for decisions like purchasing new trucks to be made fast and easily. “It makes a great environment for growing your revenue,” says Larry L. Wheeler, Gainsborough’s Business Development Manager.

Today, Gainsborough has grown to about 30 drivers, half a dozen mechanics, a dedicated office staff of over a dozen, and two dispatchers. On the LET side, the division runs under Special Events Director Craig Ray, who operates the division with an assistant, three drivers, and three technicians.

Pandemic pivot
For some businesses, COVID-19 resulted in chaos; for others, it created new opportunities and a way to step up and help others. Known across Texas for its professional service and ability to handle virtually any customer need, Gainsborough Waste continues to work with customers during the worst pandemic in a century.

With a disaster-relief function in place dealing with crises like hurricanes, floods, and fires in Greater Houston, and providing services to relief workers setting up camp in states like Florida or Louisiana, Texas Outhouse was already well-equipped. Able to provide 200 toilets and 10 roll-off dumpsters in just 24 hours, the company is large enough to respond in times of emergency without affecting its existing customers.

“In the toilet division, we have 17,000 to 18,000 toilets, about 75 pump trucks, and six high-volume tankers,” says Wheeler. “In a small or medium-sized company that has far fewer trucks, that would affect their normal business, so they couldn’t do it.”

At its 23-acre key site at 950 McCarty Street in Houston, the company has masses of room for storage and also has the only private wastewater treatment plant in Texas. Accommodating a Type 5 transfer waste disposal station, the site is also large enough to park about 125 trucks.

Growing through the challenges
Before 2020, hand wash stations and hand sanitizer stations were small business segments for Texas Outhouse – but that all changed with the onset of the pandemic. With COVID-related protocols in place, job and construction sites that previously ordered just one handwash station or hand sanitizer station were now asking for many units. Two years later, demand for units and consumables remains high.

“Instead of just once a week, customers now want you to service them multiple times. It’s kind of a new category that sprang up, and it has really blossomed,” says Wheeler. He adds that about 99 percent of the units are rented on a temporary basis. Customers specify the duration of the job, with stations priced accordingly.

Previously used mainly at construction sites, manufacturing plants, and refineries, these wash and sanitizer stations have seen widespread use at COVID testing or injection sites such as NRG Stadium (previously Reliant Stadium) in Houston, where there may be hundreds of people in line at any one time.

Along with delivering and setting up these stations, Texas Outhouse drivers also handle cleaning, water tank and paper towel refills, waste disposal, and more. “It’s a big part of the business across the United States. People who used to manufacture a small amount of these products are now manufacturing a lot, and a lot of new companies have sprung into business.”

Luxury Event Trailers has also shifted gears during the pandemic. Pre-COVID, it was the company’s fleet of 50 luxury trailers – outfitted with high-end amenities such as marble, wood finishing, air conditioning, and piped-in music – that was in high demand, rented by wedding planners and other customers.

Now, the company’s fleet is growing into a more diverse mix of sizes and interior formats – enabling LET to answer the call for virtually any requirement from both existing and new customers.

Lockdown on price
Despite the industry-leading quality of its range of offerings, LET keeps its pricing largely in lock-step with its local competitors, whose fleets are usually composed of far less expensive models, often with many accumulated years of wear and tear.

“We also service brick and mortar stores and restaurants during restroom renovations and water/sewer outages,” says LET’s Craig Ray. “Chemical plants and refineries are another common customer of ours, in addition to school districts and film production companies. The list goes on.”

During the early days of the pandemic, the market for LET’s rentals shifted. Although customers hosting events like church gatherings and barbecues sometimes put things on hold because of social distancing, the healthcare market skyrocketed. “During COVID, the Texas Outhouse division and Luxury Event Trailers just boomed completely,” says Wheeler.

Now that special events are opening up again, the company is being called upon for luxury trailer rentals, and still has equipment at COVID sites.

None of the company’s 50 trailers are brand-identified, a deliberate move on the part of LET. “If somebody’s having a million-dollar wedding, and they hire us through luxury event trailers, they don’t want our name splashed on the side, they want it to look generic,” says Wheeler. “When people go in, they are shocked at how nice they are.” See LET luxury trailers at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxrACtzNhyI.

Looking to the future
The team at Gainsborough Waste, Texas Outhouse, and Luxury Event Trailers looks forward to the future and a post-pandemic world. LET has reached the point where it not only leases out trailers but now has a business segment selling new and used units.

Gainsborough Waste and Texas Outhouse are both expanding, and on the lookout to acquire smaller toilet businesses and roll-off companies, and when the time is right, a site to build a new transfer station.

Along with frequent updates to its website, the company uses a marketing firm to promote itself and is active on LinkedIn and social media sites like Facebook. In keeping with the company’s spirit of genuine Texan generosity, it often answers calls for help from competitors.

“We’re big enough where, if our competitors get in trouble, they’ll call us and say, ‘Hey man, I need a couple of your roll-off boxes, can you help me out?’ or ‘I need 100 toilets,’ or ‘I need 50 ‘handicaps’, can you help me?’” says Wheeler, “and we absolutely help our competitors. It’s been a really great way for us to grow in this market.”

The post Always Moving Forward<p class="company">Gainsborough Waste</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

The industry faced tremendous pressure during the global pandemic, and SWANA has been there to support members through the tough times. “SWANA and the industry have overcome a lot of adversity over these last eighteen months,” says SWANA Applied Research Director Jeremy O’Brien. Residential waste spiked by twenty percent at the onset of the quarantine, and commercial waste plummeted, as people stayed home from work.

The industry had to navigate the shifting landscape while meeting the challenges of operating safely to reduce the spread of the virus and coping with a high number of COVID-related employee absences. “That’s created some delays in the collection of waste in certain areas and some concern, especially the residential sector,” O’Brien says. “They are used to having their waste picked up on a regular and efficient basis, so this is a new thing for them. But, I think through all of this society, in general, has really begun to recognize how important and essential solid waste management is as a public service and how much they depend on it. It’s just one of those things where, I guess [like the singer] Joni Mitchell said, ‘you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.’”

Now, the public has developed “a renewed appreciation for good solid waste management systems and services, and we appreciate that as an industry, especially our workers because their work is hard and often overlooked and underappreciated.”

An ongoing focus for SWANA is waste-to-energy (WTE), the thermal treatment of solid waste that produces baseload electricity and/or steam. WTE is “universally ranked above landfill disposal in every waste hierarchy,” O’Brien reports. He explains that the technology is commercially proven and reliable for a community’s non-recycled residual waste and that “many WTE facilities in the U.S. have been operating reliably, safely, and consistently for over forty years.”

WTE reduces the volume to be landfilled by a whopping ninety percent. The residue, or ash, is stable, inert waste and does not generate methane or create acidic conditions—which can cause serious problems for the environment. And, WTE goes a step further to eliminate harmful substances. The thermal process destroys pathogens, pharmaceuticals, and hazardous chemicals that remain in waste disposed of through traditional methods.

One substance that does remain in the residue is metal and aggregates, which can then be recovered and reused. “More metals are recovered than from source separation recycling programs,” O’Brien reports. WTE also enables recovering the energy value of discarded waste products, conserving fossil fuels.

However, there is opposition to WTE throughout North America, particularly over concerns that thermal treatment harms the environment and public health. O’Brien explains that SWANA is focused on “overcoming the negative public perception of WTE,” and is working hard to win over environmental groups through education. He points out that, according to the EPA, WTE “generates electricity cleaner than coal and almost any other source,” and that “WTE emissions are 70 percent below MACT standards.” O’Brien also shares that, in 2007, the National Research Council found “no association between human health impacts and the operation of WTE facilities. Health benefits may outweigh health risks.”

Over 96 percent of residual waste in Europe is diverted through WTE, but there are some key challenges to implementing the method in North America. In addition to environmental concerns, there is the fact that setting up a facility is “significantly more expensive than landfilling,” O’Brien says. “[It] requires large upfront capital cost investment.” Another problem is that the energy sold by these high-cost WTE facilities is bringing lower prices due to competition from low-priced natural gas recovered by fracking.

There is also the concern that low-income populations might be negatively affected by any new WTE facilities. In the past, people with more privilege typically pushed these sites out of their neighborhoods into the backyards of the underprivileged. “Siting of new facilities is always difficult, but will be more so due to the need to address environmental justice concerns,” O’Brien says.

SWANA’s role in promoting WTE begins with educating local government policymakers, solid waste managers, and the general public about the benefits of thermal treating solid waste before its disposal in landfills. The organization also provides performance and cost data on other residual waste management options—such as mechanical-biological treatment and sending untreated waste directly to landfills—so that communities can choose the best option for them. It conducts and publishes applied research on all waste management options to ensure members and the public has access to reliable data and analysis.

O’Brien predicts low growth in WTE facilities over the next decade due to the relatively low cost of landfill disposal and low energy prices coupled with the high cost of building new WTE facilities. “Most activity will center around the replacement or rehab of the seventy-plus existing WTE facilities which are reaching the end of their service lives.” But, he believes there will be “renewed interest in WTE/thermal treatment over the long term as the drawbacks of other options—long haul disposal, mechanical biological treatment—become more documented and recognized.”

Protecting public health from a group of manufactured chemicals known by the acronym PFAS is another important SWANA initiative. PFAS are found in a wide variety of products from antilock brake systems and firefighting foam to nonstick cookware and stain-resistant carpet. These highly durable chemicals have incredibly strong bonds that do not break down easily, so they remain in the environment. “It is showing up in our drinking water, and pretty much every human on the planet has a little bit in their bloodstream because it’s so ubiquitous,” O’Brien says.

The issue has been given a considerable amount of attention at both the state and federal levels, and Congress has passed the PFAS Action Act requiring the EPA to designate these chemicals as hazardous within one year. SWANA is issuing two reports on PFAS in WTE emissions and landfill leachate this year to keep the industry abreast of the issue.

Another notable SWANA report that came out this year promoted opportunities for women in the industry. “We produced a report on the need for women to get involved in solid waste collection, how it could be a good option for them,” O’Brien says. The report highlights a couple of communities that are making a special effort to promote woman drivers—an effort worth recognizing in an industry in which fewer than three percent of drivers are women.

In yet another initiative, SWANA helps the solid waste industry in other regions of the world to overcome challenges. “We have an interest in helping developing nations modernize systems, and we have a focus in Latin America,” O’Brien says. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve received a grant to aid Colombian solid waste managers in developing their systems, and we developed a course on landfilling for them and also brought them over to the U.S. to tour some of our facilities.”

Another SWANA initiative is to improve safety throughout the industry. “Safety is a big priority for us, and the pandemic has increased our focus on health and safety,” O’Brien says. A specific issue the organization is addressing involves lithium-ion batteries, which are used in a wide variety of commonly used items including smartphones, tablets, laptops, digital cameras, electronic cigarettes, power tools, and electric vehicles. “Unfortunately, some people put these batteries in their recycling bins and when they get to the materials recovery facility they hit the concrete on the tipping floor and they can tear open their packaging and it can cause a fire,” O’Brien says. “It’s a growing problem, so we’re trying to address that.”

SWANA is developing a new five-year plan this fall. Moving forward, the organization will help the industry become more sustainable and support its role in the circular economy. SWANA will also help the industry address new challenges such as food waste diversion, plastics recycling and litter management, extended producer responsibility initiatives, and materials recovery facility automation and robotics. The industry has overcome a lot in recent years and has many challenges yet to overcome, and SWANA is committed to leading the way through it all.

The post Leading the Solid Waste Industry<p class="company">The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

“We have grown to be far more than just a bottled water company, and we wanted our name to reflect that. Ice River Sustainable Solutions represents where the brand is today and its ongoing efforts to protect the environment for generations to come,” says Crystal Howe, the company’s Sustainability Manager. Using innovative resources and methods to retain plastic material within the value chain, IRSS has managed to keep over 450 million pounds of plastic out of landfills since 2009.

A more recent development for the company is its move from partial ownership to full ownership of C.R. Plastic Products. This branch of the company transforms recycled plastic caps and other recycled materials into quality, eco-friendly, outdoor furniture. IRSS experienced further growth with the introduction of BMP Extrusion, a partnership with Greenlid that provides a line of compostable products, the opening of the Shelburne water plant, the acquisition of Urban Polymers in Toronto, and an expansion of its recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) production capacity.

The new Blue Mountain Plastics Extrusion (BMPE) plant has a modern film extrusion and printing facility. It produces thin, strong, engineered coalition shrink film that allows Ice River Sustainable Solutions to use less plastic wrap for its bottled water. “Due to its thin gauge and high strength, it reduces the plastic required to pack heavy products. With water being so heavy, it drastically reduces the amount of plastic film we need to use,” explains Howe. BMP Extrusion also has a state-of-the-art printer capable of printing eight colours with in-house ink-mixing and precision automated mounting.

Using BMP Extrusion’s advanced equipment, the Ice River Sustainable Solutions team has been focused on incorporating recycled material into its plastic film which is a new innovation for this type of blown film. Starting with post-industrial recycled material (PIR), they have achieved twenty percent recycled content, and they expect that number to increase over time.

With the Shelburne Water Plant, IRSS now has the entire operation—water plant, film plant, and recycling plant—all in one location. “Shelburne now takes us through the closed-loop cycle from film, RPET, and water production in one place. The water plant is state-of-the-art with a turnkey Krones [bottling] line and an Elettric80 Forklift and warehousing system,” describes Howe.

The company is eager to bring people in for tours when possible again after pausing the visits temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tours are interesting and engaging because visitors can watch their material go from the Blue Box right through to a finished product, which will hopefully lead to an increase in recycling and create greater trust in the larger recycling system.

Ice River Sustainable Solutions is committed to closed-loop recycling to eliminate waste through the reuse of materials. The company purchases PET, Type 1 post consumer bales from local material recovery facilities, and although some of the material in the bales is not perfectly usable PET for beverage containers, IRSS is continuously innovating to find a use for it all. The cap material is sent to C.R. Plastic Products to be turned into high-quality furniture. The company uses all of the green PET material from the Blue Box in its own Ice River Green Bottle Co. brand which keeps an additional 5 million pounds of plastic out of landfills every year.

“It is an exciting time to be part of the circular economy in Canada. With eleven years under our belt, we are excited to see more companies join in,” says Howe. “We are completely committed to producing only the most environmentally-aware products and packaging.”

The impact of COVID-19 put a great deal of stress on supply chains across the globe, but Ice River Sustainable Solutions was more fortunate than most. As a result of its vertical integration and local feedstock of PET for recycling, the company was well prepared for such an event. It did not have any supply chain interruptions since its PET bale supply is from local curbside collected material. Because of this, when the demand for bottled water increased at the beginning of the pandemic, IRSS was not only able to meet customer needs but was able to support the community with water donations and RPET bottles for hand sanitizer. Ice River employees are incredibly passionate and although COVID-19 was challenging for essential workers, they worked hard to ensure that bottled water was available to all who needed it.

The area of challenge is the misinformation and negativity surrounding plastics. “We feel that we represent the positive side of plastics. We want people to see what can happen when plastics are used responsibly. Plastic has a lot of good qualities but need to remain in the value chain and not in the environment,” says Howe.

Stakeholders in the plastics industry now recognize that keeping plastics in the value chain is essential, from a financial perspective as well as for environmental reasons. PET plastic is easily recyclable over and over again. The industry does not want it to end up in landfill.

The best way to stimulate change quickly is for industry groups, government, and environmental organizations to work together to find common ground. Ice River Sustainable Solutions is excited to be a part of that change as manufacturing, in general, moves towards cyclical models.

IRSS has been producing 100 percent recycled bottles since 2010. “The beverage industry is working hard to increase recycled content in their containers. The recycling industry is always finding new ways to recycle packaging, and brand owners know consumers want more sustainable products and packaging,” says Howe. Having worked to become a trusted voice for the recycling industry, IRSS is proud of the relationships it has formed with the government, customers, and suppliers.

Ice River Sustainable Solutions has earned its reputation as an environmentally-friendly bottled water company that has grown into a leader in continuous improvement of the plastics recycling industry. “I think, over the last few years, to be recognized as a company that can help and be a solution to the plastics problem has probably been our greatest success,” says Howe. With Co-Owners Jamie and Sandy Gott as the creative minds at the helm of the company, there are lots of new developments on the horizon. “We’ve developed an excellent team at IRSS, with a passion and dedication to the environment, and it’s very exciting.”

The post A Trusted Voice in the Canadian Recycling Industry<p class="company">Ice River Sustainable Solutions</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

The fourth generation family company is celebrating its 110^th anniversary this year. “It started in 1910 with my great grandfather, one horse and a wagon, and we’re still here,” said Domenic Monopoli, President and CEO at Filco Carting. He attributes the company’s longstanding history of success to its capacity to adapt as the industry evolved for over a century. “Really, it’s being able to reinvent yourself every 10 to 12 years and being able to change with the environment: the business environment, the climate, the demands of the customers, and all the different types of technology,” he explained.

“That is why we formed a strategic partnership with Recycle Track Systems, Inc. (RTS),” said Monopoli. “We use their geo-tracking technology in all of our trucks. RTS’s system informs customers when our truck is near their location via SMS and email notifications. This allows the customer’s operations team to prepare their loading area and ensure security is alerted. The real-time notifications limit waiting times and eliminate the possibility of missed pick-ups, making collection much more efficient.”

Each generation of ownership at Filco had the good business sense to make new investments in modern equipment and technology that would allow the company to stay relevant and grow at a steady pace. “Generation to generation, it’s just about changing with the times, and being able to recognize what’s on the horizon to stay in front of it,” explained Monopoli.

Under the current leadership, Filco is focused on new technology and sustainability. The goal is to run the collection trucks as efficiently as possible using GPS guidance software and live cameras with audio for clear communication between employees. Several years ago, the company made the investment to replace its fleet with the safest, most modern equipment that can be found in New York City’s waste collection industry.

Safety is paramount
In the United States, solid waste collection workers have the fifth highest fatality rate of any occupation, with a higher workplace fatality rate than firefighters or police officers. Understandably, safety is a central concern for waste collection companies in any city, but operating a waste collection vehicle in a metropolitan center as populated as New York City can be extremely dangerous – particularly now, as smartphones seem to find new ways to distract us every day. Screens are designed to monopolize our attention and the number of things people use them for while driving is always growing. We use them to make phone calls, to play music, to tell us where we’re going, to order food, and so much more. The number of accidents related to distracted driving in New York has increased a staggering 86 percent since 2009 according to an article published in PR NewsWire. In order to operate safely, a thorough and well understood safety policy is absolutely required.

To alleviate some of the safety concerns and reduce the number of incidents, Filco provides extensive training to its employees in house and holds regular safety meetings throughout each month. The company uses the Smith System, a well-known set of defensive driving rules in the industry for commercial drivers. “We have our own safety school and no one goes out on a truck solo without finishing a two-week course. Then once a week, every Thursday, we do pop-up meetings or what we call tailgate meetings, and at least twice a month we have full-blown safety meetings where we bring in outside guests and speakers,” explained Monopoli. Once a year, the company also rents convention space to host a large-scale safety seminar with all of its employees, repeat customers, and a number of qualified guest speakers. “We go quite in-depth because safety, as far as I’m concerned, is extraordinarily important in our industry.”

Evolving through uncertain times
Filco has been consistently growing at a steady pace, between 10 to 15 percent a year – significant for a large company. It prioritizes smart, organic growth over rapid expansion, although the events of this year have halted many of the company’s growth plans for 2020.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Filco employed approximately 145 employees and it hopes to be operating with that number again by early next year. Some of its office staff are working from home and the others work on odd or even days, allowing only half the staff in at one time to enable social distancing.

The pandemic has created new challenges for every business, and even essential operations such as waste collection companies have had to rearrange the way they move. Luckily for Filco, the company has already proved itself capable of quickly restructuring the business when times change.

To this end, Filco immediately provided its employees with personal protective equipment to keep them safe and to decrease the chance of viruses spreading through waste disposal. Employees wear masks, gloves and outer protective garments, and the trucks are sanitized professionally in between each shift. Filco has put forward a major effort to support its employees as they put themselves on the front lines to continue to collect waste in an unpredictable environment. It is easy to become accustomed to the routine of garbage pickup and forget that these services are a necessity and the waste collection workers are truly essential frontline workers.

Another area of the business that has required temporary reorganization is Filco’s commercial office customers. As people have been forced to work from home, the garbage collection for office towers has become very minimal. “We lost probably 40 percent of our business and we’re climbing back slowly,” said Monopoli. “The office towers that we service –well over 100 – are at maybe 20 percent capacity. Restaurants are not open yet, and some hotels are functioning normally but most are not. So once again, it was just about reinventing ourselves – going from a fleet of 40 trucks down to 10 or 12, and then starting to rebuild from there.”

The challenge for Filco today is the unknown. It is unclear when or if its customers will be able to return to full capacity. There are many questions in the air and Filco is prepared to find new solutions as the industry moves forward.

It’s all about relationships
Filco Carting has always been highly customer service-oriented. Prior to the pandemic, it was servicing over 5,000 customers per day, the majority of whom were repeat customers. The company has also established close relationships with the utility companies in New York. The utilities represent the largest customers in the city, and Filco has maintained these coveted contracts with over 300 locations since 2002 because of its exceptional customer service. “It’s all about customer service; it’s responding when the customer calls and having a pleasant person answering the phone. We never have an automated recorder answer the phone during regular business hours; it’s a live person, and that was a decision that was made on purpose,” said Monopoli. Supervisors can be reached at the Filco Carting office 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and many of the larger accounts have Monopoli’s personal cell phone number.

As Filco has grown and developed, it has always strived to maintain its family-owned, friendly environment. “I have an open door policy, and every single employee has my cell phone number,” said Monopoli. “We try to grow and grow but also keep the same culture that we were brought up with.”

As proud members of the Laborers Local Union 108, Filco pays its people the highest wage in the industry and the average employee has a tenure of over 20 years. Monopoli has been a trustee of the union for the past six years and strongly believes the union is essential to represent the value of waste collection workers. “A lot of companies don’t unionize and they don’t take care of their people the right way. We are proud of the fact that we pay our people the highest wage in the industry and in the end, it pays back.”

The unpredictability of the future based on how COVID-19 will continue to affect the United States has put many businesses on hold this year. Filco has pushed back some of its plans for growth but will continue to focus on the strengths that have led to its 110 years of success.

“We’re here to stay,” concluded Monopoli. “We’re going to maintain the customer base that we have the best we can, we’re going to continue to give the best possible service at the best possible price, we’re going to run the safest fleet in the industry, we’re hiring the most capable people, and we’re very proud to be unionized.”

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