Business Recycling Assistance

Photo Banner of Businesses

Better sign the papers while the planet is still willing to make a deal. ~ Stephen J. Gould

Small and large businesses alike have an opportunity to save money and promote sustainable business practices through recycling and waste reduction programs. People recycle at home and therefore expect to be able to do the same at a place of business. In fact, it is the law in Connecticut that everyone, even businesses, recycle certain materials. The DEEP wants to ensure that you receive the support you need to help capture valuable materials from the waste stream.

Business Recycling Profile WORD , PDF (a tool to see how well your business is recovering waste for reuse and recycling)

Recycling at Multi-Family Properties (an educational flyer)

DEEP Recycling Inspection Checklist - WORD, PDF - Businesses need to be recycling all mandated materials. DEEP inspectors use this checklist to assess recycling compliance with the recycling law.

Visit RecycleCT to learn What's In and What's Out!

Connecticut has a goal of recovering 60% of our municipal solid waste through waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting by 2024. As we seek to increase our recycling and recovery rates in Connecticut, everyone needs to do their part - including businesses. Below are resources for the business community to help staff, facilities personnel, ‘green teams’ and waste management coordinators develop strong and comprehensive recycling and waste recovery programs.

Take the Recycle at Work Pledge - A program sponsored by Keep America Beautiful, this pledge is a national voluntary initiative challenging businesses, government agencies, schools, hospitals and other institutions to commit to increase workplace recycling by 10 percent. By taking the pledge and becoming a Pledge Partner, businesses and organizations can access special recycling bin discounts, free tools and other resources to help them increase recycling, encourage employee participation, and earn recognition for their actions.

Are You Recycling What You are Supposed To?	Waste Reduction Resources for Businesses	Reuse Resources for Businesses
Reuse Marketplace	How to Set-up and Assess Your Recycling Program	Going Beyond the 3R's at Your Business
Start a Green Team	Negotiating for Resource Management Contracting & Recycling Services	Recycling & Reuse Markets
Recycling Coordinator ListServ	Electronic Waste	Collection Containers
Composting & Organics Recycling	Pollution Prevention (P2) for Business, Industry & Hospitals	Additional Business Recycling Resources

Are You Recycling What You Are Supposed To?

CT’s recycling requirements are structured to encourage businesses to divert materials from the waste stream and prevent valuable materials from being trashed. The following resources will help you understand the types of materials required to be recycled as well as help you understand what your business is recycling or throwing away.

Recycling...It's the Law!

Recycling at Multi-Family Properties (an educational flyer)

Business Recycling Profile WORD , PDF (a tool to see how well your business is recovering waste for reuse and recycling)

DEEP Recycling Inspection Checklist - WORD, PDF - Businesses need to be recycling all mandated materials. DEEP inspectors use this checklist to assess recycling compliance with the recycling law.

Reuse Marketplace

The Reuse Marketplace is a FREE regional on-line reuse network for businesses, organizations, institutions, and governments to find, sell, trade, or give away reusable or surplus materials that would otherwise be disposed as trash. It's a website supported by 7 northeast states (including CT) to help you capture value, exchange reusable items, save money, & reduce waste.

A wide variety of materials are accepted into the exchange, such as storage containers, industrial and office equipment, furniture, cabinets, plumbing/heating/lighting fixtures, food residuals, wood/pallets, office partitions, fabric scraps, paving stones, nursery pots, 5-gallon buckets, construction materials, art supplies, and many more.

Membership in the Reuse Marketplace is free and limited to businesses, organizations, institutions and governments in CT, DE, MA, NJ, NY, RI & VT, but anyone can visit the website, www.ReuseMarketplace.org, and browse for materials currently available or wanted. All exchange transactions are carried out directly between the interested parties. The Reuse Marketplace is like a dating service for your stuff! So start saving money on disposal costs and purchases by visiting www.ReuseMarketplace.org and clicking on "Create an Account".

Please help us spread the word about this great resource for businesses. Use these handouts at trade shows, meetings, billing inserts, to share with clients, or any other venue where businesses, organizations, non-profits or governments may be present:

8.5" x 11" Three-panel, double-sided cut-apart leaflet
8.5" x 11" Sheet of 10 double-sided cut-apart business cards

How To Set-up and Assess Your Recycling Program

Careful planning, achieving employee buy-in, using a bottom-up and top-down approach, and thoroughly educating employees through promotional messaging and internal communication are instrumental in the success of your recycling program. The following resources will help you assess your current waste stream, identify options for reducing and reusing materials, work with your hauler for recycling and waste service contracts, and evaluate the program. Most importantly, you will be helping your business comply with CT state law.

Setting Up a Business Recycling Program (CT DEEP)

Business Assistance (Northeast Recycling Council) – The NERC resources for Business Assistance provides guidance and information on greening your organization including how to set up and manage collection programs for specific materials, using materials exchanges to reduce waste, and implementing environmentally preferable purchasing. NOTE: Check the Business Assistance box and click "Go".

Going Beyond the 3R's at Your Business

Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling are just some aspects of an environmentally conscious business. Minimizing your business’s impact on the environment also includes adopting an efficient energy plan, implementing a "Buying Recycled" procurement plan, and reducing indoor air pollution. These pollution prevention techniques will help the environment and improve the health and safety of those working, attending, or visiting your business.

Businesses that make environmentally healthy practices a priority can also save money through reduced consumption of goods and energy, increased efficiency of operations and resource use, creating preferable working conditions, avoiding future liability problems, and teaching employees the value of environmental stewardship. Remember to "Think Big, but Start Small"! Trying to address all of these issues at one time will be overwhelming, so try to focus on the strategies that will have the largest impact with the least amount of work. Once you have instituted these programs, you will have the momentum to expand your program to other areas.

Buy Recycled (CT DEEP)

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (CT DAS)

Green Seal Certified Products (Green Seal)

New York’s Green Cleaning Program (New York State Office of General Services)

Responsible Purchasing Guide for Cleaners (Responsible Purchasing Network)

CT Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA)

CT Climate Change (CT DEEP)

CT Energy Information

Landscape Stewardship (CT DEEP)

Organic Lawn Care (CT DEEP)

Pollution Prevention (P2) for Business, Industry and Hospitals (CT DEEP)

CT Department of Agriculture

CT Farm to Chef Monthly Newsletter (CT Dept. of Agriculture)

Green Building (CT DEEP)

Textiles Reuse & Recycling (CT DEEP)

Zero Waste International Alliance

Start a Green Team

Often, organizations will form a Green Team to plan for and implement recycling and pollution prevention programs. The DEEP’s Green Team works on building energy efficiency, promotes the use of green cleaners, educates staff on holding green meetings and events, runs the office supply reuse center, and manages the recycling and composting programs. To learn more about these efforts, visit our "How We Are Greening the DEEP" webpage.

Negotiating for Resource Management Contracting & Recycling Services

Resource Management Contracting (CT DEEP)

Resource Management Contracts (EPA)

Resource Management Contracting (MA DEP)

Resource Management Contracting Manual (EPA Wastewise)

Hauler Terms and Waste Conversion Factors (Northeast Recycling Council)

Tips and Language for Recycling Hauling Services Bid Specifications (Northeast Recycling Council)

Recycling and Reuse Markets

Reuse Marketplace (NERC)

Corrugated Cardboard Recycling (CT DEEP)

Glass Recycling Markets (CT DEEP)

Waste Paper Processors (CT DEEP)

Food Residual Composting Facilities (CT DEEP)

Food Waste Reduction and Recovery (CT DEEP)

Fluorescent Lamp Recycling Facilities Fact Sheet (CT DEEP)

Recycling And Disposal of Scrap Tires (CT DEEP)

Recycling Propane Tanks (CT DEEP)

Connecticut Intermediate Processing Centers - Recyclables Marketing Contacts (CT DEEP)

Construction and Demolition Materials Reuse & Recycling Options (CT DEEP)

The New York Recycling Markets Database (NERC), on-line, searchable database of recycling markets, includes many markets in or businesses that work in Connecticut.

Scrap Metal – Scrap metals are a mandated recyclable material – everyone needs to recycle them. Scrap Metal consists of “ferrous metals, aluminum, brass, copper, lead, chromium, tin, nickel, or alloys thereof, including, but not limited to, white goods and metal food containers” (Source: Section 22a-241b of the Regulations of the CT State Agencies). Businesses that recycle scrap metal, such as Scrap Metal Dealers/Recyclers can be found listed in telephone directories (i.e. the yellow pages) and/or on-line searches. For background information, refer to The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries recycling fact sheets

CT Recycling Coordinator ListServ

This list is for discussing recycling and solid waste recovery challenges and opportunities. DEEP is sponsoring this discussion list to encourage cross-pollination of ideas, hear new concepts, approaches and technologies, share successes, projects and programs and overall provide each other support in an effort to increase recycling and solid waste recovery in Connecticut.

Due to overwhelming interest, in December 2008, DEEP opened membership in the listserv to anyone working on recycling and solid waste management in Connecticut. This includes municipal recycling coordinators, coordinators who represent municipal districts or authorities, recycling/solid waste coordinators at businesses and universities, businesses engaged in the recycling industry, etc.

Share your ideas, resources, events and questions with others. Contact Sherill Baldwin to join the listserv.