by Shane Henson — March 28, 2012—Casella Waste Systems’ Power of Three closed loop recycling initiative has earned a reputation for using innovative methods to help organizations and businesses but their “waste to work” and achieve zero-waste.
The Power of Three is premised off of picking up a customer’s recycling, processing that recycling into new products, and then providing those products back to the customer in the form of new hand towels, tissue paper, and toiletry items, says the company. The most recent entity to take advantage of their waste management service and solution is Green Mountain College, located in Poultney, Vermont. The school’s program is accomplished through a partnership among Casella, SCA Paper, Foley Distributing and UGL Services that redefines closed-loop recycling.
With Zero-Sort, all of Green Mountain College’s paper, plastic, glass, and metal will be combined together in one single container. Casella’s Zero-Sort processing facility located in Rutland, Vermont mechanically sorts all of the material. Once sorted, the baled paper will travel just 45 miles more to the SCA plant in Glens Falls, New York to be made into 100% recycled paper content products that will then be delivered back to Green Mountain College by Foley Distributing and UGL Services.
Businesses that have converted over to Zero-Sort typically see a 20-40% or more improvement in their recycling efforts, which saves them money on disposal costs and time in sorting, and streamlines their collection processes internally, says Casella.
Casella says it is very hopeful for the future of this program and the positive impact it will have on the environment and its customers.
