ET 4/99: Solana Recyclers helps businesses reduce waste, buy recycled, and save money

Solana Recyclers helps businesses reduce waste, buy recycled, and save money

Businesses learn that environmental decision making can save money reducing waste

provided by Solana Recyclers

n September 1998, the US Environmental Protection Agency provided grant funds to Solana Recyclers for the Sustainable Futures Project. This project is designed to help businesses reduce the amount of waste they create, save money and buy recycled-content products. More and more businesses are beginning to realize that it makes economic sense to include environmental considerations into the corporate decision-making process.

Supported by funds provided from the grant, staff members literally dig through the waste that a business creates and find ways to save money either through recycling, reducing, or reusing. After the waste is characterized and the facility is toured, each business receives a waste reduction cost analysis report which shows how reducing waste can save their business money.

All services are free. Businesses lacking comprehensive recycling programs and/or producing a large amount of solid waste are encouraged to participate in the project. Businesses that have participated in the project include: Sea World, The San Diego Zoo, Callaway Golf, Cuyamaca College, Qualcomm, ST Microelectronics, the Radisson Hotel, Fast Frame and Continental Maritime.

Assembly Bill 939, passed in 1990, requires cities and counties throughout California to reduce their waste by 50 percent by the year 2000. Commercial waste represents about 35 percent of the waste stream in San Diego County. Accordingly, businesses that participate in the Sustainable Futures Project can help the city and county to reach this 50 percent waste diversion goal. Over the course of the grant, 50 businesses will participate in the Sustainable Futures Project.

The recycled paper purchasing co-op

Despite the fact that recycled copy paper now performs just as well as virgin fiber copy paper, many businesses still don't buy recycled because of its higher price. In fact, recycled paper only represents about 6-7 percent of the printing and writing market. In an attempt to encourage more businesses to buy recycled paper, Solana Recyclers is coordinating a recycled paper purchasing cooperative in San Diego County. The paper available for co-op pricing contains 30 percent post-consumer content and is performance recommended by the Federal General Printing Office. The purchasing procedure is easy: each participating business receives a purchasing number from Solana Recyclers and uses it to access discount pricing from an exclusive supplier. Due to the high purchasing volume of the co-op, pricing is projected to meet or beat existing virgin fiber prices that most businesses are paying. If the co-op garners 40,000 cases of paper sold, this will equal a savings of approximately 8,000 full grown trees. Contact Tyson Miller at Solana Recyclers with questions, requests for paper samples or pricing information: (760) 436-7986, fax: 760/436-8263; email: solanaadnc.com.

Solana Recyclers helps businesses reduce waste, buy recycled, and save money
Businesses learn that environmental decision making can save money reducing waste
provided by Solana Recyclers
	n September 1998, the US Environmental Protection Agency provided grant funds to Solana Recyclers for the Sustainable Futures Project. This project is designed to help businesses reduce the amount of waste they create, save money and buy recycled-content products. More and more businesses are beginning to realize that it makes economic sense to include environmental considerations into the corporate decision-making process. Supported by funds provided from the grant, staff members literally dig through the waste that a business creates and find ways to save money either through recycling, reducing, or reusing. After the waste is characterized and the facility is toured, each business receives a waste reduction cost analysis report which shows how reducing waste can save their business money. All services are free. Businesses lacking comprehensive recycling programs and/or producing a large amount of solid waste are encouraged to participate in the project. Businesses that have participated in the project include: Sea World, The San Diego Zoo, Callaway Golf, Cuyamaca College, Qualcomm, ST Microelectronics, the Radisson Hotel, Fast Frame and Continental Maritime. Assembly Bill 939, passed in 1990, requires cities and counties throughout California to reduce their waste by 50 percent by the year 2000. Commercial waste represents about 35 percent of the waste stream in San Diego County. Accordingly, businesses that participate in the Sustainable Futures Project can help the city and county to reach this 50 percent waste diversion goal. Over the course of the grant, 50 businesses will participate in the Sustainable Futures Project.
The recycled paper purchasing co-op
	Despite the fact that recycled copy paper now performs just as well as virgin fiber copy paper, many businesses still don't buy recycled because of its higher price. In fact, recycled paper only represents about 6-7 percent of the printing and writing market. In an attempt to encourage more businesses to buy recycled paper, Solana Recyclers is coordinating a recycled paper purchasing cooperative in San Diego County. The paper available for co-op pricing contains 30 percent post-consumer content and is performance recommended by the Federal General Printing Office. The purchasing procedure is easy: each participating business receives a purchasing number from Solana Recyclers and uses it to access discount pricing from an exclusive supplier. Due to the high purchasing volume of the co-op, pricing is projected to meet or beat existing virgin fiber prices that most businesses are paying. If the co-op garners 40,000 cases of paper sold, this will equal a savings of approximately 8,000 full grown trees. Contact Tyson Miller at Solana Recyclers with questions, requests for paper samples or pricing information: (760) 436-7986, fax: 760/436-8263; email: solanaadnc.com.