Services DC Environmental Provides

Data Security Solutions  

with Electronics Recycling

• Data Protection Services
• Witnessed Destruction
• Ultimate Security
• Certificates of Recycling and Destruction  

1. EDUCATE

• Host a meeting with your DC Environmental consultant to inform the tenants about the benefits of recycling.
• Create a permanent resource such as a bulletin board or bookshelf in the lobby for tenants to reference whenever they wish.
• Keep track of the statistics - DC Environmental provides recycling reporting which will keep the tenants informed of their recycling success 

 

2. PROVIDE INCENTIVE

• Offer a reward to the office group that creates the least amount of trash and the most recyclables
• Encourage tenants to begin recycling at work and at home for an even bigger reward

• Make it convenient for tenants to participate
• Choose volunteers to keep the workplace recycling program running

 

The acronym 'MRF' stands for Materials Recovery Facility. This type of facility is a specialized plant that receives, separates and prepares recyclable materials for marketing to end-user manufacturers. There are two types of MRFs: clean and dirty. A clean MRF accepts recyclable commingled materials that have already been separated at the source (i.e., office suite) from the waste stream. A dirty MRF accepts a mixed waste stream and then proceeds to separate out unsoiled recyclable materials through a combination of manual and mechanical sorting.   

 

	Dirty MRF	DCE Program
Diversion Percentage	25%-35%	55%-75%

 

When the recyclables are mixed in with the trash, a large percentage of these items are soiled and contaminated and only a  small percentage can then successfully recovered at a 'dirty' MRF. As you can see in the above chart, dirty MRFs account for recycling diversion of a mere 25% to 35%. In contrast, DCE's program can yield a much higher recycling diversion of 55% to 75%.  

 

The higher diversion percentages are justified by teaming up with DCE and implementing a higher touch recycling program in your building(s). DCE is able to achieve higher diversion percentages from the successful roll out of our program, providing on-going education and support as well as quarterly reporting that highlights the success of the program.

 

DIVERSION...DIVERSION...DIVERSION!

 

The State of California pushes for higher diversion (75% by 2020)...DC Environmental seeks it for all customers...Tenants love it...Property Management teams know they need it.

 

Let's work together to make it happen! 

 

Reduce

• Eliminate unnecessary reports and reduce report size.
• Eliminate unnecessary forms and redesign to use less paper.
• Don't use cover sheets on faxes.
• Make fewer copies. Share copies and don't make more copies than you need.
• Print or copy on both sides.
• Proof documents on screen and preview before printing.
• Set up computers to automatically print two-sided.
• Use light weight paper.
• Remove duplicate names and out-of-date entries from mailing lists.
• Take steps to reduce unsolicited mail.
• Design mailers which avoid the use of envelopes (fold and staple the paper).
• Use electronic mail and voice mail.
• Post announcements on bulletin boards or circulate copies.
• Circulate memos, documents, reports, and publications.
• Allow internal documents to be circulated with legible minor hand corrections rather than retyping drafts.

Reuse

• Collect paper that has been used on one side and reuse as draft paper in fax machines, for scratch pads and copies (in copiers with multiple trays, one tray can be stocked with draft paper).
• Buy only copiers and printers that will make two-sided copies reliably.
• Reuse envelopes by placing a label over the old address.
• Use reusable envelopes for interoffice mail.
• Use outdated letterhead for in-house memos.
• Reuse file folders.
• Shred newspapers and reuse for packaging.
• Investigate whether local libraries, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, etc. could use your old trade journals or magazines.

Recycle

• Provide desktop recycling containers for employees.
• Provide clearly labeled recycling bins near copiers, shipping and receiving areas, and in employee eating areas to collect white paper, mixed paper, newspaper, magazines, cardboard as well as nonpaper products (glass, aluminum, plastic, etc).
• Don't buy paper that is a contaminant in recycling, e.g. thermal fax paper, glossy/plastic coatings, plastic windows, bright colors including goldenrod, laser printer inks, adhesive products.
• Print directly on envelopes rather than using labels.  

Increases in Waste & Recycling Costs...WHY? 

California might be seeing increases in waste and recycling costs due to China's Green Fence policy, implemented in February 2013 to prevent the import of trash--including contaminated scrap metal, paper and plastic--into the country. Since the U.S . exports

about 50%

of all materials collected for recycling, sending two-thirds of that to China, the Green Fence has greatly affected the market for recyclables. 

Remind your staff and tenants to source separate recyclables in accordance with your recycling program. This means making sure that they are making the effort to take liquids and any wet, messy food wastes to designated trash bins rather than discarding them in a recycling bin. If your recycling stream is too contaminated, recyclable materials such as paper may not be recoverable at a sorting facility. Your recycling could end up in the landfill, and the cost of having it sorted after pickup will be passed along to you in the form of increased waste and recycling rates.

Being prepared and aware of the market, along with maintaining a clean recycling stream, will put you in a better position to negotiate when you are hit with a rate increase. By working with your hauler, you have a better chance at keeping any rise in rates to a minimum.